Weekly journal-miner., 1909-03-10
WHITE HAIRED CHIEF JUSTICE GIVES OATH
 IN SENATE CHAMBER
President Taft Delivers His Inaugural Address in Which He DiscloSes Favor for ROoSevelt'S
 Many Reforms
By Associated Press.

ASsOCldNcu
 WASHINGTON, March 4.-The first chief executive to take the oath of of fee in the senate chamber in seventy six years was William Howard Taft, when he became President of the United States today.
 Accompanied to the capitol through swirl of blinding snow by President Roosevelt and a guard of honor, Taft returned to the White House just as the sun began to force its way through the clouds.
 From the instant the president and president elect emerged from the White House GOT, shortly after eleven o'clock, on their way to the carriage which was to convey them to the cap itol, Roosevelt and Taft shared equal ly the public acclaim. And from that moment to the conclusion of the inau- gural ceremonies in front of the cap itol they were side by side-the two central figures in the great historic picture of today. They rode together from the White House through history laden Pennsylvania Avenue to the cap itol; appeared together in the presi- dent room in the senate wing; en- tered the senate chamber arm in arm to attend the induction into office of James Schoolcraft Sherman, as vice president of the United States, and finally they marched side by side through the main corridors of the cap itOl, passed together through the great bronze doors of the East Front of the building, and out into that vast sky canopied auditorium, where, face to face, still together, they were with the American people.
 The ceremony, which had just been concluded in the senate chamber and which consisted in the induction of MT. Sherman into the office of vice president, and the swearing in of q number of new senators, was in strik ing contrast to that which was soon to follow on the outside of the big building, in that one was performed in dignifed quiet and in the presence of a select few, while the other was pop ular in nature-replete in color. vi brant in noise and instinct with anima- tion.
 Just before the beginning of the in- side proceedings, President Roosevelt and President elect Taft entered the senate chamber and took chairs direct ly in front of the rostrum. Seated near them were members of the diplomatic corps, whose gorgeous uniforms gave practically the only touch of color to the assemblage on the floor of the Chamber of State. Justices of the Su- preme Court of the United States in their sombre robes of office were seat ed near the president and president elect. On the right the senators were seated. while to the left were mem- bers of the house of representatives.
 The galleries were thronged with brilliant assemblage, in which women largely predOminated. Their modish gowns and bright hats gave a gala ap- pearance to the upper portion of the house. Mrs. Taft and Mrs. Roosevelt were the centres of attraction. Until the ceremony actually began, the fam ilies of the incoming and outgoing presidents were the most conspicuous figures in a memorable gathering.
 There were no decorations in the chamber to emphasize the significance of the occasion, and none were needed | The proceedings were conducted with | solemnity, and when Mr. Sherman | raised his right hand at the first words | of Vice President Fairbanks, as he ad- | ministered the oath of office, absolute ! quiet prevailed except for the impress !! sive tone of the presiding officers . voice
 A sudden blizzard sweeping in from !. the northwest last night set awrv the . weather bureaus optimistic premise of fair and somewhat coOler.' and | caused the abandonment of outdoor 1 ceremonies at the famous east front !. of the capitol, much to Taft $ chagrin, ! and threatened for a time to stop the | brilliant pageant of the afternoon. ! However, a passage was cleared along the center of Pennsylvania avenue.
 For nearly three hours Taft and Vice President sherman reviewed the I passing of the column replete with 1 martial splendor and picturesque with . civic display. :
 Following the inauguration ceremon- ies in the senate, Roosevelt. again private citizen, bade an afTectionate adieu to his successor and hurried away through the side door to take q train for New York. As he passed ont of the chamber he was given an ovation quite the equal of that rendered the new president
 ffcsldenJ and Mrs. latJ were the reuters of interest in the eliminating feature of the day. the inaugural ball ar Jhe pension building.
 The scene was another brilliant pie -urc quadrennially painted here by the gathering of vast and brilliant as @ombiage from every section of the country.
 While the ball was in progress, a display of fireworks in the monument lot in the rear of the White House