River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-03-06


upon the arm Of the president pro
tempore Of the senate.
The president and the president
elect sat in the first row of seats di,
rectly in front and almost under tho
desk Of the presiding officer. In the
same row, but to their left, were tho
vice-president4efect and two former
vice-presidents of the United States,
Levi p Morton of New York and Ad-
lai A. Stevenson of Illinois.
When the distinguished company en-
tered the chamber the senate was
still under it's old organization. The
oath of Office was Immediately admin
istered to Vice-President-elect Mar
shall, who thereupon became Vice
President Marshall. The prayer of the
day was given by the chaplain Of the
senate, Rev. Ulysses G. B. Pierce, pas
tor of All Souls Unitarian church, of
which President Taft has been a mem
Der. After the prayer the vice-presi-
dert administered the oath of Office
to all the newly chosen senators, and
Herewith the senate of the United
States passed for the first time in
years into the control of the Demo.
cratic party.
Procession to East Portico.
Immediately after the senate cere-
monies a procession was formed to
march to the platform of the east por-
tico of the capitol, where Woodrow
Wilson was to take the oath. The pro-
cession included the president and the
president-elect, members OF the Su-
preme court, both houses Of congress,
all of the foreign ambassadors, all of
the heads of the executive depart
ments, many governors of states and
territories, Admiral Dewey Of the navy
and several high officers of the sea
service, the chief of staff of the army
and many distinguished persons from
civil life. They were followed by the
members of the press and by those
persons who had succeeded in secur.
ing seats in the senate galleries to
witness the days proceedings.
When President Taft and the presi-
dent-elect emerged from the capitol
on to the portico they saw in front
of them, reaching far back into the
park to the east, an immense con-
course of citizens. In the narrow line
between the onlookers and the plat
form on which Mr.. Wilson was to take
the oath, were drawn up the cadets
of the two greatest government
schools, West Point and Annapolis,
and thanking them were bodies of reg
ulars and of national guardsmen. The
whole scene was charged with color
and with life.
On reaching the platform the presi-
dent and president-elect took the
seats reserved for them, seats which
were fianked by many rows of benches
rising tier on tier for the accommoda-
ton of the friends and families of the
officers of the government and of the
press.
MIR. Wilson Takes the Oath.
The instant that Mr. Taft and Mr..
Wilson came within sight of the crowd
there was great outburst of APP
plause, and the military bands struck
quickly into 1.-THE Star Spangled Ban
ner." Only a few bars of the music
were played and then soldiers and CT
villains became silent to witness re-
spectfully the oath taking and to
listen to the address which followed.
The chief justice of the Supreme
court delivered the oath to the presi-
dent-elect, who, uttering the words,
=, WILL became president of the
United States. AS soon as this cere-
mony was completed Woodrow Wilson
delivered his inaugural address, his
first speech to his fellow countrymeu
in the capacity of their chief execu-
tive.
At the conclusion of the speech the
bands played once more, and William
Howard Taft, now eX-president o. the
United States, entered q carriage with
the new president and, reversing the
order of an hour before, sat on the
left hand side of the carriage, while
Mr.. Wilson took ''the seat Of honor
on the right The crowds cheered as
they drove away to the White House,
which Woodrow Wilson entered as the
occupant and which William H. Taft
Immediately lef. as one whose lease
had expired.