The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-15

BUFFALO. Sept. 14.-Theodore Roose-
vclt who today was tragically elevated
to the chief magistracy of the Ameri-
can republic by the death of President
Mckinley, entered this city of mourning
this afternoon after a remarkable and
perilous journey from the heart of the
north woods He had been president under
the constitution and law of the land since
the minute the martyred president ceased
to live. All the duties and powers of
the Office had devolved upon him, but he
was as poweriess as the humblest citizen
to exercise one of them until he had
complied with the constitutional provision
requiring him to take a prescribed oath
to support and defend the constitution and
laws of the United States. He took that
oah at $3.50 this afternoon in the library
of the residence of Ansley Wilcox, a per-
sonal friend, with whom he stopped ear
lier in the week when the physicians
thought President Mckinley would recov-
er from the wound inflicted by the as
sassin. There were present when he
swore to the oath: Secretaries Root,
Hitchcock, Long, Wilson, and Postmaster
General Smith, Senator Chauncey NJ. De
pew of New York, Judge of the Court of
Appeals Haight. John N. Seatherd, Mr.
and Mrs. Ansley Wilcox, Miss Wilcox,
George P. Sawyer, Doctors Mann Park
Sprague, Mr.. and Mrs. John. C. Milburn,
Secretary to the President VIM. Loeb Jr;
secretary to the deceased president, Geo
B. Cortelyou, Mr.. and Mrs Charles Carr,
r. c: Scauherd ]. D. Sawyer and VIM.
Jeffers, official telegrapher, in addition to
Judge John R. Hazel, of the United States
district court, who administered the cath.
SCENE WAS IMPRESSIVE
The scene was a most affecting one. The
new president had just come from the
Milburn house, where his predecessor lay
cold in death. Overcome by the deep
personal sorrow he felt, in his character
istically impulsive way, he had gone first
to the house of mourning to offer his con
dolence and sympathy to the broken
hearted widow. Secretary Root, who.
twenty years ago, had been present at
similar scene when Arthur took the oath
after the death of another president who
fell victim to an assassin's bullet al
most broke down when he requested Mr.
Roosevelt, on behalf of the members of
the cabinet of the late president to take
the prescribed oath. There was not a 0ry
eye in the room. The new president was
vislbly shaken, but he controlled himself
and when he lifted his hand to swear it
was as steady as though carved in mar
bic. With the deep solemnity of the oc-
casion full upon him, he announced to
those present that his aim would be to
be William McKinley's successor in deed
as We'll as in name. Deliberately he pro-
claimed it in these words:
RoOsEvELT-s POLICY.
In this hour of deep and terrible ma
tiCnal bereavement, wish to state that
II shall be my aim to continue, absolutely
without variance. the policy of Pres <Ylt
Me- MMchInley for the, peace, and prosperity
and honor of our beloved country"
for osa,,laf1,
this pledge to continue the policy of the
dead president, announced at the very
threshold of new governmental
regime, profoundly impressed his hearers
and President Roosevelt's first step aft
er taking the oath was in line with its
redemption. His first act was to ask the
members of the cabinet to retain their
portfolios in order to aid him to conduct
the government on lines laid down bv
him whose policy he had declared he
would uphold. Such an appeal was NOT
to be resisted, and every member of the
cabinet. including Secretary of State Hav
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 pres
ident has made no plans as yet He said
he was so shocked by this national ca
lamity that had thrust his new respon-
sIoil-ties upon him that he had had no
time yet to think of his future career at
Washington. He will remain here quiet
y tomorrow, and on Monday will accom-
pany the funeral train to the national
capitol. The cabinet, after comforting
with the family of the late president,
decided upon a state funeral at Wash
ington.
FUNERAL PLANS.
1t was at first intended to have a brief
service of prayer at the Milburn resi-
dence tomorrow afternoon and start for
the national capital with the body on
Monday morning at o'clock, but the
people of Buffalo expressed such a strong