Evening star., 1939-03-05
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star
Half century ago the columns of The

Half century ago the columns of The
Star were filled with glowing accounts of
the preparations for the
Inauguration Inauguration of Gen.
Woother Benjamin Harrison as
President of the United
States For a week before the event the
paper, along with the city, became more
decorative with illustrations and spe-
cial features. And then-it rained! The
following editorial paragraphs in The
Star of March and March 4 give side
lights on the general picture:
washington is decorating herself for
the inaugural parade with flags. banners
and every variety of bunting. AS a
prudent housekeeper she is procuring
vast supply of provisions and countless
cots. Her hotels and houses will be
crowded, but she has large resources in
this particular. and will accommodate
every guest. Her visitors are already
arriving by the thousands. From her
crowded streets arises the sound medley
of the inaugural season, the trumpet
note and drum tap OF arriving military
organizations, the cries of vendors of
badges. souvenirs and other timely wares,
the eXclamations of visitors, the steady
hum sometimes swelling into an uproar
of the multitude. Evidently the crowd
will be the largest, the parade the finest.
the fireworks the shoWiest and the ball
the most magnificent that have ever
honored an incoming President of the
United States"
"If proper expression we're given to the
feeling of the thousands of wet and dis
appointed people in Washington today,
it is safe to say that Congress would at
its next session pass the bill heretofore
introduced changing inauguration day
from March to April 30 OF course, no
human enactment or provision can in
sure good weather for any particular
date. but all experience shows that the
early part of March is sure to be un-
certain and apt to be inclement, whereas
the spring weather is fairly inaugurated
and almost certain to be pleasant by the
last Of April. Beside. the 30th of April
was the date fixed for the Inauguration
of George Washington. April 30. there
fore, let it be! And all the people will
say amen'" X X X X
I'm view of some misunderstanding on
the subject, we beg to assure the 100000
guests of Washington today that the
weather which has enveloped the In
augural event is wholly unintentional on
the part of the people of this city. Every
arrangement had been made for a fair
day. and it was supposed that the ele-
ments would keep their word. In the
excitement incident to a great occasion,
by some oversight, the fair sky intended
for Washington was sent out to Gen.
Harrisons Indiana home and rain
storm shifted over to the chesapeake
region. The circumstance cannot now
be corrected, but 1t would be very quickly
if the people of Washington could do it.
Their good will must be taken for the
deed. Meanwhile, there are compensa-
tions in the jolly good nature of every
body A contagion of fun and merriment
spreads like ground swell through
American crowds, and nobody has been
heard to swear at the wet overhead or
the water underfoot The weather is
dismal only when we who get it are
disposed to be downcast."
X
"The Stars views of the parade and
the accompanying side shows represent
the spectacle during an intermission in
the downpour of rain. There is nothing
esthetic or impressive in surging sea
of opened umbrellas"
X X X
1.-THE streets of Washington are filled
with wanderers who, like the scriptural
rejected spirit, seek rest through dry
places, and experience great difficulty in
finding either"