Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-04
CLEAR AND COLD.
Old Prob Assures Mr.. Taft of Good
Day for His Inauguration.

l. Washington, March 3-It was two
| minutes past s O'clock tonight when
William Howard Taft and Mrs Taft
stepped from their automobile in /,
driving rain and entered the White
House for the night, to make it their
home for the next four years There
was no demonstration whatever mark
ing the. arrival of the new tenant of the
! Executive mansion. He was admitted
by the attendants and with Mrs. Taft
went 1T once toathe private portion OF
The House, where President and Mrs
Roosevelt received their guests With
the simple cordially and lack of cerc-
mony which long intimate acquaint-
ance have established.
That the President-elect and Mrs
Taft arc quartered at the White House
tonight is due to the thoughtfulncss Of
President and Mrs. Roosevelt, who,
realizing the convenience of such an
arrangement extended their hospital
ity.
Besides the Prosidcnt-elec and Mrs
Tat tho White House dinner guests
included Senator-elect Elihu Root and
Mrs. Root, Senator Knox, who is to be
Mr.. Taft's secretary of state, and Mrs
Knox: Representative Nicholas Long
worth ard Mrs. Longworth, daughter
of the President; Admiral and Mrs
Cowlas, and Miss Mabel Boardman.
The dinner, which was late in it's
commencement, was prolonged unusu
ally but in anticipation of the strenu-
Gus day tomorrow Mr.. Taft found the
arrangements of his hosts permitted of
q reasonably early retirement and he
betool1 himself for the night to the
southeast bed chamber on the second
floor Of the building
it vas Just getting dark, and the
rain was coming down in cold tor
rents, when Mr. Taft heard the strains
of Home Sweet Home" by q brass
band. He ran down the stairs and out
doors from the Boardman residence.
without his hat AS he had anticipated
there was the Citizens Taft Club Of
Cincinnati, q hundred strong.
"Givc noe the friends of foul wealth
or rattle. than those of fair weather.
was his CHEEKY greeting to his fellow
toWnsmen. who cheered him Justify. A.
handshake and a CHEEKY word Of recogc
milton to each man was given. as a
lire was formed which passed with ra-
pidity under the portico where Mr..
Taft had taken his position. This was
the first greeting to the Cincinnati
friends of Judge Taft. They are to par
take of luncheon with President Taft
tomorrow afternoon.
The Yole Glass of '7S of which Mr..
Taft is a proud member, had it's inning
with the PreSident-elect this afternoon.
He drove down town, met the mem
bers in the rain and proceeded to the
historic steps of the navy department
building, where all posed for a group
picture. After his dinner Mr.. Taft
found time to go to the Willard hotel
for a few minutes to be cheered by his
old classmates, who were holding a
smoker.
The news Oft day so far as APP
point.lents are concerned, was
summed up in the statement by Mr..
| Taft that Beekman winthrop, who re-
Gently declined the position Of the as
sistant secretary of state, had accept
ed the second place in the navy de-
partment, where he will be assistant
secretary after March 4.
Former Governor Myron T. Herrick
| of OHIO, who declined to be considered
| for the position of secretary of the
| navy, declined the offer of Mr.. Taft
| to make him an ambassador. The par
| ticular post to which it was desired
that Mr. Herrick should go was that al
Rome, vacated by the resignation OF
Mr.. Griscom. GOV. Hughes of New
| York called on Mr.. Taft today.
| Willis Moore, chief of the United
| States weather bureau, sent Mr.. Taft
telegram tonight telling him that the
weather tomorrow in Washington
would be clear and cold. This was re-
ceived with evidences of decided ap-
probation by Mr.. Taft, on account Of