The Billings gazette., 1909-03-05
SIMPLE CEREMONIES
AT INAUGURAL
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States, who attended in a body and
for cabinet officers.
Every available seating space in the
galleries was filled. The array of beau
tiful gowns worn by the ladies pre-
sented scene that suggested a social
rather than an official occasion, and
the waving of delicate fans and the
buzz of conversation lent zest and
animation to the scene. In the front
row of the senator's gallery were the
families of the president and the presi-
dent-elect and of the vice-president
and the ice-president-elect. Mrs.
Taft was there with her daughter,
Miss Helen Taft, and her son Robert,
both home from college, to be present
on this occasion with Charlie" the
youngest member of the family, who
was beaming in anticipation of the
great event in which his father was
the central figure of interest. The
presidents brothers, Charles P, Henry
w. and Howard, were also present, as
were Mrs. Roosevelt, Mrs Sherman,
with her sons and daughters, Mrs.
Fairbanks and members of the vice
presidents family and many others in
timately connected with the chief
actors in this historic scene.
The diplomatic gallery was reserved
in the main for the ladies of the corps,
many of whom were familiar with the
gorgeous coronation ceremonies of
monarchial governments, and who wit
messed for the first time the simple in
duction into office of the chief magis-
trate of the great republic. Every
where there were beautiful women
with faces radiant in anticipation of
the historic proceeding.
While the galleries were being filled
the principals in the drama were as
sembling in readiness to enter the
chamber, according to thoroughly or
dered arrangements. The president
and the president-elect were in the
presidents room, the mural decora-
tion of which, the work of the famous
Brumidi, has gained it the distinction
of being the most ornate apartment in
the capitol. Mr. Roosevelt, accompa-
MED by members of his cabinet, had
arrived early to attach his signature
to measures, the passage of which had
been delayed by the rush of business
during the close of the session and had
been very busily occupied in the last
three hours of his administration. The
vice-president and the vice-president-
elect were in the almost equally ele-
CANT apartment at the other end of
the marble lobby, which is occupied
by the vice-president throughout the
sessions of congress, and is designa-
ted as the vice presidents room. The
diplomatic corps assembled in the lob
by, where the ambassadors and the
ministers awaited an invitation to
enter.
The entrance into the chamber of
the several bodies of officials was an
nounced by Assistant Doorkeepers
Stewart and Keller in clear and dis
+ino+ tomas TUFbo S,,prnp,o Count of
the United States" was called and the
venerable Chief Justice, followed by
the eight associate justices in their
official gowns of black, and accom-
panied by the officers of the court,
came in slowly, and all were con-
Quoted to large leather-covered chairs,
which had been placed along the
front of the chamber, facing the vice
president, and on his right. Then
came the ambassadors and ministers
of foreign countries, in their geor-
geous court dresses. The ambassador
from Italy, the dean of the corps,
was the first to enter, being followed
by the ambassadors from Austria-Hun-
gary, France, Germany, Brazil, Rus
sia, Mexico, Great Britain, Japan and
Turkey, in the order named. They
were given seats near the central
aisle Immediately behind the space re-
served for the members OF the presi-
dents cabinet.
The house of representatives formed
in line in the corridor in the southern
end of the capitol, and, accompanied
by members-elect, who were soon to
take their places in the next con-
gress, marched slowly to the senate
door, which they entered two by two.
Speaker Cannon at the head of the
column, was at once escorted to a