Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-03-04
INAUGURATION OF THE
VICE PRESIDENT TOOK
PLACE At HOUR OF IL

fellow citizens as could be crowded
Into the senate chamber. Charles War
rem Fairbanks was at high noon today
indicted into the Office of vice presi-
dent of the United States.
The ceremony was quickly followed
by the final adjournment of the senate
of the 5Sth congress. the beginning of
a special session, an address by the
vice president, and the swearing into
Office of almost a third of the member
ship of the senate. All these official
acts took place in the chamber just be-
fore the Inauguration of the president.
and were. in reality. while themselves
of great import. the prelude of the more
important event.
Was simple Ceremony.
The installation of the new vice pres
ident was severely simple. and as brief
as simple. 1t 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 pres
ident pro tenn of the senate.
! The two officials stood confronting
each other on the elevated platform on
which rests the desk of the presiding
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 freeman have decreed that
Mr.. Fairbanks shall preside for the
four years to come.
Plain and democratic though the GER
emory was, it attracted to the senate a
gathering of notable people, many of
them of such Importance that, in ac-
cordance with time-hOnored custom,
their appearance was heralded with
pomp and platitude sufficient TO atone
for the simplicity of the official acts
of the occasion, if not to quite over
shadow them. These guests included
the foremost representatives of the Of
fetal life of the capitol city, foreign
and domestic, civil and military. and
also many other persons of prominence
from all parts of the country.
President There.
On the senate floor with his cabinet
were the president of the United
States, himself about to be inaugur-
ated; the diplomatic corps, the SUI
preme 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 posi-
ton or achievement.
These Sufficed to tax the capacity of
that part of the hall, and they were
splendidly supplemented and surround
ed by the attendance in the galleries,
consisting in large part of the wives,
relatives and friends of the men who
occupied seats below. many of them
as distinguished 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 uniforms
of the few army and navy officers |
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 a |
sprinkle of gold on the gray walls of |
the chamber, but it was not sufficient |
to compensate for the absence of ami |
nation which only the ladies. with their
flowers and ribbons and feathers, could |
contribute.
Families In Gallery.
The section of the gallery usually de- |
voted to the private use of senators |
was today entirely surrendered to what
may be called the executive party. and |
was occupied by the families and i'm
m fri Of and
vice president and of the members of |
the supreme court and the cabinet.
The front row of seats on one side
of this section was filled by the mem
beTs of the president household. and |
the corresponding row on the other
side by those of the vice presidents.
Mrs. Roosevelt and the wife and moth
er of vice president Fairbanks being |
prominent among them. The diplomat
ic gallery. which is rarely occupied by
more than two or three persons at a |
time, was crowded today by the wives
of representatives of the various for
eign embassies and legations. all mani
Testing much eagerness TO witness what /
they evidently considered an exception
al ceremony.
The gallery visitors were practically
all in their seats before the official |
guests began 10 make their appearance.
This circumstance was due 10 the fact
that while the officials were detained
until a specified time the gallery doors
were opened at IL O'Clock. and ticket
holders permitted to enter any time
thereafter They found most of the
star performers in their assigned places.
if senators may be excepted, but the
wait was not long. and in the mean
time the gallery visitors easily devised
entertainment among themselves The
senators were grouped together com
pactly on the republican side Of the