The Washington herald., 1909-03-05
PRESIDENT VIEWS
The Big PARADE
Wears a Fur-lined 0vercOat
and Looks Cold.
LADIES IN WHITE HOUSE BOX
Pageant Sweeps Pas. stand in Fine
Form and Chief Executive Is Well
erinE with CoId-PeopIe would
Change Inauguration Date.

Shivering IN the cold March wind, clad
in a heavy fur-lined overcoat and wear
ing overshoes. William Howard Taf.
President of the United States; James
Schoolcraft sherman. Vice President; Ed
ward J. Stenwagen. chairman of the in
augural committee and the President
Cabinet, with their wives and friends,
viewed yesterday afternoon one Of the
finest parades ever seen in Washington
from the reviewing stand in front Of The
White House.
II was a few minutes after . o'clock
when the President and his friends took
their positions IN the reviewing stand and
the parade, which was waiting at Fif-
teenth street, began 20 file past
President Taft stood in the center OF
the box On his right stood Edward,SteI-
wagen. chairman Of the inaugural com
mittee, pointing out TO Mr.. Taft as they
approached the different organizations OF
which the parade was made up. To the
left Of the President stood Vice President
Sherman. sharing with him the honors OF
the occasion
Ladies in the Box.
Back Of the President were seated Mrs.
Taft and several ladies OF the Cabinet
circle, members OF his Cabinet. his mill
tary and naval aids. while surrounding
the box in the rear were a dozen or more
Of the members OF the committee Oh
stands. Below the box stood four mount
ed men OF the Cleveland troop which had
acted as the Presidents escort from the
Capitol 20 the White House Between
these horsemen and the box were several
OF the most alert policemen Of the Cen
tral station, and around and near the
President on every side were an unknown
number Of Chief Wilkes Secret Service
men keeping watch over the President.
President Taft and Vice President Sher-
man. in company with the House and
Senate committees. who had escorted
them 70 the Capitol, returned 10 the
White House about 80. The Presidential
party partook of a hasty lunch and re-
paired to the reviewing stand So AS 20
keep the men I'm lire and the shiverinS
spectators IN the stands waiting as short
a time as possible Indeed. judged by the
length Of time required the luncheon must
have been much in the nature Of q quick
lunch.
President In Fine Spirits.
Though it was cold. 50 cold that it
was with difficulty anybody could be com
Portable in the biting March wind for
many minutes. the Presidential party was
IN excellent spirits. and took great inter
est IN the pageant spread out before It
in the street below.
The weather. however. proved too So
we're for the ladies CT the Presidential
party, and they retired TO the warmth of
the White House after the parade had
lasted about one hour.
The President and Vice President were
called upon constantly to exchange sa-
lutes with the commanding officers OF the
passing military and civic bodies. many
Of whom are personally known 10 one OF
the other. When the organizations from
the States were passing President Taft
would grasp one OF another Of the men, 4
0ers Of the Cabinet by the hand and
bring him forward to stand beside him
while the troop or company was passing. /
Street Was Dry I'm Front.
pennsylvania avenue was nicely cleaned (
in front Of the reviewing stand iust after
noon, and by the time Of the parade il
was dry, so that marching was withour
diInculty' and the various organizations /
made an exceptionally fine appearance
as they were passing in review. one no
ticeable feature Of the parade was the
large number OF bands.
Indeed, these were sometimes so closely
placed in the procession that the strains
Of Dixie" were more or less mingled
with those Of Liberty Bell plaved bv 4
the rival bands Il was a subiecr Of
favorable comment through the Presi- (
dents stand that the band music was
really fine There was HtJle repetition Of
airs, and every band not only played /
well but the variety of selections left the /
impression Of a concert programme.
President Taft was apparently in p /
happy state Of mind He beamed upon
the marching hosts below. recognized the
salutes Of the officers by gracefully Iiftins
his hat. chatte5 amiably with those about
him. now and then directing a smile to-
ward the corner where sat Mrs. Taft and /
the other members Of his family. and
gave 10 those looking on the impression
that II was great day for the new
President
The passing Of some Of the troops, par
ticularly the marines from the battle
ships, the West Point cadets the troops
from his native State. and some OF the
civic marching clubs drew from the
President the most hearty greetings.
Cadets Please President.
4 few incidents OF the afternoon were
noteworthy, and affected the President
deeply
The first Of these was the appearance
Of the West Point Cadets They always
make a splendid appearance in Wash
ington. and are popular with the crowd
that gathers al the Inauguration. As
they swept past the reviewing stand