Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-05

roles in the newly written chapter of Amer
lean history.
Streets Almost Deserted.
Downtown Washington was deserted this
morning during the hours which in pre-
vious inaugural years have witnessed the
struggling of thousands for places of van
tage along the sidewalks of the route OF
the big parade. Street car traffic was so
uncertain that few people In the residential
districts cared to venture forth. Hundreds
who yesterday had paid fancy prices for
grandstand seats remained at home regard
less Of their pecuniary loss.
When Mr.. Taft and President Roosevelt
met this morning in the breakfast room
Mr.. Taft's greeting to the man he was so
soon to succeed was:
"Mr. President, even the elements pro-
test"
President Roosevelt said: "Mr. President
elect, / knew there would be a blizzard
clear up to the time / went out of office"
Notwithstanding the fury of the storm
outside, there was happiness and cheer in
side the White House up to the moment
that Mr.. Taft and President Roosevelt
started for the capitol. Vice President
Fairbanks and the entire membership Of
President Roosevelt's cabinet had arrived
by s:45.
President Roosevelt and Mr.. Taft left
the White House at 1910 a. m. on their
journey to the capitol. AS he came out Of
the front door Mr.. Roosevelt babe good
bye to the various officers and attendants
who were gathered on the portico.
Party starts for Capitol.
: The president was first to enter the car
riase, taking the right hand seat. Mr.. Taft
followed and sat beside him..
Senator Knox and Senator Lodge OF the
committee on arrangements, also entered
the carriage, which was drawn by four
horses. The two leading horses were un-
-ruly and one of them kicked out of the
traces, and for a time 1t seemed that the
driver would lose control. Everything was
Strengthened out In a few minutes. how
lever, and the president and Mr.. Taft drove
away amid the cheers Of the White House
attendants. Officers of President Roose-
I velt's cabinet also took carriages from the
White House to the capitol, being given
places in line Immediately following the
presidential ~equipage.
Troop "a" of Cleveland, the famous black
horse cavalry of the Ohio National guard,
which has acted as escort to a number of
presidents. performed a similar service to-
day.
Mrs. Roosevelt was the last OF the presi-
Dental family to leave the White House.
In the Limousine automobile purchased for
the Taft family and which had taken Mr..
Taft to the capitol, Mrs. Roosevelt took her
final departure from the White House at
II a. m. She was accompanied by two other
ladies and Captain Archibald w. Butt,
President Roosevelt's chief military aide.
The automobile proceeded directly to the
Union station. where Mrs. Roosevelt
waited the arrival OF her husband.
New Problems Face Taft.
With the shifting OF the presidential
mantle from the shoulders OF Roosevelt to
the shoulders OF Taft the nation Is on the
verge Of a momentous period. The decks
have been swept clean for an unhampered
administration with many new problems
confronting the executive and congress
and some of the old questions still de-
m~anding attention. With a really formid-
able deficit In the public treasury threat
ened, an increase OF the revenues becomes
necessary. Public attention is concentrated
upon tariff revision, 70 which the president
and the republican congress alike are COM
mitted, and an extra session to carry out
the promises soon will be in full swing.