East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-03-04

Washington Mar. 4.-William How
ard Taft, Of Ohio, today became the
twenty-seventh President OF the Unit
ed States. and Theodore Roosevelt, OF
New York, who had held the exalted
office for seven and half years, at the
same instant was transformed into the
Nations most distinguished private
citizen.
Half an hour before Mr.. Taft repeat
ed the solemn oath of office. James
Schoolcraft Sherman, OF New YORK.
was sworn in as Vice-President. sue
ceedIng Charles Warren Fairbanks, or
Indiana. who had presided over the
Senate Chamber, in which the cere-
mony took place, for one term OF
four years,
The swearing in Of the new Presi-
dent took place at 1859 In the senate
chamber. the blizzard which has been
raging here since early morning max
ing 1t impossible to hold the ceremon-
les in the open air, according 10 the
custom OF years The parade was al
so greatly curtailed, although thous-
ands of peopde braved the terrors of
the storm to participate in this part
of the exercises. The fireworks to-
night will also probably be held ac-
cording to schedule as present indica-
tlons point to a breaking up of the
storm.
Owing to the storm forty trains are
stalled between Philadelphia and this
city and thousands were unable to
reach here in time for the inaugural
ceremonies.
For many hours this morning.
Washington was practically marooned
from the outside world. Trains were
unable to leave or reach the city and
all wires were down. Eight inches of
snow covered parts of the city. BY
heroic work on the part of linemen,
wire communication with the outside
world has at last been re-established.
Views Parade.
Immediately following the ceremony
President Taft proceeded to the Whito
House to review the curtailed military
and civic parade. while eX-President
Roosevelt went to the Union Station,
where he took train for his old home
at Oyster Bay to prepare for his Afri-
can hunting trip,
Succeeding, as he does, a man who
will be recorded in history as one OF
our greatest Presidents, Taft takes up
the pen and power of office with a
peculiar responsibility. Like Roose-
welt he enters the White House the
policies of Theodore Roosevelt are his
today. no matter how the exlgencies
of statecraft or political eXpedience
may shape his coures in the future,
and, like his predecessor, who took up
the work laid down by the martyred
Mckinley, he will often find his hands
fettered by the invisible bonds. and
his feet led along the unfamiliar paths
of the past. Although he has been
for years i'm complete sympathy with
the high ideals of the genius he fol-
lows. and is perhaps above allothers
the one DeSJ tlulppcu w Shdpt 'hV
Roosevelt policies to successful issue,
the Man from oyster Bay might have
searched the country wide in vain for
n legatee who in temperament and in
training resembles him less. Except
for their love of honesty, square deal
ing, and patriotism-and their COM
mon sense-Taft and Roosevelt are
as far apart as the northern and the
southern poles.
Immediately after the President had
taken the oath of office, administer
ed by the Chief Justice of the United
States, and had left the senate
where the ceremonies took place,
the Governments official participa-
ton in the proceedings ceased, and the
Inaugural Committee. which has gen
eral charge of the entire quadrenniaI
entertainment, again took command
Contrary to popular belief, the In
auguration of the President is not a
national affair" at all. Except fol-