The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-02-10
Taft and Sherman Declared
Elected President and Vice
President by Fairbanks Az
ter Report.

4 W
pressive ceremony the closing seen,
OF the presidential election was en-
acted today in the hail of the HOUSE
of representatives.
In joint session the members OF the
senate and of the house Of the ma
tional congress met and counted the
electoral votes for president and vice
president and declared the election of
William Howard Taft of Ohio, and
James Schoolcraft Sherman, of New
York.
After tellers appointed by both
houses, and representing both politi-
cal parties, had carefully scrutinized
the returns from the several states,
Vice President Charles w. Fairbanks
ANNOUNCED that out of the 435 votes
in the electoral college 321 had been
cast for Taft for president; 321 for
Sherman for vice president; 1862 for
William J. Bryan for president and
1862 for John w. Kern, for vice presi-
dent.
This statement was received with
prolonged applause ON the Republi-
can side and settled forever any lin
gerfng doubt that might have existed
In any Democratic mind that perhaps
the final count might show a majority
for the Peerless Leader" from Ne
braska.
incidentally the fact was recalled
that II was the largest vote ever cast
for candidates for president In the
history of the United States. the re-
cent admission of Oklahoma having
added seven votes TO the electoral col
lege since this ceremony was per-
formed four years ago.
The Joint Session.
The joint session began at o'clock
in the presence of a notable assemb-
iage. Admission to the galleries was
only obtained by card and these points
of observation were crowded with the
wives and friends of members Mrs.
Taft and Mrs. Sherman, with large
party OF friends, including Mrs. Roose
welt and Mrs. Fairbanks and members
OF their families, were interested spec
tators. and the diplomatic gallery was
well filed with the representatives OF
foreign governments eagerly watch
ing the process OF the election of q
president in the greatest republic on
earth.
Precisely at l O'Clock the door
keeper announced the coming of the
senate. The speakers gavel fen and
the representatives stood to receive
their colleagues from the other end
of the capitol. The doors were thrown
open and headed by Vice President
Fairbanks. Secretary Bennett and Ser
geant-at-Arms Ransdell. the senator's
filed into the hall of the house in
pairs. They were escorted to seats
reserved for them on the Democratic
side near the speakers rostrum.
AS soon as the hum, hustle and con
fusion, Incident to their arrival, had
subsidized. Vice President Fairbanks
as president of the senate, took the
speakers chair with Speaker Cannon
sitting on his left. Then, rapping for
order, the vice president called to the
rostrum the tellers appointed by the
two houses They were Senators Bur-
rows (Rep. Mich.). and Bailey (Dem.
Tex.) on the part of the senate: and
Representatives Gaines (Rep. w. Val
and Rucker dem. MOI, on the part
Of the house. All of these except the
last named officiated In similar ca
paelty four years ago, when Russell
(Texas) was the Democratic teller
for the house.
From a polished hardwood case,
which was unlocked by an attendant,
the vice president then. amid impress
siye silence, took a document res
plendent in red and gold seals. This
was passed to Senator Burrows who
announced that it appeared to be a
duly authenticated record, in legal
form, OF the electoral vote OF the state
of Alabama, cast for William Jen-
nings Bryan. of Nebraska, and John
w. Kern, of Indiana. This was
greeted with Democratic applause.
The reading Of the records of the 9TH
er states in alphabetical order was
then proceeded with. each teller max
ing an announcement in turn.
Maryland and Missouri.
There was a tremendous outburst
Of Republican applause when Mary
lands vote was declared to be six for
Bryan and two for Taft, showing an
increase Of one in the electoral vote
of that state for the Republican can
dldates as compared with four years
ago.
A similar Republican demonstra-
ton occurred when the teller read
that the eighteen votes OF Missouri
had been cast for Taft, thus duplicat-
ing in a former rock-ribbed Democrat
be state the performance OF four years
ago when 1t also was carried by the
Republican candidates. II was some
minutes before the applause subsidized.
The Democrats had their turn when
the first electoral vote cast by the new
A.. II. ~ ~