The National tribune., 1909-03-11


nights dream never imagined any
thing as perfectly awful as happened
! to the Taft Inaugural proceedings and
ceremonies. If the scene had been laid
"out there in Kansas" it would have
bloomed out in the press of the coun-
TRY as one of the mightiest of billiards.,
stopping trains, showing in towns.
showing under wires, and stopping
traffic everywhere. Being as 1t was in
semi-tropical Washington, where roses
really and truly bloom in the gardens
until Christmas, it was designated as g.
furry" of snow. The Weather Bu-
reau man-blast his pictur-says it
was bareback" An Englishman
declared It was "beastly fluke," and
native born American with good red
blood in his veins, every drop of which
was attuned to gIorify everything
over which the Flag floats, expressed
the opinion that it was a blankety
blanked shame that the only really
nasty day in four years should always
come on March 4, when everybody
wanted to wear good clothes and yell
for pure loyalty to Governmental in
stitutions.
The Parade.
The parade came off on tine--ex-
actly, but 1t was notable for the people
that were not in it rather. than for
those who were. Yet there were many
notable features in the line which took
two and q half hours to pass a given
point. And you must admit that that
Is going some for such day as Thurs
day was. Hundreds OF thousands of
people witnessed the paradej but most
of them stood up. The huge lumber
piles which had been erected at great
expense and decorated with such care
were tenantless. They stood pure and
white under mantle of sixI inches of
snow. Had the snow been cleaned OFF
of them nobody could havesused the
damp chairs. The streets were lined
with people, however, and they tried
to make up in enthusiasm what they
lacked of the usual Inaugural num-
bers. They succeeded mightyitwell, too.
But that program! tOh, lit was a
beauty. that program was. and had its
thing but the weather assured US it
would, that parade would have been
five hours in passing the Presidential
reviewing stand. For instance, where
was the dandy list New York
Showed under between Baltimore and
Washington somewhere, ana did not
get in until late at night.
Where were the Annapolis Middies?
Showed up between Baltimore and
Washington, somewhere, and never
did get here. So it was with half
the troops scheduled to appear in the
parade.
The West Pointers twere in line all
right, and their crossed straps over
their pouter pigeon breasts never
cleaned whittier than did they on that
eventful day, but they We're a tired
lot of young soldiers just the same.
They had demonstrated their value to
the country also. They started out in
some 81 coaches, ready for fine time.
They struck the snow crush at Phila-
delphia, and things looked black.
There were 25 miles of telegraph and
telephone wires hopelessly tangled
across the railroad track between
Philadelphia and Baltimore. Those
Cadets had started out to take Wash
ington By storm, and they didn't in
tend that any storm should take them.
They proposed to clear the track II
the railroad would give them the right
of way.
Done.
Out they piled. and went to work.
Talk about your sappers and miners,
your pontoniers. your. engineer corps.
or any other corps! Those West
Pointers just stripped to the work, and
they cleared that 20 miles of track
as tho with a broom. They did boss
| job, sort of worked their way, as 1t
were, and they got to Washington six
hours late, but got here. mind you, and
| went into line as handsome as a lot
cotton, but they are not toy soldiers,
not a bit Of it. They can work, and
will work, and did work-or they would
never have reached Washington. Some
older West Pointers We're here wear
| ing gold epaulets, who have chilblains
yet from the horrible cold Of Grants
| first Inauguration, when they stood
till almost frozen fast to the ground,
and some frosted their feet till ampu-
| tation of toes was necessary. Still
| other West Pointers remember the sec
| ond Cleveland Inauguration when they
stood in front Of the Capitol waiting
for the swearing in to be done. while
| their feet froze to the ground, and the
north wind swept down on them, con-
gealfng the blood in their stiffening
veins. Still other West Pointers re-
member the Inauguration of Harrison.
and of Mckinley, twice, and Of Roose-
velt, when the gentle rain trickIed
slowly and sweetly cold down the backs
of their necks as they stood soaking in
the unending showers which were in
terlarded with cold wind and sieet.
oh. yes! The Fourth day Of March
Of any year is simplySa synonym for
Death on Norman Cfarger with
mailed hands moving down innocent
victims.
The start to the Capitol was pa
thetic. President-elect Taft was in a
big barouche hauled by four big horses,
nicely protected from the storm with
blankets. He had as ou4iders the
Black Horse Cavalry of Cleveland. and
his escort was the feeble remnant of
the Grand Army Of the Republic of
the Department of the Potomac and
the United Spanish war Veterans.
Gen. o. o. Howard. the one-armed
veteran Commander and only surviv-
ing man who commanded an Army in
the War OF the Rebellion, rode at the
head of the escort. On Cen Howard's
staff as chief Of the military organiza-
tions division. rode Col. Thos. Hop
kins, Past Commander of the Depart
ment Of the Potomac. q. A. r. The
Grand Army Veterans were led by De-
partment Commander Holbrook, and
plodded through the sodden streets
ike fnen who had been there before.
Goth milestone in life, and risked his
lifs in performance .%s Of that escort
marched said that the duty was
sweet. and they were sisa to perform
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