Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-11-09

49,
court OF the lord chief justice, whers
they were received by the judges at
tired in scarlet robes, full.bottomea
wigs and cooked hats. There the us
ual solemn courtesies were exchanged
the lord maqor, In the exercise Of an
immemorial right, remaining covered
while the recorder read q eulogistie
review Of his career. 1t was in the
usual Sunday school style, referring
to his biameless youth. successful
commercial career and well.spen,
life. crowned by the attainment Of the
highest civic honors.
From this court. after the retiring
lord mayor had been formally pre-.
sented to the judges. ths procession
went to the court Of appeals and was
received BY the master Of the rolls ami
the appeal judges. attired In their
robes Of black and gold. The cere-
monies here were merely formal. The
dignitaries then returned To their
coaches and resumed the march 10 the
city.
The days peageantry concluded this
oyening with the customary banquet
lin the Guild hall. The speakers In.
cludod members Of the government
and other public men OF prominence.
Ambassador Choate was among the
honored guests. The lord mayor sat
at the south table. near the center
Of the room. with the two sheriffs at
his right and left. The scene in the
banquet hall was brilliant one. The
huge oaken rafters were decorated
with fiags and bunting. the hall was
brilliantly lighted. showing to the best
advantage the glittering uniforms and
the dresses and jewels Of the women.
London has had mayor more than
700 years. The first one. Henry Fitz.
alwyn, held the Office twenty-four
years. When he died, In 1914, King
John granted the city a new charter,
under which mayor has been chos-
en- annually for $50 years. though he
was not called lord mayor until 1854
LID years ago.
The lord mayor is taken from
among the aldermen. and is elected
by what are called the liverymen,
who are thefreemen Of the nlnety-one
guilds representing the various trades.
1t used to be the ambition OF mer-
chants to be the lord mayor, but since
the metropolitan district has become
but small part OF London the lord
mayor appears to be one Of the great
est officials Of the kingdom only in
the eyes Of foreigners.
1t has been common report that
only a very rich man could hold the
Office. because the salary Of $4,000
a year would not pay for the lord
mayors shows, the grand dinners and
other expenses which the incumbent
is burdened with But lately the be-
lief is growing that thrifty man in
that seat can put up something for a
rainy day.
The procession Is the popular and
spectacular feature of lord mayors
day. In Its origin the procession was
intended as an assertion Of the i'm.
portanee of trade and commerce, loig
ground down by kings and
mobiles. The city companies came in
TO existence, formed powerful mu-
nicipality. and, making Guild hall their
headquarters, took care, as a warning
to all whom II might concern, to have
the mayor installed with the utmost
pomp. In the course Of time the cere-
mony lost this particular significance.
But there was no sign today that It
had lost Its hold on the affections OF
the community, to Judge from the
many thousands who stood for hours
In order to view II.
Sir James Thomson Richie, the
new lord mayor, has been an active
Of the city corporation and
Is head or the firm OF w. Richie e
Sons, In which his brother, who re-
Gently resigned the chancellorship OF
the exchequcr, was at one time .
The new lord mayor Is the
elder Of the two brothers BY three
years. having been born In 1888. He !
Is native Of Dundee, where his faith.
sr was engaged In the jute trade. He
IS reputed TO be very wealthy.
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Looking for BisekmalIer.
Al Il