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Show WILLIAM H. TAFT NOW AT THE HEW Inaugural Ceremoni s Held in the Senate Chamber for First Time in Seventy-six Years. New Chief Executive E corted to Senate Sen-ate Chamber by Pres dent Roosevelt, Roose-velt, Oath of Office 3eing Administered Ad-ministered by Ch ef Justice Jus-tice Fuller. Washington. A blizza 'd sweeping over Washington on Thu: sday, March 4, caused an abandonmet t of the set program for the inaugura '.ion of William Wil-liam Howard Taft as pres dent of the I United States, and for th ! first time In seventy-six years the oi th of office was administered to the incoming president in the senate clumber. To effect the change in cerem mies from the great stand erected aloi g the east front of the capitol to the senate chamber, cham-ber, it was necessary to rt sh a spe-1 cial resolution through the liOuse and senate. The storm threatened to cause a total abandonment of the brilliant pageant of the afternoon, but a pas-1 sageway was cleared along the center j of Pennsylvania avenue, and Tor near-1 ly three hours President Tf ft and I Vice-President Sherman reviewed a passing column, which wa replete : with martial splendor and picturesque j with civic display. Following the inaugural cerenonies in the senate, Theodore Roosevelt, again a private citizen, bade an affec-tionate affec-tionate adieu to his successor, while all in the historic chamber looksd on in silence, hd then he hurried away through a side door, to take the train. Taft repeated the words in a slow, distinct dis-tinct voice. When he at last had kissed the Bible there was an outburst of applause, a grasp of the hand by the chief justice, and President Taft began immediately the inaugural ad dress. He read from typewritten man uscript. Mr. Taft won applause at the very outset by announcing his adherence to the Roosevelt policies and of his intention to carry them out by means of further legislation, which would also have for its purpose the freeing from alarm of those pursuing "proper and progressive business methods." When Mr. Taft had concluded, Mr. Roosevelt immediately made his way to the rostrum. President Taft advanced ad-vanced to greet him. The two shook hands warmly and with hands on each others' shoulders they conversed earnestly ear-nestly for a few moments. During the leave-taking every one in the senate chamber looked on with keenest interest at the unusual picture. pic-ture. At last the friends parted and j Mr. Roosevelt darted out a side door leading into the senate lobby. He was followed by resounding cheers. President Taft was escorted out through the main door amid an ova: f tion. The great crowds outside caught up the cheering of those who had forced their way within. Mr. Taft entered en-tered the presidential carriage with Mrs. Taft. The escort began to move, the ceremonies were at an end. The troops and civic bodies composing compos-ing the notable parade of the afternoon after-noon mobilized in snow and slush, which in places was deeper than their legging tops. Down Pennsylvania avenue, walled in with spectators, they found dry footing, but faced a lively gale. The parade was replete with Interest. In-terest. The 3,000 bluejackets from the i t-cently, returned Atlantic fleet shared honors among the military with the Cuban army of pacification. The trim cadets from West Point attracted unusual interest and made a characteristically fine showing. The midshipmen from Annapolis, snowbound snow-bound within twenty miles of Washington, Wash-ington, shared the fate of thousands for New York. As he passed out of the chamber. Mr. Roosevelt was given an ovation quite the equal to that tendered ten-dered the new president. As President Roosevelt accompanied Mr. Taft down the aisle of the senate chamber to chairs placed in front of the clerk' desk, every one in the great assemblage rose and remained standing, until Mr. Taft and Mr. Roosevelt were seated. On the floor of the chamber were ranged the members mem-bers of the diplomatic corps, justices of the supreme court, members of the house and senate, the admiral of the navy, the chief of staff of the army and scores of other officials and distinguished dis-tinguished visitors? The ceremonies of the inaugural formally for-mally began when Vice-President Fairbanks, Fair-banks, in a farewell address, which called out for him a spontaneous tribute of applause, declared the Sixtieth Six-tieth congress at an end. Tifrning then to Mr. Sherman, who had been escorted to a place beside him, he administered ad-ministered to his successor the oath of office and turned over to him the gavel. Mr. Sherman, in rapping the senate to order in special session of the Sixty-first congress, made a brief address. Then followed the swearing in of many new senatois. This completed, Vice-President Sherman said: "The chief justice will now administer adminis-ter the oath of office to the presidentelect." president-elect." The sudden announcement came as a surprise and a solemn hush fell upon the assemblage. Mr. Taft arose, took the arm of Senator Knox, chairman chair-man of the joint committee on arrangements, ar-rangements, and walked around to a position in the rear of the presiding officer's desk. He was followed by Chief Justice Fuller, who was officiating officiat-ing for the fifth time at this historic ceremony. Mr. Taft took up a position facing the members of bis family grouped in the gallery. The chief justice began ihe administration adminis-tration of the oath in a low tone. Mr. a! sightseers who were unable to ruach the city on account of the storm. President and Mrs. Taft were the centers of interest at the culminating fe dure of the day the inaugural ball in the Pension building. The scene in the great building, which had been transformed into a canopied eourt of ivo -y and white, was another of the bril'iant pictures quadriennially painted paint-ed here by the gathering of a vast and brilliant assemblage from every sect on of the country- Wjile the ball was in progress ln-dooiv, ln-dooiv, a display of fireworks on the mom ment lot in the rear of the While Hons :, marked the end of the outdoor jeleb; ation. For hours the thiniy-cloudi thiniy-cloudi d heavens were alight with rocket -3. Pric- to his visit to the ball. President Presi-dent '.'aft had entertained at tea in the W. die House the members of the Yale c ub; had dined with Mrs. Taft al. 7 o clcck, and had stopped in at the Me.ropolitan club to say a few words s the dinner of the class of '78 at Yale. Mr. 'f ift's day was one of continuing continu-ing chetcs and plaudits from the moment mo-ment he first appeared on the White House p irtice to go to his inauguration, inaugura-tion, unt 1 he returned late Thursday night, an unwilling leave taker from the inaug iral ball. Mr. anc Mrs. Taft were the guests of the Roi sevelts at the White House Wednesda; night, setting a new precedent prece-dent in tl e courtesies of the executive execu-tive mansim, as they did again Thursday Thurs-day when vlrs. Taft accompanied the newly-made president and Mr. Sherman, Sher-man, the m w vice-president, from the capitol at he head of the imposing parade to ths White House. The presidential pres-idential car. iage, drawn by four bay horses, whic i had been closed against the storm as President Roosevelt and Mr. Taft male their way to the capitol, cap-itol, was thi wn open as the return journey beg! n, and President Taft, quickly reccjnized by the crowd, which stood enthusiastically unmindful unmind-ful of the sno r and slush about them, was acclaimec ail along the great distance dis-tance of the a renue. |