Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-03-05

Washington, March 4.--William Nc
kinley of Ohio. was. today, installed
as President of the United States for
the term of four years, continuing un-
til the eth of March, 1901, and Grover
Cleveland for the second time passed
from the exercise OF the high office of
President and re-entered private life.
In his capacity as ex-President he has
hut one living contemporary, his i'm
mediate predecessor, Benjamin Harri-
son. All the others who. within the
last thirty years. by election or success
sion, have presided over the destinies
Of the great American republic. Lin
coin. johnson. Grant Hayes. Garfield
and Arthur, have joined the silent ma
iority.
Incidental to the actual assuming of
office by the President and slightly
preceding IL in point OF time. Garret
\. Hobart OF New Jersey Ga gentleman
not heretofore prominent in national
poiitics) took the oath of office as vice.
President of the United States, and
was Installed as ex-oiiicio presiding Of
Seer OF the Senate.
The proceedings of the day were
characterized by all the imposing spec
tacular effects and demonstrations of
popular interest which have become
growing feature of inaugural ceremo-
Iies as the ration has advanced In
population and wealth. Between 10000
and 10000 formed in procession, partly
military, partly civic. and escorted the
retiring President and the President
elect TO and from the Capitol. At least
10000 people witnessed the administra-
tion of the oath of office on the eastern
portico of the Capitol and listened or
attempted to listen, to the delivery OF
the new Presidents brief Inaugural ad-
dress.
The graceful interchange of eourte-
sizes between the ut-going and in-com-
ing officials which has only twice been
intermtted.-once when bluff John Ad-
ANS packed his gripsack and slipped
tut at the White House at daylight on
the 4th o: March. to avoid shaking
hands with his hated Federalist sue
cessor, the illustriouS Jefferson, and
once within living memory when Gen.
Grant because of his strained personal
relations with Andrew Johnson. drove
in his buggy from the old war depart
ment to the Capitol, accompanied only
BY Gen. John a. Eawlins, his chief of
staff--were on this occasion exercised
to the full extent. Mr.. Cleveland and
Mr.. Mckinley rode side by side to and
from the Capitol. They had dined to-
gether al the White House. the day be-
fore and they lunched in each others
company en- the day on which they
transferred the government of this
great nation. the one to another.
An additional air of cordiality was
infused to the proceedings by the sim
ilarity between the views entertained
by the retiring President and his cab
irst on the financial questions and
those upon which the successful candi-
date of the Republican party was elec-
ted. Mr.. Cleveland in truth felt more
qualification probably. in installing at
The Capitol as his successor the leader
of an opposing political party than he
would have had in escorting under like
circumstances the leader chosen by his
own political associates as their can
didate fer the Presidency This innc-
walton on the usually closely drawn
partisan lines of American politics
gave added piquancy to the proceed
ings.
Repeated but unsuccessful efforts
have been made of late years to change
by legislation the date of the Inaugural
ton ceremony to later period Of the
season, SO as to avoid the uncertainties
and frequent inclemencies of climate
which prevail in Washington in the
early part of March. In 1862 when
President Grant was inducted into Of
fee for the first time. the weather was
so bitterly cold that the soldiers froze
at their posts and many of the partic-
ipants in the proceedings subsequently
died from the direct effects of the ex-
posure to which they were subjected
Garfeld's Inauguration day was ush-
cred in by an early morning snow
storm which. however, melted rapidly
in the subsequent sunshine. Benjamin
Harrison rode to the White House in
cold and drenching rain. worse to en-
dure than SNOW. and delivered his ad-
dress bare-headed in the open air at
the peril of his life to an audience hid
den under forest of umbrellas.
For eighty years, ever since 1917, |
when James Monroe, the eighth Pres
ident of the United States, Initiated the
practice, it has been the almost un-
broken custom for theNchief justice of |
the United States to administer the !
oath of office to the President ELECT in |
the open air, the high participating Of |
Ecials standing on a platform erected |
in front of the eastern portico of the |
Capitol. This rule has occasionally |
been deviated from when a President |
was reelected to succeed himself or |
when a vice. President has succeeded |
TO the Office through the death of the |
President. There was one other not
able exception in the case of President |
Hayes. His Inauguration day falling |
upon Sunday. and there being still un-
settled questions as to the validity Of |
his title. he. out of abundant precau-
lion, took the oath of office in the |