The Washington herald., 1909-03-04

AT noon to-day a newspaper man,
lawyer. a judge. an insuIar governor.
giobe-encircling peace envoy, a Cabinet
officer. and an aIl-round good fellow VIII
become President Of the United States.
OF sn the men who have been invited
10 make an inaugural speech, William
Howard Taft appears TO be the best edu-
Gated for the job that goes with It.
His steady march 10 the White House
since his graduation from college in 1878
IS prophetic in its logic
In the light Of present developments It
seems as If one could have put his finger
OF any point of Mr.. Taft's career and
said.
50 much done. and 50 much left to
ao.
HaH Of the Hour.
The Man CT the Hour received 20o9
callers yesterday. afternoon, sitter which
he had his picture taken In the even
ing he dined at the White House. and
later attended the Yale smoker at the
New Willard It was the most sfrenu-
Gus Gay he has had since he arrived in
tze oity for his inauguration
"a spite Of the steady downpour OF rain
yesterday the immense crowd that has
come 10 waohington to cheer the new
President preserves an ardoT unuueneb-
asIe BY any vagaries Of the elements-
Tie spirit Of the entire city Is one OF
intense enthusiasm
After MT. Taft. the prevailing topic CT
conversation IS the weather. Soaked to
the skin, the population Of Washington
yesterday was wondering what the
weather would be to-day Optimism had
the upper hand in every argument. AMI
The general belief vas that such a man
ss ar Taft couldn't possibly have
rainy day for his Inauguration
Wherever valid reasoning was allowed /
to enter the discussion, It was submitted
that ii couidnt rain forever. and that as
long as It had already rained ''sufieiency"
the chances were that to-day would
show a favorable change
Fair Weather Promised.
Fair. and somewhat colder. is the
official prediction OF the Weather Bureau
given out al $50 last night The gov /
emments forecasters have carefully con
sidered the charts showing conditions /
throughout the country, and are con-
WINGED that the sun is scheduled for an
all-dsy performance.
A dismal day and wild night were
the greeting J. PlUvius gave the inau-
guration crowds yesterday. The result /
was inevitable. The streets we're bare Of
the lettering throngs that congested /
them on Tuesday. and were occupied only l
BY occasional rain-driven pedestrians /
Hotel lO5bies were crowded by those who 1
entered to seek shelter. as vel as by /
those whose names were written down 1
At the desk.
With Yankee adaptability, the street,
venders put oil skins over their stock
Of perishable souvenirs. and thrust UNI
bTelias into the faces Of al who lacked a
rain stick" Cabmen and chauneurs re-
doubled their cries Of "farel farew The
street car system was tied Up as it has
seldom been in its history. by the unex-l
pected demands made upon il. Long lines
OF cars stretched the length OF PennsvI-l
Tania avenue and street. the main
thorOughfares Of entry TO the CITY. and
delays Of anywhere from ten minutes to
half an hour were frequent.
Streets Deserted.
Through It all. with the streets almost
deserted, and with few extreme evidences
Of the vast company that has come fntoi
the city, the. Washington Monument
nosed It's way up into the mist. apparent
ly trying to break the secret OF the skies
The clouds hung so low at noon that
the illuminated arches along the avenue
showed brightly. as if al twilight.
II was at night that the real effect -
the rain became apparent. The clear
water converted the electric bulbs into q
thousand giittering sparks. Each light
surrounded itself By a halo Of radiance
through which the raindrops passed. he.
came incandescent, and disappeared
The hotel Hobbies. In addition n tba
atmosphere Of Inauguration eve. took IN
a spirit Of eamaradeTie in which -
weather. the common enemy. made an
the world akin Men in evening drses
and women in sumptuous gowns reae3T- Fo-
some after-dinner function mingled eTbo7,
70 elbow with dripping aomads from fha
streets in sloueh hats and limp rain coats
Above IN the balconies were eozv. far7fI,,
groups watching the animated scene.
Here man whose name IS knou-n
throughout the land l0unged agafast
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