The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-03-12
ROAR OF ". H. TAFT TAFT TAKES AN OATH
WITH IMPRESSIVE CEREMONIES
SWORN IN AS PRESIDENT
Thousands Upon Thousands Witness
the Inauguration of the Man From
Ohio Into the Position of Nations
Executive; Imposing Parade and
the Other Spectacular Features.


Washington, March, 4.-Theodore
Roosevelt OF Oyster Bay today retired
into private life and William Howard
Taft of Cincinnati rules in his stead
as the twenty seventh president of
the United States 1t was shortly at
ter noon that the Ohioan took the oath
of office, while enthusiastic thousands
welcomed the new and applauded the
departing executive of the nation.
This afternoon, in what is apparent
ly an amending line, thousands upon
thousands of marching men, keeping
time to the martial music of a MYRIAD
bands, are passing before the new
president and tramping on through
lanes of cheering people and waving
flags. An army thirty Thousand strong
made up the mighty pageant, which
was witnessed by nearly "a quar-.
million visitors, as well as large
ital.
Green and white were the official
colors of the inaugural committee, and
this scheme was carried out to some
extent in the decorations of buildings
and stands, but the great ma ority of
those who took part in the spectacle
adhered to the red, white and blue of
L., al, IL.
has seldom been 50 much in evidence
as today.
Beyond Description Is Scene.
Enormous does not begin to describe
the crowd that gathered in Washing
ton for today's great event. 1t filled
the city to overlooking, and, as the
momentous hour approached, lined all
possible points of vantage from which
any part of the spectacle of IL presi-
dent in the making could be seen. A
great sea of humanity, it swept i'll
mighty wave from Washington circle
half mile west OF the White House
to the capitol, mile east of the pres
dent's mansion. and up and around
Capitol Hill to the east front of the
capitol. At many places it was dozens
deep on both sides OF the street. How
many tens OF thocsa A9s composed this
great swarm of standing humanity it
would be useless even TO conjecture.
Thousands Upon Thousands.
More tens of thousands had better
places on the dozens of big stands and
little stands, all of them decorated in
red, white and blue, while thousands
more viewed the parade from the
windows of houses along the way.
Nearly everybody had a flag OF Il stick
tied with red, white and blue ribbons,
appeared to be any call for enthusi-
asm. Housetops were crowded, too,
and the many big trees with which
Pennsylvania avenue is lined were
black with delighted small boys.
The Inauguration proper took place
at the capitol. Here was the Mecca
of those fortunate enough to secure
the necessary tickets which entitled
| the holders to admission to the great
old building, whose massive dome is
visible from every section of the city.
Inside everything was animation be
fore the ceremonies were begun. The
interest was in the senate wing, for
it was in that part of the building, in
the famous chamber of the upper
house, that the inaugural program
was to be begun
Senate Galleries Filled Rapidly.
The senate galleries filled rapidly
when they were opened to ticket hold
ers. By eleven o'clock all the seats
were taken except few i'll the CON
| stricted space reserved for the diplo-
matte corps, and half the chairs in the
executive gallery, in which the presi-
dents wife, children and invited guests
and the vice presidents wife and fam
| lily were to sit
Women occupied nearly all the gal
lone man among them was brought
charply into relief through his con
ventioDal black in II framework of fe-
| male gorgeousness. Some of the
women wore white, but most were
dressed in gay colors. A majority of
hem were the wives and the daugh-
| tiers of senators and representatives
| The man or woman who happened to
| be Oh the best terms with a member
of congress whose wife and family
were not in town was fortunate III
| deed.
Down on the floor the senators sal
| around and told stories while they
| waited for the ceremonies to begin
| The big comfortable leather armchairs
| in which they sit at other times hao
| been removed and plain cane seated
| affairs of the kind used in lecture halls
| had been substituted. These UMPIRE
! tentious seats had been placed a.
closely as possible together behind The
| rows of desks.
More Chairs Crowded In.
Back of the last row OH both sides
! of the chamber more chairs were
| crowded in. The chairs to the right
of the presiding officers rostrum were
empty and looked all the lonlier il
contrast with the animated space on