The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-01-15
THE sENATES OWN DAY.
Inauguration Ceremonies in Charge of
the Upper Board.
House Members Lucky if They Get a
Chance to See the Show-What is
Planned for Next March.
ESPECIAL TO TIE PREss.1

ration of President of the United States
is one of the greatest ceremonies OF this
earth. The great military pageant Tor
which an army is gathered, is OF course
the most striking feature. But after all
this is mere accessory to the real -cere-
mony, which begins in the Senate wing
of the Capitol and is continued before
the east front.
1t may be said at the outset that the
Inauguration is Senate show. Inc
House of Representatives,, otherwise SO
great and powerful au influence in tue
government, is on Inauguration day re-
duoed to a condition of pitiful subser-
viency to the Senate. The reason OF this
is simple. AT noon of the Fourth Oh
March the life of the 54th Congress Will
expire, and it will be yet days or perhaps
months Before the House of the 55tl Con-
gress will he legally assembled and Or
ganized. The Senate, on the other hand,
is continuing body. Only third Of
its members go out each two yeals, ana
it is legally assem- bled at the time of the
Inauguration Of each President in order
to confirm his nominations. 1t is there
fore in the full exercise of it's power just
at the time when the House goes into
chrysalis stage Of its career.
The Senators are not at ill backward
about taking advantage of this condition
of things. They run the inauguration,
without asking any advice OF the House
Indeed, the members of the House and
members elest may consider themselves
lucky if they get chance to see the
spectacle themselves, to say nothing of
getting the privilege for their relatives
and friends.
At the last inauguration a member OF
the House received two tickets of admis-
sion to the Senate galleries. A Senator
had five tickets.
| The Senate takes possession of the
Capitol on that day. Ope year the ser
geant-at-arms of the Senate posed soldiers
of the regular army around the Capitol
on the morning Of inauguration, and
members of the House had to be identi-
fed before they could pass the lines to
attend the session of the House. There
was big uproar about this and indlg-
nant mem bers delivered spirited speeches
on tho floor of the House. A resolution
protesting against the performance was
proposed, but the life of the House ex
pired while the proceedings was going
on.
One year the House decided that they
ought to cut more of figure in the cere-
monies, and sent to the Senate resolu
tion SO setting forth. The Senate received
the message with the greatest suavity,
and said Tin parliamentary Way '"Of
course, if yon wish it. So it was ar
ranged that the House should issue
tickets of admission as well as the Sem
ate. The members of the House issued
white tickets, and on the morning of
March 4th they took their little tickets in
sisters, cousins and aunts, presented
themselves to the doorkeepers. 10 their
surprise and indignation they were denied
admission while sundry other people
having red tickets were admitted. 1t
seemed that these people with red tickets
were friends of the Senators. The mem
bers of the House went back to their hall
and raised loud complaints, but it was
the old story. Their lamp of official life
went out while they were complaining.
q So the Senate remains master of the
ceremonies. In the first place it assigns
the room on the floor and in the galleries
| of the Senate cham Der. The diplomatic
gallery is in reserved for the families of
the diplomatic corps. The gallery next
to the diplomatic is for the families of
the President and Vice President, Presi-
dent-eleot and Vice President-elect and
of ex- Presidents and Vice Presidents.
The reporters gallery Is kept for the
newspaper men, and all other galleries
are thrown open to the general admission
Of such as have tickets.
On the floor of the Senate, In portions
severally reserved, the diplomatic corps,
the Supreme court, heads Of executive
departments, general of the army and
admiral of the navy (also such officers as
have received the thanks Of Congress (of
whom Gen. Howard is one) governors of
states, ex-senstors, Judiciary of the
District of Columbia, and members and
members-elect of ths House of Represen-
tativeS are gathered.
The President and President-elect enter
the Capital by the bronze door on the
east front, and the President goes at once
to the anonymously furnished Presidents
room, just off the Senate chamber. The
President elect may not enter this room
yet, however, but goes to the Vice presi-
dents room. The Vice President elect
also comes to the Vice Presidents rooms.
Both the President-eect and the Vice
President.e elect, together with the Presi-
dent at the proper time enter the Senate
chamber end take seats in front Of the
presiding officer. The oath of office is adj
p,inistered to the Vice President-elect in
the Senate chamber by the Vice Presi-
dent.
Then the Senate organizes, and this be.
ing completed. the procession is formed
to proceed to the stand at the central
Ll,. AL II