The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-15

BUFFALO, Sept. 14.-Theodore Roose-
welt, who to-day was tragically elevated
to the chief magistracy of the American
Republic by the death of President McKin-
ley, entered this city of mourning this aft
ernoon after a remarkable and perilous
journey from the heart of the North woods
He had been President under the Constitu-
ton and law of the land since the minute
the martyred President ceased to live. All
the duties and powers of the office had de-
volved upon him, but he was as powerless
as the humblest citizen to exercise one of
them until he had complied with the con-
stitutional provision requiring him TO take
a prescribed oath TO support and defend
the Constitution and laws of the United
States. He took that oath at $3.50 this j..
m, in the library of the residence of
Ansley Wilcox, a personal friend, with
whom he stopped earlier in the week when
the physicians thought President McKin-
ley would recover from the wound inflicted
by the assassin.
There were present when Theodore Roose-
Welt swore to the oath Secretaries Root,
Hitchcock, Long, Wilson and Postmaster
General Smith, Senator Chauncey Depew,
of New York, Judge of the Court of APP
peals Haight, John n. Scatherd Mr.. and
Mrs Ansley Wilcox, Miss Wilcox, George
P. Sawyer, Drs. Mann, Park and Stock
ton, Mr.. and Mrs. Carleton Sprague, Mr..
and Mrs. John G. Milburn, Secretary 20
to the deceased President George B. Cor
telyou, Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Carey, r. c.
Scatcherd ]. d. Sawyer and William Jeffers,
official teegrapher, in addition to Judge
John R. Hazel, of the United States Dis
trict Court, who administered the OATH
The scene was a most affecting one. The
new President had just come from the Mil
burn house, where his predecessor lay cold
in death. Overcome by the deep personal
sorrow he felt, in his characterically i'm
pulsive way he had gone first to the house
of mourning to offer his coincidence and
Secretary Root, who, twenty years ago, had
been present at a similar scene when Ar
thur took the oath after the death of an
other President who fell a victim to an as
sassins bullet, almost broke down when he
requested Mr.. Roosevelt, on behalf Of the
members of the Cabinet Of the late Pres
ident, to take the prescribed oath. There
was not a dry eye in the room. The new
President was visibly shaken, but he con-
trolled himself, and when he lifted his hand
to swear, it was as steady as though carved
in marble With the deep solemnity of the
occasion full upon him. he announced TO
those present that his aim would be to be
William McKinley's successor in deed as
well as in name. Deliberately he pro-
claimed il in these words: 'In this hour of
deep and terrible national bereavement,
wish TO state that it shall be my aim 10
continue absolutely without variance the
policy of President Mckinley Of the peace
and prosperity and honor of our beloved
country
The great. far-reaching significance Of
this pledge TO continue the policy of the
dead President, announced at the very
threshold of a new governmental regime.
profoundly impressed his hearers, and Pres
ident Roosevelt's first step after taking
the oath was in line with its resumption.
His first act was TO ask the members Of
the Cabinet TO retain their portfolios IN
order TO aid him TO conduct the govern
ment on lines laid down by him whose poi
icy he had declared he would uphold. Such
an appeal was not TO be resisted and ev-
cry member of the Cabinet including Sec
retary of State Hay and Secretary OF the
Treasury Gage. who were communicated
with in Washington, have agreed for the
present. at least. to retain their several
portfolios.
The President has made no plans as yet
he said he was 80 shocked by this national