The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-05
THE SCENE IN THE SENATE
MIR. Roosevelt Takes the Oath as
Vice President.
The Occasion Marked by Formally
and Dignity - Distinguished Spec
tators on the F!oor-Newly Elected
Senators Indicted Into ONCE.

Senators Indicted Into ONCE.
Theodore Roosevelt, o New York. at
noon yesterday took the oath of office
as Vice President of the United States
AT the same moment the Senate OF the
Fifty-sixth Congress ceased to exist ana
the Senate of the Fifty-seventh Congress
was created, with Mr.. Roosevelt as its
presiding officer.
The ceremony took place in the Senate
chamber, and was witnessed by prac-
tically all of the chief officers OF the
United States. The President, the SUI
preme Court, the members of the Cabi-
net, the incoming and outgoing Con-
crosses, the Governors of States and Ter
ritories, the Diplomatic Corps, and
great throng of officials were present to
add to the dignity and the Importance of
the occasion. The oath was administered
by Senator Frye of Maine, the outgoing
presiding officer. There was little DEM
onstration and no unusual incident oc-
CURED. The programme was followed out
to the letter calmly, briefly, and with for
mality.
Mr. Roosevelt assumed his authority
with dignity and with an air of satisfac-
ton. His inaugural address was crisp
and timely. The departing President pro
tempore yielded the gavel with a pleas
ant little speech, in which he thanked the
Senate for its cooperation and courtesy.
/ Both the President and Vice President
were greeted with ripple of applause.
but there was no outburst and nothing of
| hearty enthusiasm.
Just before noon Mr.. Frye appointed
committee consisting of Messrs. Hoar
and Cockrell to enquire of the Pres
ident if he had any further business
| to lay before the Senate.
resolution of thanks to Mr. Frye for
the courteous, impartial. and dignified
| performance of his duties as President
pro TEN. of the Senate was offered by Mr..
Jones of Arkansas and unanimously
| adopted
Mr.. Frye then addressed the Senate as
| follows:
Senators: l thank you for the res
olution just adopted by you and for
its kind assurances. My election by
you by unanimous vote will be the
klndest memory of my life. l have
tired to live up to your confidence
have never yielded to any person or to
any Partially.
My duties have been made easy
and agreeable to me by your co-opera-
ton and kind consideration. Your Ia
bors are about to close and hope
that the rest will be enjoyed
May the dear Lord go with you
permit no sorrow TO invade your
homes.and bless you with health and
strength"
At the close of. his speech, Mr.. Frye
| turned to Mr.. Roosevelt, who sat on his
| right, and after administering the oath of
office banded himS the gavel
The outgoing and the 5Incomlng presid-
| ing officers shook hands and the former
declared the Senate of the Fifty-sixth
| Congress adjourned sine die.
The blind Chaplain of the Senate. Mr..
| Milburn, offered prayer He prayed that
every heart might be moved with earn
| estness while those present proceeded to
execute the will of the American people
in the initiation of two OF their fellow
citizens according to the simple Ameri-
can usage into two OF the highest Offices
known to the Constitution and laws.
May the terms of their Office" the
| prayer continued, be memorable in our
| annals for the reign OF prosperity, peace.
welfare, and good feeling. Let thy bless
| ing come upon this great assemblage
where are gathered so many men and wo-
men of note and mark. not only our own
representatives, but our foreign guests,
between whose countries and our nation
may the ties be strengthened and multi
piled of common sympathy and friend
ship"
Vice President Roosevelt took the pre-
siding officers position and delivered his
inaugural address, which was vigorously
applauded. He said:
Senators: The history of free gov
ernment is in large part the history of
those representative legislative bodies
in which from the earliest times free
government has found its loftiest eX-
preston. Hence. they must ever hold
a peculiar and exalted position in the
do NN#loi Fh toll hg. he.
lions of the world have achieved and
preserved orderly liberty.
NO man can render a greater service
to his fellows than is rendered by the
man who, with honesty and fearless
ness, with sanity and disinterested-
ness, does his lifework as member
of such a body. Especially is this the
case where the Legislature in which
the service is rendered is itself vital
part Of the governmental machinery
of one of those world powers to whose
hands in the course of ages is entruSt-
ed a leading part in shaping the des-
TIMES of mankind. For veal or for
woe. for good or for evil. this is true
of our mighty Republic. Great privil-
eyes ard great powers are ours and
heavy are the responsibilities that go
with those privileges and those pow
ers. Accordingly we do well or IL,
so shall mankind in the future be eX-
allied or cast down.
we are a young nation. already of
giant strength and yet whose present
strength Dut Il forecast OF the power
that is to come. We stand supreme on
continent; supreme in a hemisphere
East and west. we look out across the
two great oceans toward the larger
world-life in which, whether We wish
1t or not, we must from hencefOrth on
take an ever-increasing share. AS
keen eyed we gaze into the coming
years. duties and old rise thick
and fast to confront us from within
and without.
There is every. reason why We
should face these duties with solemn
appreciation alike of their difficulty
and far-reaching Importance. But
there is also every reason why we
should face them with high-hearted
resolution and eager and confident
faith in our ability to do them Alright
A great work lies ready to the hand
of this generation and thrice fortunate
is the generation in that it has such n
work. to do. leading part therein
must be taken by this the august and
powerful body over which have been
called to preside. Most deeply do [
appreciate the privilege of my posi-
ton; for high indeed is the honor of
presiding over the American Senate nj
the beginning of the twentieth CEN
tury.'
The next feature in the programme
after the reading Of the Presidents proc
lamation converting the Senate was the
administering of the oath to the Senators
whose term of Office began today. MANY
of them were applauded as they moved to
the Secretarys desk.
Seldom, If ever. in the history of the
Capitol has the historic old Senate Cham
Der presented such scene as that of
Yesterday The great men of the United
States, together with the chosen repre-
sentatives of all the Civilized nations of
Ia