New-York tribune., 1901-03-05
SUCCEEDING HIMSELF.
NOTABLE FEATURES OF PRESIDENT
MKINLEY'S SECOND INAUGURATION.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.I

TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.I
Washington, March 4-Another Presidential
fourth Of March has passed, and the huge
chine OF Federal Government continues to re-
volve as smoothly and noiselessly if the
streets Of the American capital had never known
the cry: The President is dead; long live the
President" This time there has been no Man
Who Was 70 point the reflections which the
transfer Of executive power under the American
democratic system usually suggests. The Pres
ident Who Was survives in the President Who
Is and to-day's Inauguration ceremonies have
therefore lacked that sombre note Of contrast
which marks the sudden displacement of one
actor by another in the grandiose-amost IL
limtahle-role OF executive prerogative and
ecutive authority. For the first fourth of March
In twenty-eght years a retiring American Pres
ident has made the customary trip 70 the Capitol
without a travelling companion beside him to
cloud the last hours of his term of Office with
sense Of the transformers Of popular support
and popular affection.
Not since Grants second Inauguration has
any other President escaped the melancholy
outY of turning over TO q successor the powers
ana honors denied him for another four years.
In 1917 Grant himself. retiring under the
written two term limitation, witnessed the in
stallation. long and bitterly disputed Of Ruther-
iord b Hayes. Hayes in 1881 surrendered the
Presidential office to Garfield whose tenure Of it
Was 10 be ended within seven months by an
assassin's bullet. Arthur, defeated for renomi-
nation by his own party. accompanied Demo
cratic successor Cleveland, TO the Capitol CIeve-
iand in 1889 rode the length of the avenue with
Ills victorious rival Harrison. and Harrison in
JN't3. did return service of the same stoicaI
sort for HIS reelected opponent. Four years
ld'ef Cleveland. spurned by his party and driven
Hom IT'S councils, shared once more as retiring
Chief Magistrate in the installation of a success
Sor whom he could rghtfully describe neither
as political foeman nor political ally
PRESIDENTS WHO WERE REELECTED.
Grant and Mckinley Of course have not been
me only Presidents to take the oath OF office
unattended by outgoing predecessor. Every
other two-term President has driven from the
white House 10 the Capitol and returned in soIi-
lary splendor. jefferson in 1905 Madison in
lsl3. Monroe in 1921 Jackson in 1893 and Lin
coin in 1865 enjoyed undivided the honors Of a
ceremony which marked for each an almost frfc-
oonless perpetuation Of leadership and power
1enerson took the oath in 1901 without counte-
nance or courtesy Of any sort from President
ADAMS. who had hurried away from the CapitoI
'he night before TO avoid sharing even bv his
presence In the elevation 10 power Of the arch
enemy Of federalism. The second Presidents
bitterness Of spirit cropped out again twAnty
.ieht years later, when his son. John Quincy
Il'atns' refused 10 accompany Andrew Jackson
- the capitol and rode contemptuously awav
e,iohs the Georgetown hills, out of earshot ever
- the saintes which proclaimed his successors
aioh' The Harrison campaign of 1910
iacuonal feeling TO such depths that
hl van buren eagerly seized the prece-