Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-14
OATH TAKEN ON NEW BIBLE
same Copy Never Used Twice at
Inaugural Ceremonies.
OLD KEEPSAKE FOR CLEVELAND
IL swor ON small Bible Given TO
Him Nv HIs Motber-Roosevelt
: Copy 60 ne saved for
= merEency

. wAsmNGToN, ID, O., Feb. 1s.-That the
incoming president always takes the oath
Of office on a Bible and that the chief
justice Of the United States administers
the oath is generally known. but where the
Bible comes from IL a fact concerning
which the public knows much less. The
one who IL able 20 give more Information
on this subject than any other is James ".
McKenney. clerk OF the supreme court, who
IL the man who always has the sacred
book at the right place at the right time,
and In whose hands. strange to say. 1t eal-
ways so opens that the august parsonage
who IL about 20 pledge his fidelity TO the
constitution and the best interests of the
people of the United states finds his palm
resting upon some passage which IL an
augury Of good for all concerned. The
purchase OF the book Is one OF the per
q~uisites" of fho clerk.
NO." sald Mr.. McKenney. In response TO
q question; mo, we do not use our CEN
tury-oId Bible for the swearing in Of pres
idents. but II often happens that the man
who takes the oath Of office should have
the volume az a keepsake. snd It generally
trsnspires that his family. II not himself.
set much store by II. Not always, however,
nor even IN q majority Of cases, are we
called upon TO supply a new book. for It
frequently happens that the president or
some member Of his family is the owner Of
some treasured volume Of the scriptures,
which Il is desired that he should use
upon this sacred and important occasion.
Small Bible for Cleveland.
This was the case. when Mr.. Cleveland
was inaugurated. He was the owner Of a
small Bible. not longer than your hand.
and which apparently had seen much
usage. His mother had presented it to him
when he was a boy and he had treasured
Il ever since. When he was consulted
about taking the oath, when first inaug-
prated as president. he stated that he de-
sired hls mothers present should be used
for this purpose. When the oath was ad-
rninistered TO him at the beginning of his
second administration the same volume,
which on this occasion had been hunted
out by Mrs. Cleveland, was again brought
forward and presented as the one upon
which her husband should make his
pledges.
quite in contrast with this little volume
was the one used in administering the oath
to Mr.. Mckinley. The negro bishops
Joined together and presented to Mr.. Nc
kinney one of the biggest books 1 have
ever seen. 1t was an extraordinary large
family Bible, bound in heavy morocco.
trimmed in gold and stored in a much. or
nsmented box. / remember very we'll that
] was quite tagged out from carrying Il to
the senate chamber and from that chamber
to the platform in front of the capitol.
After the Bible had been used for this pur-
pose i turned. It over to the president, but.
notwithstanding he had already received II,
the donors afterward called at the White
house and presented It with formal
anearhAa IN xvbioh NJ AfnEygoI.., x..a> -
propriate reply.
Governor's Bible for Roosevelt.
, president Roosevelt was sworn in on a
Bible which had been used for the same
purpose when he was inaugurated governor
OF New York. We had bought a Bible tor
his inauguration when we received word
from Mrs. Roosevelt that she preferred the
use of their own volume, and Il was ac-
cordingIy substituted.
w still have on hand the Bible bought
for that occasion, but we shall not use Il
for Mr.. Taft. Unless he furnishes a book
himself we will get a new one and will
keep the Roosevelt Bible on hand for emer-
sences, such, for instance. as occurred
when Arthur took the oath OF office In
this city. He had been sworn in New York,
but IL was suddenly decided that It would
be safer to again administer the path in
Washington. Accordingly Chief Justice
Waite and about twenty other people OF
p~romineDce were called very suddenly to-
gether In the vice presidents room at the
capitol. / had to send uptown for a book
and had but q few minutes in which to
execute the commission. I succeeded, how.
sver, In getting the book in time for the
ceremony and was one OF the few present
when Mr.. GArfield's successor was initiated
into his high office.
we now make 1t a point TO have an
. available book on hand at all times and
will probably keep the Roosevelt Bible for
that purpose"
Gets Rhodes Scholarship.
WINNIPEG. Man, Feb. 13.-skuli John
son. an iceiandic student at Wesley coll