The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-04
READY FOR THE INAUGURATION Fair Weather Has Been
 Predicted. THOUSANDS OF VISITORS Chief Interest Centers in the Great
 Parade. President-elect Taft Kept Busy Re- eeivipx Callers And Hearing sug- restions-Fourteen Cover
 nors Present.
THOUSANDS OF VISITORS

Washington, March 3-"Fair weather Inauguration" is yfhe message flashed by the weather bureau today. In- auguration day will be somewhat cooler than the local thermometers have registered for several days ana the mercury is expected to fall to be- tween 35 and 40 degrees.
 The. storm which originated In the west and swept this way with accom- panying rain, was reflected fn the con- ditions here. A cool, misty day with occasional drizzle greeted the arrivals.
 Pennsylvania Avenue bore a martial appearance all day. Troops and or ganizations in mingling colors and bedecked with flags to the accompani- ment here and there of patriotic airs marched, and thousands of spectators trampeJ streets and sidewalks.
 The most freakish weather in Wash ington for a number of years develop ed during the day. About l o'clock this afternoon, following hours of mist and drizzle, the lowering clouds dark ened the city and lights began gleam- ing in the down town district. Soon all the stores and offices were alight. The Senate and House and other parts of the capitol had to proceed under the electric illumination. The govern ment printing office. but a few blocks distant, was ablaze with green lights and the handsome new Union Station. the largest in the world. was invisible from the nearby capitol.
 There was a heavy downpour of rain and then followed intermittent sun shine and lowering clouds.
 Arrangements Complete.
 All arrangements are complete and every incoming train and boat adds to the hosts gathered here from far and near. So great is the congestion in the streets. at the hotels and every where except at the vast union station. large enough to house a standing army, that the ordinary routine of Washington life has been temporarily suspended.
 The time honored inaugural parade is claiming more iutrrsst than the .n- nuguration cerem onies The latest estimate of the number Of men who will march Is placed at 50.000. not the least of which will be the governors of fourteen states. each accompanied by
 Among the state executives already here are Governors Wilson. of Ken lucky; Carroll. of Iowa: Hughes. of New York; Prouty. of Vermont: Har- mon, of Ohio: Hadley of Missouri; . Pennywill. of Delaware; Quinby, of New Hampshire; Sanders. of Louisiana i: Stuart. of Pennsylvania, Noel of Mississippi; Deneen, of Illinois, and Conner of Alabama.
 Having encircled the globe with the battleship fleet. 5000 blue-tackets are here to take part in the parade.
 Marching clubs are arriving from every direction and they will form a conspicuous feature of the parade. Probably the largest of these delega tions will be composed of the 1000 members of the New York County Re- publican Club which will have the dis tinction of escorting the retiring presI- dent to the station before falling in line In the inaugural parade
 Roosevelt Will Walk
 MT. Roosevelt will walk to the sta : tion in true democratic style and will occupy modest drawing room during the trip to New York.
 President-elect and Vice President elect Sherman both are here ready to be inducted into their respective of- iices. Practically all the Tafts are here too and MT Sherman.s arni,,, came in last night aboard ..aan,c, aan,iy train bearing also the Businsss NSsnaa Club of Utica, MT. Sherman's homo city. Hoiile
 The Syracuse Business Mems c,uh arrived on the same train ana Wr sherman met 1t at the station and n tta. eeciarins Boy. I am with you" took nis place between the leaders or tSN column and marched away will the me visitors to their hotel the
 Men who have been fifty wave the White House have no recolIac.,oae o1 scenes sue has were witnessed hare today In hee closing hours of Presi :. dent Roosevelt's administration Tha !atters retirement was unprecedented In many ways. but chiefly in the bun- dreds of persons who calIed to ax change farewell words with .he refir- ing chief executive. Although TO ,x- act count of the number of visitors was kpet, 1t is estimated that between 10 a. m. and 2 p. m, there were at least 2.500.
 President Signs Hills,
 The President stood the test with the hardihood and ioyous7ess that made his greetings to every man nr woman more pelasant than usual Du ring all this time, he stopped at inter vals to sign bills coming in from Con- gross or to attach his name to photo graphs brought to him.
 The President signed the District os Columbia, the Notifications. the army and navy appropriation bills. The lat ter bill contained the provision design ed to restore the marines to the ships of the navy, from which they were ta : ken by order of President Roosevelt.
 The Brownsville bill. which permits the discharged negro sodiers of the 25th Infantry to re-enlist in the army upon re-establishing their innocence, has not yet reached the President, but it was said today that he had decided to sign 1t.
 Every cabinet officer in the city went 10 the White House during the day with the heads of the bureau ana principal officials of their departments.
 President Roosevelt spent a busy afternoon. Among those received by appointment were the members of the Interstate Commerce Confusion. The President exchanged with each member cordial personal greetings. Chairman Knapp, speaking for the Commission, said that the country was indebted to the Presidents persistent efforts and commanding influence. for notable nrea sures of regulation In response the President said that "you have done the work while l have seemed to get the credit for 1t. I have tried to he A decent President for a decent people. ''
 At 6 o'clock this evening ne received his old friends from Oyster Bay and at the same time he received the friends and neighbors of Vice Presi- deut-elect Sherman. After this. he