The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-01-17
CHANGE IN
STATE OFFICERS
Governor Too1e Takes the
Oath of Office.
AND GOVERNOR SMITH
Retires to Private Life and a Lucrative
Law Practice at the
Capitol.
AND GOVERNOR SMITH

|
Robert b. Smith stepped out of the
state Offices in the court house and
that of Governor Joseph X. TOole
stepped in with the absence of pomp,
and that quiet, business like precision
which is peculiar to a democratic gov
eminent, whore all bow cheerfully to
the popular will. The men at the
head of the various departments, and
some of the subordinates, were
changed, but the peoples business
went on without interruption.
Naturally the most interest center
ed in the swearingin of Governor
j. X. Toole, which occurred in the
governors Office between 1880 and
II o'clock, as Battery A fired a gov
ernor's salute. In anticipation of this
simple ceremony there were assem-
bled in the private office the retiring
| governor, Chief Justice Theodore
Brantly and Associate Justices Will
liam pigott and George r. Milburn,
of .-.e supreme court: Secretary of
State George M. Hays, Attorney Gen
eral James Donovan, State Treasurer
A. II. Barrel State Auditor J. H.
Calderhead. Mrs. Laura E. Howey, Ii.
brarian of the State Historical Ii
5rary: Henry Neill, the state land
agent Harry d. Moore, the state land
register: J. J. Schmidt, clerk to the
state board OF land commissioners;
II. L. Frank, of Butte, Colonel O. F.
Goddard. Of Billings, Finley McRae,
clerk of the district court; Dr. Will
lam l.. Steele, the county treasurer,
and several private citizens.
Governor Toole's handsome figure
was the center Of the group facing the
governors desk as Governor Smith
rose to perform his last official act
to extend a welcome to his successor
He spoke few we'll chosen words ex-
pressive of his high opinion Of that
successors character and abilities and
of his confidence that the state would
be well governed in the next years.
Then Associate Justice Miburn
stepped forward to perform his Off
cial act. Taking position directly
facing the governor, he read from a
typewriter copy the words of the
oath of office, Governor Toole, with
his right hand raised, repeating them
distinctly after him, at times with de-
cided emphasis. For the first time
the new governor sat down at his
desk and added his signature to the
written oath. Then he turned to the
spectators and addressed them brief
ly. He had no sooner ceased than
all present gathered around him and
grasped his hand in congratulaton
All had worn an air of gravity until
DR.. Steele, in shirt sleeves and with
, vest unbuttoned, pushed forward and
extending his brawny palm, said:
Governor, congratulate you on be
half of the working classes"
The doctors joke raised laugh
which spread like an epidemic and in
, a second everybody was smiling and
talking, and recalling "reminiscences
, of former inaugurations.
Gradually the spectators dispersed
, and left the old and new governors
alone together to transfer keys, the
t combination of the safe and Other
} things which go with the office. Ther
| t'nrn1nr EnUncnnr KNIT
5 of the office and the court house
, with q few books under his arm, ant
, retired into private life and a lucra
, tive law practice.
, To the Record Governor Toole sale
: that all the appointive officers hat
/ been appointed for terms of fou1
t years, which in most cases did no
, expire until about March 4, and tina
t he should not interfere with them il
| the meantime at least. AS regard.
: the state capitol commission, he di,
, not contemplate any change. as tn,
t present members had the work vel
: in hand and were familiar with al
{ the details He should simply fill
the vacancy caused by the resignatio,
, of ID. T.. Folsom
2 The transfer of the private secre
} tary's duties was even more simple
: Charles +. Word turned over to Ru
: dolph Thompson all keys, books, pa
t pers, desks, typewriters and other
5 paraphcrnalia attaching to his dutie.
t and in two minutes Mr.. Thompson
t found himself the busiest man in the
building.
g Associate Justice Milburn of the su
: preme court took the oath of offic,
from Chief Justice Brantly prior Il
| his administration of it to the gov
5 ernor, and then court adjourned fo
g the day. The desk was cleared of ;
mass of pending business before h,