The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-04
Sherman Inaugurated in Cham
ber of the Upper House
In Presence of distinguished
Company of Officials.
OATH ADMINISTERED.
BY Vice President Fairbanks to
His Successor.
Both Gentlemen Deliver Short
and Appropriate Addresses.

Washington, D. c., March with
simplicity and dignity in keeping with
American traditions the initial proce-
dure attending the Inauguration of the
president of the United States, which
included the swearing in of the vice
president and of all the incoming SEN
ators, was conducted in the senate
chamber in the presence of a distin-
guished company consisting of leading
officials of the three coordinate
branches of the government and the
diplomatic representatives of practic-
ally every nation of the world. In
point of interest the personality of the
men occupying seats on the floor of
the chamber was eQualed by the gath
ering in the surrounding galleries,
which were filled with the women who
make up the social life of the Capital
and whose names are scarcely less
generally known than those of their
husbands or relatives who took part in
the historic event.
Gallery Thrown Open.
A flood of light softened by its pas
sage through the delicately tinted and
artistic skylight in the lofty ceiling,
was diffused throughout the beautiful
auditorium, an auditorium which has
few rivals among the notable assem-
bly, chambers of the world At eleven
O'Clock the gallery entrances were
of admission. Each senator had been
given two and each representative one.
of these cards. without which guests
were not permitted to enter the senate
wing. The demands of those who de-
sired to witness this great Quadrenn1al
event were so great that the exclusion
became a necessity. Every detail OF
the ceremony had been arranged in
advance with the greatest care, and
the senate officials were active in see
Sr7xr hat interfere
with the execution of the program
The senate chamber which had so re-
Gently been the scene of much confu-
sion, due to the long hours incident to
the. closing of the Sixtieth Congress,
had received at least a superficial ov-
erhauling, and from the houSekeeper's
point of view presented creditable
appearance.
All Tired Out.
The end of an especially trying ses-
sion of congress- with a vast amount
of legislative work. left to be per-
formed during the last hours. had
found manv of the senators and rep
resentatives thoroughly fatigued, as
they had been able to obtain compare
tivelv little rest for several days and
nights But when the hour of noon
approached and found them in the
chamber. there was only slight IN
tication of the strain to which they
had beer subjected. The entire mem
bership of the senate had been seated
a the right of the presiding ofhcer'
and facing HIM. Nearly the entlre
left side had been reserved for the
Diplomatic corps and members of the
house of representatives, while speclal
seats i'll the front row were set ASIDE
for the members of the Supreme Court
of the United States who attende1 IN
a body, and for cabinet officers.
All Seats Filled.
Every available seating space in the
galleries was filled. The array of
beautiful gowns worn by the ladies'
presented scene that suggested So
cial rather than an official occasion,
and the waving Of delicate fans ana
the buzz of conversation lent zest and
animation to the scene. In the front
row of the senators gallery were the
families of the president and the pres
ident-elect and of the vice president
and the-vice 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, together with "Charl1e,
fbe Youngest member of the family.
who was beaming in anticipation OF
the great event in which his 1ather
was the central figure of interest Ine
presidents brothers, Charles T., Hen
~ w. and Howard, were also present
as were Mrs. Roosevelt, Mrs Sher-
man. with her sons and daughters
Mrs Fairbanks and members of the
vice-president's family, and many oth-
chief actors in this historic scene
In the Diplomatic Gallery.
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
rnonarchial governments and VINO
witnessed for the first time the simple
Induction into Office of the Chief Mag
istrate of the great Republic. Every
where there were beautiful women
with faces radiant in anticipation or
the historic proceeding
While the galleries were belng NIL
ed the principals in the drama We're
assembling in readiness to enter the
chamber, according to thoroughly or
dered arrangements. The president
and the preSid ident-elect were In the
Dresident's room, the mural decora-
fion of which, the work of the famous
Brumidi, has gained it the d1stlnctlon
of being the most ornate apartment IN
the Capitol Mr.. Roosevelt accom-
panied by members of his cabinet, had
arrived early to attach his signature
to measures. the passage OF wh1ch hao
been delayed by the rush OF business
during the close of the session, and
had been very busily occupied in the
last hours of his administration. The
vice-president and vice-presldent-elect
were in the almost equally eleganl
anartment at the other end of the
marble lobby which is occupied by
the vice-president throughout the -ses-
sions of congress, and is designated as
the vice-president's room. The diplo-
matte corps assembled in the lobby
where the ambassadors and ministers
awaited an invitation to enter
Suprene Court Enters.
1,he entrance into the chamber of
the several bodies of officials was an
nounced by Assistant Doorkeepers
stewart and Keller in clear and dis
ffnct tones 1.-THE Supreme Court OF
80
venerable chief justice, followed by
tha eiett assaciate chief justices in