Omaha daily bee., 1898-01-17
INAUGURATION OF THE PAST.
How Ioyyn Governors Have Been In
Quoted Into Office.

Quoted Into ONCE.
1t did not perhaps occur to many who at
tended the inaugural exercises in Des
Motnes that the time IS not far distant When
the Inauguration of a governor in Iowa was
a very different affair from what it is at
the present time, says, the DeS Moines News.
Probably most of the spectators went away
thinking that it had always been done just
that way since governors began But that
is hardly the case.
Iowa history, sad to relate is in a most
chaotic condition. 1t is extremely difficult
to find anything particular at any particular
time There has never been written his
tory of Iowa worthy of the name. But
enough can be found to show the vast
changes that have taken place in the half
century of Iowas history, in the conduct
of business affairs of state, and in particular,
to greater degree than in the method Of
inductng into office the chief executive at
the regular biennial periods.
I'm those stirring days when Iowa was just
upon the threshold or statehood and the
capitol was wandering around over the lone
some prairies looking for home, there was
not much opportunity or occasion for state
or formality in conducting public business.
There were too many stern realities to
grapple with for our pioneer lawmakers to
think about plans for fnaugurating even
governor. But the Environments that sur
rounded the occasions were sometimes more
interesting than the most splendid inaugural
exercises that will ever occur within 1owa's
borders. The inaugurations were themselves
at times fraught with greater meaning for
the young state than is ever likely to be the
case again.
Robert Lucas the first territorial governor
of Iowa. was nducted into office on the 18th
day of November, 1888. Burlington was then
the capital city of the territory and was but
poor struggling frontier village. The
building in which the legislature met and In
which the inauguration took place was not
pretentious structure, even for those mod
est times. and was not intended for legsla-
tive purposes. 1t was, in short, old Zion
church, famous among Iowa pioneers as the
scene of so many important early pubic
meetings. 1t was about the only building In
town Guitable for a public meeting and 1t
answered for church, town hall, court house,
territorial capitol and all. 1t was small
brick structure, and newly built, when frst
put to the use of the legislature
TWO SMALL BODIES.
1t does not seem, however, that even so
small building need have been severely
taxed to accommodate the legislative solons
of the infant territory. The assembly, nll
told, consisted of but thirteen members In
the council or upper house and twenty-six in
the lower thirty-uine in all 1t was d small
| company, but made up of earnest men with
great work to do. That they did 1t well
| is attested by the wonderful results of their
efforts.
AS might be expected the inaugunll serv-
ices were of the simplest though dignifed
nature. John Mason, chief justice of the
territory, administered the oath OF office.
| Lucas stood up before the assembled legls-
lators of both houses and promised to sup
| port the laws of the territory and of the ma
| tional government, and taat was all there
WIS of the service There was little or no
| preparation made for the event and there
was naturally but little display. There was
no tima or OCCASION fer either
| Tho Inauguration of Lucas was a type OF
practically all the early inlugurations. Some
| times an inaugural address was given, and
when it was it was practically sure to be
| full OF common sense and to hew to the line
| They had not yet learnedthe art Of sophistry
| in dealing with matters of State. But often
/, there was no address given; merely few
| words on the business In hand
| Ansel Briggs was the first governor ct
| Iowa after it had assumed statehood. He
| was inaugurated on the Sd day OF December
| 1916, at Iowa City, where the sent OF govern
| ment had been transferred from Burlington
| The ceremony was OF the same simple char
| ac,er as that of Lucas, and Chief Justice
| Mason was again the parsonage to administer
| the oath. The minor officers were: Elisha
| Cutler, secretary OF state; Joseph t. Fales
| auditor, and Morgan Reno, treasurer. The
| enormous responsibility, that rested upon
INAUGURATION. OF SHERMAN.
The most imposing and elaborate inaugural
| exercises ever held ip Iowa occurred in
| 1884 when Buren h. Sherman was inducted
| these men as the first Officers of the state
Gun hardly be appreciated at the present