The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-03-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.


the day of President Taft's induction to
Office, attained climax of elemental
violence. Never before had such pre-
paration been made for inauguration cere.
monies. More money had been expend-
ed than on any previous occasion for
street and stand decoration, for fireworks
and for the inaugural ball. Every pros
pect pleased and only the weather was
vile. blizzard set in the night before
the fourth and ragged with increasing
violence until after the time for the Pres
ident and the President-elect to proceed
to the Capitol. 1t was pitiful to see
thousands of soldiers and visitors making
an effort, in spite of the elements to see
parade that did not form or march. The
banked seats and chairs that lined the
south side of Pennsylvania Avenue by
the thousand were vacant. The Avenue
was in deep snow and slush. Water and
snow, mixed, at the curb was from four
to six inches deep.
AT the appointed hour, President Roose-
welt and President-elect Taft drove down
the Avenue in closed carriage, escorted
by troop of dragons. They drove
rapidly and reached the capitolin good
time. The Pfesident-elect took the oath
and instead of reading his address from
the East front of the Capitol where an
elaborate temporary platform and pro.
vision for seating two Or three thousand
people had been made, he read it in the
Senate Chamber. After this ceremony,
ex- President Roosevelt rose to 90 and
taking President Taft by the hand, babe
him goodbye and good luck. The Presi-
dent put his hand on Rooseveit's shoulder
and Roosevelt responded and the Presi-
dent and ex President embraced like
brothers. This spontaneous, unrehearsed,
impressive leave taking caught the
sympathy of the audience and there was
approving applause from the floor and
the gallery. x-President Roosevelt had
an ovation as he went to the Union
Station, only three blocks distance from
the Capitol and there taking seat with
his family in the car. went to New York
for the first time in eight years as pri
vate citizen. ~
~
The inaugural Ball was the only sue.
cessful public fete of the Inauguration
ceremonies. 1t was we'll attended-in fact
crowded, although the admission was SIS
for every man and woman. There was
but little dancing. All interest centered
in the appearance of President Taft, who
with Mrs. Taft and the managers of the
ball made an entire circuit of the immense
hall in roped off space and then pro-
ceeded to an enclosure in the balcony
where the party was. tor an hour, the
cynosure of all eyes.
~
There is more emphatic talk than ever
before about changing the inauguration
date from March the fourth to April the
goth, or to the last Thursday in April.
Of course, there is no assurance that there
may not be occasional rain on this later
date, but it will almost certainly not
be cold rain or snow and absolutely GER
tain no such blizzard as was experienced
at this Inauguration. There have been
spasmodic efforts to change rhe inaugu-
ration date from the boisterous season Of
early March to the later and more salu.
brious season, but there has always been
some Congressional crank or cynic to oh.
ject and such salutary change as would
be possible and easy under benign
despotism appears to be next to impossible
when it depends on three or four hun.
dred members of Congress pulling at cross
purposes. This seems to be the curse of
democracy in more ways than one, What
Is everybody's business is nobody's bust.
ness and what is nobody's business is
everybody's business to mar and wreck.
~
There seems to be very general ap-
prevail of President Taft's inaugural ad-
dress. There is nothing startling in his
administrative or legislative program as
announced. That he would uphold The
Roosevelt Policies was expected. He
was chosen and elected to maintain them.
He comes into Office with clean slate;
with probably many friends to reward
but it is to be hoped with no enemies to
punish. 1t is evident that although he
has adopted the Roosevelt policies, he is
determined not to estrange from himss If
and his administration the Roosevelt
enemies. His administration is begun
with reciprocal good feeling between him.
-..1c IA u. .....-.--I 4,