The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-05-24
PRESIDENT PALMA
is INAUGURATED
GALA SCENE TAKES PLACE AT
PALACE IN HAVANA.
NOTABLE BANQUET IS HELD
Secretary Root at Washington Cele-
bration Assures South Americans
United States Has No Desire
to Usurp Territory.

Havana, May 21.-President Palma
was iDaugurated at noon Sunday in
the presence of the diplomatic corps
In full uniform, cabinet officers, sena.
tors, congressman, judges, heads Of
departments and the representatives
OF economic, agricultural and CONNER.
/ cial associations. None of the liberal
members of congress attended.
The inauguration ceremony took
place in the red salon of the palace.
The oath Of Office was administered by
the chief justice of the supreme court
In front of dais on which were seat.
ed eight supreme court judges and the
I court fscals.
I Over the central portion of the dais
was suspended canopy of red on
which was the Cuban coat of arms.
President Palma, who appeared to
be in the best of health, entered the
salon as the bell of the palace was
striking the noon hour.
Welcome to President Palma.
The guns of the Cabanas fortress
pealed forth a noisy welcome to the
incoming administration, and this was
Reinforced by the screeching of many
whistles, cheers from the crowd out.
side the palace and the crash Of bands
playing the Cuban national anthem.
Accompanied by Vice President Men.
dez Capote and the members of his
cabinet, President Palma advanced
down the aisle, flanked on either side
by members Of the diplomatic corps,
judges of the local courts, congress.
men and guests. When he reached the
dais the chief justice spoke briefly of
! the significance of the occasion.
During the administration of the
oath the voices of the president and
the chief justice were barely audible
above the noise of the celebration out.
side. Following Che administration
OF the oath, President Palma spoke
briefly on the appreciation of the oc.
casion and thanked those who par.
ticipated in the Inauguration.
Greeting from Diplomatic Corps.
Senior Gayan de Ayala, the Spanish
minister who is now dean of the din.
lomatic corps. then advanced and read
an address in behalf of all the mem
bers Of the diplomatic corps, felicitat.
ing President Palma on assuming an
Office worthily bestowed and thanking
him especially for his efforts to in.
| crease friendly relations between Cuba
and other countries. The address as.
sured the president the perfect conf.
dence Of all the powers represented at
at Havana.
The president, responding extempo.
raneously, said that he appreciated
deeply the honor rendered him at such
moment.
Grateful for Cuba.
This nation" he continued, "feels
encouraged and strengthened by such
manifestations made in the name of
the representatives of so many friend.
ly nations. l consider your words a
happy augury for the new presidential
period initiated to-day. The graft.
tude owe you will be seen to bear
fruit in a constant effort to further
strengthen the relations, the cordial
understandings and the bonds of sim
cere friendship fortunately uniting
Cuba with the nations you represent.
! raise my most fervent prayers to
Heaven for the happiness of all of you
and especially, sir, for the prosperity
OF Spain and the individual felicity of
your august sovereign"
General congratulations then en-
sued, after which President Palma
went out on the balcony and repeat.
eddy saluted the crowd in the plaza
and watched the troops file past.
Later he gave luncheon to the mem.
bers Of the cabinet, and throughout
the afternoon held a general recep.
ton.
The celebration Of Independence day
was enthusiastic, but frequent heavy
showers during the afternoon marred
the occasion.
Banquet at Washington.
Washington, May 21.-The fourth
anniversary Of the Independence of
Cuba was celebrated at a banquet
given by Minister Quesada at the Gu.
ban legation Sunday. The decorations
were the Cuban colors interspersed
with those Of the different republics.
Some interesting declarations of SEN
timent were made not only concern.
ing Cuba. but also regarding the rela-
tons Of all the American republics.
Minister Quesada, in a brief speech,
told of the services rendered by the
United States to Cuba and Of the lat.
ter's recognition Of what this gov
eminent had done for the island and
its people.
In responding, Secretary Root re-
called what had been said as to the in.
tentions of the United States, and de-
clare6 that there never had been
time when the conscience OF the Amer
lean people was not fully resolved that
the pledge Of independence should be
carried out. Secretary Root also dis.
cussed the coming pan-American con-
ference at Rio Janeiro.
Secretary Root said that the Unit
ed States had no desire for one inch
of the territory in South America and