The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-03-04
An IMPOSING SPECTACLE
INAUGURAL PARADE WAS THE
LARGEST IN HISTORY OF
THE NATION.
Thirty-Five Thousand Men In Line and
Pass In Review Before the
President.

WASHINGTON, D. c., March A.
Today's great military and civic
parade, which is the spectacular feature
of the presidents Inauguration, proved
to be all that it's promoters could wish
and all that the regular army officers
who controlled it could hope for. The
sight of the marching thousands
along Pennsylvania avenue was one
long to be remembered. The swing
ing ranks, rising and falling in per-
feet time moved rapidly on while the
flashing steel, the glittering buckles
and buttons, the tossing plumes, wav
ing banners and martial music COM
bined to form picture Of the bloom
and the beauty of the battle and the
splendor of war that could not be sur
passed. To the man with the soldiers
soul there is no sight so fascinating
as marching army of well-trained
men, and the president watched them
march past the reviewing stand with
eager attention. From end to end of
the line of march the cheer of the
countless thousands were as cordial
as President Roosevelt's approval. The
parade in all features was a most
beautiful and imposing feature of the
inaugural programme. While the reg
ular troops naturally ATTRACTED the
most attention there were cheers a.
plenty for the militia, the college stu
dents and the many civic bodies who
formed parts of the great procession.
There were $4,000 men in line-7OO0
regulars, marines, midshipmen from
Annapolis and cadets from West
Point; $4,000 militia representing
nearly a score Of states, and twelve or
fourteen thousand made up Of politi-
cal organizations, rough riders, col
lege students, cowboys, Indians, etc.
Two o'clock was the hour set for the
start of the parade-and at PAS o'clock
it started. Prompt to the minute
General Chaffee gave the word, there
was a booming of cannon and the
great column was set in motion. At
the head of the parade rode detach-
ment of the local police followed by
the Marine band. The president, vice.
president, several Of the governors and
other distinguished guests rode in car
riages. The personal escort of the
president consisted of body of rough
riders and Squadron A of New York.
staff of the United States army, was
the grand marshal of the parade, and
General Johnson, former adjutant-gen-
eral of the army, acted as chief of
staff. The national guard division was
under General George H. Harries, and
the Give division was under the
mana gement of B. H. Warner, of this
city.
In the division of political clubs
Pennsylvania carried off the palm,
having a representation of twelve dis
tinct organizations. New York was
second with eight and Ohio came third
with seven. The New York Republican
club, of which President Roosevelt is
a member, was in line 1000 strong.
The famous Railsplitters Of Toledo,
the Tippecanoe club of Cleveland, the
Hungarian Hussars of New York city,
the Burgesses of Albany, the Citizens
republican club of Philadelphia, the
Buckeye club Of Columbus, and the
Roosevelt club of ST. Paul were among
the political organizations conspicuous
in the civic division Of the procession
The picturesque features of the
parade were furnished by the band of
Indians under the famous chief, Geron-
limo, company of cowboys from the
southwest the students of the Carlisle
Indian school, and the delegations rep
resenting the student bodies of Har-
ward, Columbia and numerous other
prominent institutions of learning.