Arizona republican., 1905-03-05


 to the senate chamber, Charles Far ren Fairbanks was at high noon to- day inducted into the office of vice president of the United States. The ceremony was quickly followed by the final adjournment of the senate of the 58th congress, the beginning of a spe- cial session, an address by the vice president and the swearing into office of almost a third of the membership of the senate. All these official acts took place in the chamber just before the inauguration of the president and were in reality, while themselves of great import, the prelude of the more important event. The installation of the new vice president was severly simple, and as brief as simple. It consisted of a promise. solemnly made with uplifted hand and bowed head, to perform the duties of the office and to support and defend the constitution of the United States. This was the oath of office and it was administered by Senator Frye as president pro tenn of the senate. The two officials stood confronting each other on the elevat- ed platform on which rests the desk of the preceding officer of the senate, practically on the same spot on which all the incoming vice presidents for the past fifty years have stood, and where a majority of American free man have decreed that MT. Fairbanks shall preside for the four years to come. Plain and democratic though the ceremony was, 1t attracted to the senate a gathering of notable people. many of them of such importance that. in accordance with time honored custom. their appearance was herald ed with pomp and platitude sufficient to atone for the simplicity of the of ficial acts of the occasion. if not to quite overshadow them These guests included the foremost representatives of the official life of the capital city, foreign and domestic, civil and mili- tary. and also many other persons of prominence from all parts of the coun- try.
 On the senate floor, with his cabinet were the president of the United States himself about to be inaugurated; the diplomatic corps. the supreme court of the United States, the house of representatives, the admiral of the navy. the lieutenant general of the army the governors of states, and others distinguished by reason of po- sition or achievement These sufficed to tax the capacity of that part of the hall, and they were splendidly supple mented and surrounded by the attend ance In the galleries, consisting in large part of the wives. relatives and friends of the men who occupied the seats below. many of them as dis tinguished In private and social life as the others in the public service.
 Practically all the variety of hue and vivacity of scene came from the gal leries, for aside from the decorations worn by the foreign representatives and the gold lace with which the uni forms of the few army and navy of ficers present were decorated, there was a dull level of black and brown on the first floor. This monotony was relieved somewhat in the background by sprinkle of gold on the gray walls of the chamber. but it was not suffl- cient to compensate for the absence of animation which only the ladies, with their flowers and ribbons and feathers could contribute. The section of the gallery usually devoted to the private use of senators was today en-