El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-03-04
ADMINISTERING THE
PRESIDENTIAL OATH
Chief Justice Always Administers II
hen inauguration Occurs In
Capital; President Kisses
Bible


Washington. D. c., March 4.-The de-
talIs surrounding the administration IF
the oath to a president of the United
states are as carefully arranged and
as much matter of precedent as Were
the larger phases Of the elaborate
ceremony attending the Inauguration
OF the larger phases Of the elaborate
ceremony attending the inauguration
of the chief executive today
The BibIe-the King James version
is always supplied by the clerk Of
the supreme court of the United states.
and is carried by him when he accom-
panies the court TO. the senate chamber.
and thence to the platform where the
oath is administered.
One exception in recent years was
that OF Cleveland's first inauguration
The president elect on that occasion
supplied his own COPY Of the Bible,
which was exactly similar 10 one
given him by his mother when he left
home
. When the chief justice Of the United
states, to which the title of chief JUS
uce Of the supreme court of the United
states IS often enormously applied. is
ready TO administer the oath. the clerk
steps forward and opens the volume
at random Because he opens it near
the middle it happens, as d rule. that
the scriptUraI phrases which the pres
dents lips chance to touch are from
the Proverbs or the Psalms or one
Of the sacred books near the end of
the Old Testament President ROOse-
welt is the only one. since the record
has been kept, who has CHANGED 10
kiss page Of the New Testament.
Custom of Administering Oath.
When the omen book is held I'D l,v
the clerk. the chief justice places his
hand upon one side and the president
elect on the other. 1t appears that in
this form2lity the president elect who
Is IMMERSED in the observance Of elab-
% 17lrnv- hoo
coached to play his part. places mis-
hand under the book or anywhere but
the right place Tie clerk adjusts il
properly and the oath is administered
10 the president to be kissed and the
verses and chapter his lips chance 10
touch are carefully observed.
After the ceremony. the clerk MARKS
the passage He also iEscribes the
form of the. oath taken bv the presi-
dent on the fly leaf of volume Some
time later the Bible is presented TO the
mistress of the white house by the wife
or daughter Of the clerk. as the case
might be, and it is usually preserved
IN the family as one of the most
valued treasures.
Custom alone has established this
curious procedure. There is no law &c
curing that the oath be administered
Dy the chief justice Of the supreme
court In the case Of president ROQSe-
Eelt. after the death of president Nc
hlnley, the oath was administered by
Judge Brady, Of the supreme court OF
New Y FORK When Fillmore was sworn
IN the supreme court was not in seS-
sion and the oath was administered
ny justice Cranch. of the District OF
Columbia, in the house of representa-
tlveS- The oath might equally well he
administered by a notary or any judi
cal officer qualified for the part
Gives, Oath 10 Many Presidents.
AS there have been only nine chief
Justices OF the United States since the
foundation Of the court. each in his
time has ushered many presidents into
once The record was held by justice
ianey, who occupied first place on the-
hlgnest bench from 1886 to 1864, and
administered the oath to all presidents
curing that time with the exception of
Il lllmore Chief Justice White today
administered his first oath TO a presi-
dent.
Chief justic Fuller administered the
o 3sltint 10 presidents Harrison, Cleveland
second term. Mckinley, Roosevelt
Second term, and Taft.
The oath itself is short in the eN-
IRENE. 1t follows:
hereby solemnly swear Cor affirm
WIZ Ialtntully execute the office OF
viii, to the best of nv ability. preserve,
protect and defend the constitution Of
the United States"
Texas Ranger First TO Greet Wilson.
ne llrSt person to greet the pres!-
dent elect and Mrs. Wilson or, the steps
OF the hotel upon their arrival in Wash
lhston was Capt. Bill" Mcdonald, the
SSeQ 1eAas ranger and body guard TO
MI, W Ilsoh during the recent campaign
INV are your exclaimed the preSi-
oent elect and Mrs. Wilson at the same
llhie' as they stepped rapidly forward
ana grasped Capt McDonald's hands.
me captain VINO, It frequently IS sad
from shooting affrays in the ranger /
service that he would sink if he went
S swimming. was overcome with JOY. He
wore pig lelt sombrero, an incon-
the president elect
I'd never a died happy If I hadn't
oeen mere today said Capt Bill. as he
Mr. Wilson.