Cutting the inaugural's high costs
Inflation has struck at the very foundations of democracy this yearÛÓ rather. of its most integral rite.</br></br>Because of escalating costs, the seating for the inaugural ceremonies in January will not consist or a huge wooden floor with benches, as in the past. Instead there will be folding chairs placed ÛÏright on the pavement" of the Capitol Plaza, according to the office of the Architect of the Capitol.</br></br>This is one of several economy measures which, says Elliott Carroll, executive assistant to the architect, will reduce construction and equipment costs for the 1977 inaugural ceremony from a projected $700,000 to $325,000.</br></br>presidential oath has become increasingly costly since Martin Van Buren's swearing-in in 1837, when records indicate that the construction bill was $11.</br></br>The physical setting for Richard Nixon's inauguration, used by almost 20,000 people for a couple of hours in 1973, reached a cost of $427,000.