Evening star., 1909-03-04
Weather Prevents Ceremony Taking Place
in the Open on Capitol Stand,
as Had Been Intended.
NEW PLANS HASTILY ARRANGED
AFTER ARRIVAL AT THE CAPITOL
MIR. Taft Willing to Brave the Elements, But Coun
sci of Friends Prevails--Great Crowd on Plaza
Cheers the Retiring and New Executives

William Howard Taft and James
Schoolcraft Sherman were sworn in as
President and Vice President of the United
States, respectively, at the Capitol to-
day.
The ceremony took place in the Senate
cha mber in both instances. the weather
preventing Mr.. Taft taking the oath In
the open on the stand on the east side of
the Capitol. a. had been intended
This is calamity.
That remark by Senator Lodge of Mas
sachusetts expressed the sentiments of
everybody at the Capitol this morning,
when tine leaders charged with the ar
rangements for the inauguration of the
President and Vice President reached the
Capitol and looked over the expanse o.
snow-covered seats and stands. and con-
templated the rigors of the weather to
which those participating and witnessing
the ceremonies would be subjected
The first thought of the managers was
that the inaugural ceremony must be held
inside the Capitol. Reports from down
town indicated that Mr.. Taft was willing
10 go ahead in the open, but the man
ayers did not want to expose the Chief
Justice and associate justices of the Su-
preme Court. and the aged members of
the House and Senate to the storm.
> New Plans Hastily Made.
Hurried conferences were held, and aft
er Mr.. Taft arrived and his consent TO a
change Of program was obtained a reso-
luton was hastily prepared and adopted
in House and Senate providing for the
holding of the ceremonies in the Senate
chamber.
The presidential party arrived at the
Capitol shortly after II o'clock. Despite
the bowling gale and binding snowstorm
q large crowd had assembled on the plaza
and stood patiently awaiting the arrival.
AS the party drove up the crowd broke
ward to try to get a glimpse Of the dis
tinGuished men of The party
The carriages drove under the portico of
the east wing of the Senate, and the
dell had his Capitol police at attention,
lining the way to the Presidents room
and the party ascended by the elevator
and quickly wended its way through the
lobby. the President and Mr.. Taft going
10 the Presidents room and Mr. Sherman
going into the Vice Presidents ROOM
President Roosevelt's entire cabinet
some OF the assistant secretaries and
his chiefs Of bureau We're in attendance
To give the President advice upon beMted
bills awaiting his signature. A force of
clerks from the White House and the
Senae was also on naEd.
President Roosevelt Signs Bills
The President found number Of bills
awaiting his signature Senator'S and
Representatives Interested in their pas
sage or changes with the duty of seeing
Them safely In his hands crowded round
him.
President Roosevelt handed to each
member of his cabinet the bills relating
10 their respective departments and these
officers retired to different corners of the
room to perise them, handing them over
to the executive for signing when they
found them acceptable.
In the meantime MIR. Ia IT had euSeonced
himself In bi garmchair In a corner
of the room and was surrounded by
statesmen who dropped In To him.
Occasionally he retired to the embra sure
Of window to discuss some private mat
ter presented to him. and once OF twice
President Roosevelt did the same
The members Of the diplomatic corps in
the meantime had been escorted To the
marble room, where they were awaiting
fh signal to proceed to the Senate cham
ber.
There was general rejoicing about the
capitol when the news was passed around
that the ceremonies would he held inside
the Senate chamber. except ON the part
of those who had seats pu tac stands out
side but had not been provided with
tickets Of admission In the Senate gal
leries
Tell Each Other Stories.
The last twenty minutes in tie Presi-
dents room were spent by the President
and the Prcsident-clec: chatting pleas
antly and telling each other funny stories
The room rang with the laughter of the
two men.
In few minutes in came Senators
Knox and Lodge and Gen B Il. chief of
STAFF. and pulled chairs up 20 complete
the circle
About II O'Clock MI Roosevelt got up