The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-03-01
|NAUGURALS PAST !
AND PRESENT
Attendance And Pomp Increase lr
Magnitude And Spendor With
Advance Of Time.

Washington, d. c., Feb. 29.-His-
tory again will repeat itself next
Thursday when William Howard Taft
bows his head over the Holy Bible
and takes the solemn obligation which
shall make him, for a stated period,
the chief magistrate of the United
States.
The ceremony of the induction of
president into Office is distinctivoly
American. Conceived in the minds
and hearts of the Nations Fathers.
while they yet wererin the throes of
a great revolution, it is grand in its
motive-sublime III its simplicity.
Through the lapse of years, since the
establishment of the American gov
ernment, substantially no change has
been made in the ceremonial form,
although elaborate and beautiful ac-
compartments, in recent years, have
become notable features of the most
important of American functions
In the time of Taft, as in the 'time
of Washington, the spectacle bears
the same simple impressiveness. Here
is no emperor or king, or dictator,
arrogating to himself, through the
law Of succession or monarchial eX-
pediency," the powers of government;
but the creature of a willing, enthus
astic and homogeneous people TAX
ing upon himself, through the express
sion Of his peers, the responsibility
Of carrying out their mandates and
directing the execution Of their will.
Yesterday he was one Of hundred
million people; today, yet one of the
people, but chosen for brief time
to direct their destinies and to pro
tect and defend their nation.
1t was Washington who to a large
extent devised the plan of presi-
dents inaugural In this respect, as
in others, his work has stood the
test of time. 1t will endure, too, for
so long as the nation may live, in its
original form of beautiful and inn
pressive simplicity.
Washington was inducted into Of
flee at New York At the time of
notification of his election, he was
residing at his beautiful country
home, Mount Vernon. He proceeded |
to the then seat of government on
horseback, in coaches and in eight |
cared barges. His journey was a tri-
umphal march. No such scenes of |
enthusiasm ever had been witnessed |
in this country as attended his pro-
gress. The country people gave him
hearty greeting by the roadside, in
Philadelphia the citizens had decor
ated the streets and buildings elabor-
ately and he rode on a splendid milk
white charger beneath triumphal
arches; and in towns and hamlets
farther east his pathway was strewn
with flowers by women and children.
Details of the ceremony attendant
upon the administration of the oath of
office were worked out after his arri-
val in New York. 1t took place in the
old federal building, which then was
the seat of the congress, and the
oath was administered by Chancellor
Livingston The first president was
waited upon by committees of the
house and senate at his temporary
abiding place and an escort of egular
United States troups accompanied
him to the Capitol" He was driven
in a hansome coach, and, as he had
no predecessor. he was alone in the
carriage When the announcement
was made formally that Washington
had taken the obligation which made
him the first president of the United
States, the multitude waiting outside
of the building gave itself up to an
demonstration. Speeches
were delivered and patriotic songs
sung, and that night there was a dis
play of fireworks [
The second Inauguration of Wash {
ngton took place in Philadelphia /
While the ceremony was more elabor- |
ate in its Accomplishments. then the Z
Hrst had been. it remained, as always,