The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-03-05
THE NEW PRESIDENT.
continued from page


partly military, partly civic, and escorted
the President and President-elect to and
from the capitol At least twenty thou.
sand people witnessed the administration
of the oath OF office on the eastern p0rtico
of the capitol, and listened, or attempted
to listen to the new Presidents brief in
augural address; and at night gorgeous
state ball, at (which the President ard
NicePresident were present closed the
proceedings.
Mr.. Cleveland ard Mr.. Mckinley rode
side by side to and from the capitol.
They had dned together at the White
House the day before, and they lunched
in each others company on the day in
which they transferred the government
of this great nation the one to the other.
An additional cordiality WAS infused into
the proceedings by the similarity between
the views entertained by the retiring
President and his Cabinet on financial
questions, and those upon which the sue
cessful candidate of the Republican party
was elected Mr. Cleveland, in truth,
fclU' more qualification probably in in
stalling at the capitol us his successor,
the leader of an imposing political party
than he would have had in escorting un
der like circumstances the leader chosen
by his own political associates as their
walton on the usually closely drawn par
tisan lines or American politics gave adj
tlcd piquancy to the proceedings
No Erander theatre for such IL pageant
could we'll he found. Pennsylvania ave-
nue., 125 feet from curb to curb, along
which the procession passed from the
White House to the capitol, presents an
uninterrupted vista of over ii mile, COM
mencing with the massive Grecian facade
of the Treasury department, which in
tersects the view ut one end, and termin-
ating in the beautiful white marble
dome-crowned capitol at the other end,
with the needle-lke shaft of, the Wash
ington monument standing sentinel
guard on the right hand, towering 900
feet upwards to the clouds. On all the
little parkings and government reserva
tions. formed by the different angles OF
the intersccting streets and the radiating
avenues, Caily decorated stands had been
erected, capable Of seating ut least thirty
thousand people, and those were densely
packed with spectators, one row above
the other like the tiers on Grecian
trireme.
The decorations of the city were eN-
ceedingly effective with but one notable
exception. That was tie Treasury De
pnrtmenJ, the majestic lines of which
were dist Cured in violation of all rules
of taste. Each of the graceful nuted
columns of the eastern facade on Fiji
teenth street was partially swadded in
striped pantalettes, falling short of the
pedimen.s exactly after the fashion of
"Uncle SANS trousers as depicted in
the comic papers, and also over the main
entrance the shield and eagle of the
United States We're daubPd upon a hide
GUS yellow background, the whole form
ing Il tawdry combination which IL third
rate circus would have scorncd to dis.
play. Everywhere else, however, the
scenic effect was fine and even the bad
taste displayed in the Treasury dIapings
was in part obliterated by the animated
concourse of employees and their families
and guests who occupied the temporary
seats which, piled tire upon tier, reached
half way IN the side of the building and
entirely covered the gardens at the south
end, looking down Pennsylvania avenue
The pavilion in front of the White House
from which President Mckinley reviewed
the returning procession, was n thing of
beauty-an architectural creation sof
white and gold, strongly resembling in
it's apparently substantial pillars and it's
general outlines the portico of historic
Arlington and conveying no impression
that it WAS simply a tlimsy structure of
wood erected FOR day
The entire route from the White House
to the capitol WAS banked with hoarsely
shouting enthusiastic spectators. All
street car traffic was, of course, suspended
along the route OF the procession The
sidem alks were roped off and was so
crow ded with people that locomotion was
impracticabe. Mounted police prevented
any one from attempting to break through
the "trocha." 1t seemed As if Washing
tons normal population of two hundred
thousand had been swollen by more than
an equal mount of visiting STRANGERS,
and that all were ont to see the sights.
Every building on the line of march was
draped in bunting of the national colors
and every window and point of vantage
was occupied. The beautiful stars AMI
stripes were everywhere seen. with other
appropriate banners and emblcme. In
addition to these festive demonstrations,
fifty thousand miniature United States
flags had been gratituously distributed
by the committee on arrangements
These were exhibited ut every available
point and were waved with enthusiasm
us the President and other known pub
lie men rode by. At least Zoo, 900 voiced
continuous welcome from the time the
procession started until the capitol was
reached. And these. vocifcrations were
still more enthusiastically echoed on the
return trip.
The grand marshal entrusted with the
direction of to'day's pageant was Gen.
Horace Porter, formerly of the stan of
General Grant. His organizing skill had
been tested in peace rs we'll rs in war
notably in the conduct OF the great sound
money procession through the narrow
and tortuous streets of New York city
last October during the Presidential cam
paign With the broad avenue and
smooth aSphalted streets of Washington.
General Porter had full opportunities to
display his genius for controlling the
movements of large bodies OF men, and
hn nvnilnl hi,nsnlf of thnua Ernr,, tLu