The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-03-09
THE INAUGURAL PARADE.


The sun had broken out during the
ceremonies in the Senate chamber
the snow had stopped and the wind
had moderated. A thousand men
from early in the morning had been
clearing the middle of Pennsylvania
avenue, and therefore it was deter
mined to have the parade and review
| at any cost. Many of the men who
had not come clad for terrific win
ter day, and many of the G.. A. r.
veterans, on the advice of their
/ friends, dropped out of the columns
waiting on the side streets along the
avenue, but despite these conditions
President Taft and Vice-President
Sherman reviewed for nearly two
hours the passing column.
1t was parade that these many
thousands of men had every reason
to be proud of. They were wind
swept all the way, and many of the
marching representatives from the
| several States were compelled for
more than q mile to walk through
snow drifts. They lost also the APP
plause that would have helped them,
because the usual cheering thousands
were absent. In front of the hotels
along Pennsylvania avenue, where
| the sidewalks had been cleared, and
| from the windows of many houses
| there was cheering and waving of
! flags for the Republicans in line
The big stands erected along the
| avenue, however, were almost de-
serted, although persons had paid as
high as $40 apiece for seats. OF the
more than 100000 persons who had
come to add their enthusiasm to the
i population of Washington probably
| fewer than 5000 were along the line
of march. The crowd about the
White House grounds was less than
10000. The paraders marched
gravely, however, with swinging
stride and blaring music.
Major-General J. Franklin Bell, the
| grand marshal of the inaugural par
ade, mounted on big horse. rode in
| the van with a staff of officers to
whom the mud and slush and the
! winds seemed to make little differ
ence. The same can be said of the
military and naval organizations
| Taft beamed forth upon the march
ers as they passed in review, lifting
his hat to "Old Glory whenever it
was displayed, bowling to persons here
| and there and exuding rare good ma
| ture from every pore. For three
| hours he stood thus, Mr.. Sherman by
his side, receiving the homage that
was his due, unmindful of the sharp
northwest wind which blew through
| the chill stand.
Both Mrs. Taft and Mrs. Sherman
| Joined them and remained until the
parade was almost past. Even Miss
Torrey, the Presidents aunt, eighty
| two years old, braved the blasts for
a. time and had the honor of occupy
| ing the Presidents big arm chair.
The President and the Vice-Presi-
dent remained with heads uncovered
| to the last moment Governor
Hughes. on horseback, was one of the
men who received big greetings.
Nearly all the Governors who had
come to Washington were recognized
by their friends, their names called
out, and so they too were recognized
by strangers and received a generous
/ welcome. The real enthusiasm, how
4 ever, was for the men of the Navy,
who recently came from the all-round
the world tour The West Point
cadets came in for the next greatest
welcome.
There was generous applause, too,
| for all organizations, civil and milf
! tary, in the line. Among them sew
eral regiments of khaki-clad soldiers
of the United States Army, only re-
Gently returned from Cuba, and other
| regiments that have won honor in
wars and in plains fighting with In
dams, attracted notable attention.
| Among the State troops were detach-
ments of the National Guards of Con-
necticut, Florida, Georgia, Maine,
Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri,
Minnesota, New York, New Jersey,
Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia
| Some of the more distant States sent
several companies of their Guard,
while most of them were represented
by regiments, and Maryland and
Pennsylvania by brigades.
| The famous Troop A, of Cleveland,
Ohio, National Guard organization,
constituted the special guard of honor
| to President Taft, as it had to the
late President Mckinley. Following
the military divisions marched the
civic division This part of the pa
geant was heralded as the Prosperity
Brigade" and included in it were
many organizations which for years
have been regular attendants upon
national conventions and inaugural
| ceremonies. Some organizations were
| in line, however, that never before
had visited Washington, and their
clever marching and attractive uni
forms caught and held the fancy of
| the throngs.
Among these were the "Pickanin-
ny Band" composed of colored or
phan boys of South Carolina; the
Sherman Scouts" of Utica, N. Y,
| carrying at the head of their line a
huge oil painting of their neighbor,
| Vice President Sherman. and leading
at the rear a gaily caparisoned billy
goat" an alligator Band" from
| Louisiana; a "Possum Club" from
| Georgia, and Taft Club, 500 strong,
from the same State; the New York
| Republican County Committee, 1000
strong; an "Uncle Sam Club" of Buff
| falo. each of its LOG members attired
in the conventional Uncle Sam cos
tune; the Bug House Hose Company
of Long Island. President Roosevelt's
Neighbors, and many others.
The Minneapolis Flambeau Club