The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-04
MAUCURA7ING A RULER
By Frederic J. Haskin.


was started the powerful machinery of the worlds greatest republic. .e& Thomas Jefferson is recorded as hav- ing the simplest inaugural ceremony. His celebration was the first of the kind held in the city of Washington, alth ough 1t had long been the seat of the government. Plainly dressed, and attended only by 8 small escort of civilians. he walk ed to the Capitol and took the oath of office. This was in accordance with his resolve that no pageantry should give the He to his Democratic principles. The venerable William Henry Harrison, the beloved hero of Tippecanoe, instead of driving to the Capitol. preferred riding on his noble gray charger. Notwithstanding the cold. raw weather and his ad- vanced age, he would wear no over coat and held his hat in his hand. AL though he seemed remarkably well and alert that day. his death a few weeks later was caused for the most part by the fatigue and exposure of his inau- guration, Martin Van Buren drove to the Capitol on the day of his inaugut ration in an elegant phaeton made of oak from the original timber of the ,frigate Constitution.
 \ In some respects the inauguration Of Lincoln was the most notable since that of Washington. owing to the disrupt ed condition of the country. great show of the military was made h or der to keep down any unfriendiy dem- onstration. At that time the dome of the Capitol was unfinished. and the ceremonies took place amid scaffold- ing and debris. Outside, among the crowds of people, stood the figure of the Goddess of Liberty, which had not yet been placed upon It's exalted pin- acle, and 1t scarcely needed the imagi- nation to notice that the outstretched arm seemed to point at the little group of distinguished men surrounding the tall form of Lincoln. His first act af- ter taking the oath, was to kiss thir- ty-four white-robed girls who. riding in the parade in large car allegorical of the Constitution and the Union. had represented the thirty-four States.
 Garfeld's first presidential act was of a like nature but 1t was his mother wt om he turned and kissed. She was the first mother to hear her son make his inaugural address
 In connection with the manner of in- auguration in the United States, 1t is interesting to compare the installation of rulers In other countries. There Is every gradation of pageantry from the most Puritanical method of the re- public of Switzerland to the gorgeous ceremonials of England. The Swiss President, or Landamman, as he is called. is elected for one year. At the end of that time there is a meeting of all the burghers of the different cam tons, and the affairs of state are dls- cussed. After the conclusion of the business part of the meeting. the Lam damman rises from his seat upon the platform, lays upon the table the seal of office and steps down. His success sor is chosen. the oath of fidelity Is ta- ken by the new official and the people, and the ceremony Is over. The high est official Is of so little importance that many of his people do not even know his name.
 In the early days the coronations of France were the most magnificent in the world. but the Revolution put stop to all that. When Napoleon came to the throne he inaugurated another style of procedure almost as gorgeous as that of his predecessors. He dis liked the outward show and pomp. but considered 1t necessary to impress the people. It Is told that on his return from his brilliant coronation, he hur- ried to his chamber, pulled off all his regalla and pitched 1t Into the corner with the remark that he had never been so bored In his life. But once again all that Is gone. France Is republic which elects her Presidents for seven years, and has almost no in- augural ceremony.
 England still retains ner ofo sSFSn Of coronation which has been in use for 300 years Although William the Fourth, and later Victoria. did away with great part of the pagesntry. there still remains the investing with the robes and ring of office, the an- nointing with holy oil. and the crown ing of the sovereign. China used to have e very elaborate form for the crowning of her emperors. but like other countries. she has in later times greatly simplified the ceremonial. How ever, great pains are still taken to ex- plain at length to the earth, the heav- ems and the imperial ancestors just what Is taking place. The seven-s sto- ried umbrella, which is the badge of royalty. still bears a most consbicuous part in the crownlng of both the King of Siam and the King of Ashantee. In the latter country the umbrella costs about 5000.
 Copyright. 1so9 by Frederic J Has kln.)