Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-02
CAPITAL CHAT.
CONTINUED from Page One.)

and walked up to the East Front to
take the oath.
AS IL matter of fact all inaugurals. as
far as the ceremony itself is con-
cerned, are very simple. They can be
nothing else. The frills come in the
decorations and observances almost
entirely outside OF it and purely unofii-
cial. But the other day President
eject Taft sent word to the inaugural
committee that he wanted a mice in
augural." That stimulated the COM
! mittee of prominent Washington cti-
| zens anew They will make it mice
| for the one aim of an inaugural com
mittee is to have things to suit the
| man who is the center of all the pro-
ceedings on that day.
And 50 it is that the parade prom
Uses to be u little larger that ever be-
| fore. the decorations little more pro-
| fuse a little more artistically arranged,
| tho inaugural ball a little more con-
| spicuous for its display and so on
| through long inaugural category.
Usually there is a great to do about
| the organization that shall have the
post of honor in the parade. 1t has
Oilcn ptell Solit lloIll tllt
home state of the President-elect.
| This year q division of veterans of the
Civil War and of the Spanish War
will have the coveted honor Of escort
| ing Mr. Taft That has proved 4 hap
py solution and especially pleases Mr.,
Taft.
| The scramble for seats at the Capt.
| tot and at other coigns of advantage is
also proceeding. It is very important
| to have Il good place to sit. Owners of
buildings along the line of march are
beginning to tear out furniture and
putting in seats at windows stretch
| ing a mile and more from the Capitol
| to the White House A room, fronting
on the Avenue will rent for as much
as q months wages. Well heated and
cosy it offers the ideal of comfort for
seeing the parade pass. In such dis
lance there are always new buildings
under construction or being rernodelled
The owners of these are Fastening
work to have the rooms fit for renting
| on March 4. Ore owner Of property,
| unGer improvement just opposite the
| Treasury building, has given orders
| that the steam heating plant shall be
iil''Idii'' 'hilu III NoiiipiSl' ofjti pN
the time the eventful day comes. He
expects To make $500 from the rent of
a dozen rooms. before he throws them
open TO tenants.
In the old days the President and
the Presi1ent-elect used to live on OPP
posite sides of Lafayette Square for "a
hours before Inauguration. The latter
would come to town and take a suite
of rooms in that part Of the Arlington
Hotel which used to be the residence
of Senator Charles Sumner, of Mas
sachlrsetts. The President-eleGt has
tened to make a call at the White
House and the President fastened to
return the call at the hotel apartments
Thus 1t was for a generation. The in
coming chief magistrate, incidentally,
had to pay a swinging hotel bill be-
fore he got into office, and for a while
after mis- arrival his quarters were
crowded with divers callers of high
station. Much of that will now be OBJ
waited by the arrangement agreed up
on between Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr..
Taft. For as has already been an
nounced. Mr.. and Mrs. Taft coming to
town March 8. will proceed directly to
the White House and will be the guests
for "A hours of President and Mrs.
Roosevelt. The impressive exchange