The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1913-03-07

Der to witness the oath.taking OF the |
@ce-president was by ticket, and II |
is needless to say every seat was |
occupied. On the floor Of the cham |
Der were many former members OF !
the senate who, because OF the fact
that they once held membership in
that body, were given the privileges
of the floor. After the hall was filed
and all the minor officials Of govern
ment and those privileged to witness
the ceremonies were seated, William
II. Taft and Woodrow Wilson, proceed
ed by the sergeant-at-arms and the
committee of arrangements, entered
the senate chamber. They were fol
lowed Immediately by president
elect Thomas r. Marshall, leaning
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 the
desk of the presiding officer. In the
same row, but to their left, were the
| vice-president4eject and two former
vice-presidents of the United States,
Levi p. Morton of New York and AID
lai A. Stevenson of Illinois.
When the distinguished company en-
tered the chamber the senate was
still under its 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-presi7
dent 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.
1 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 SUI
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 capito
on to the portico they saw in from
of them, reaching far back into thC
park to the east, an immense con
course of citizens. In the harrow lint
! between the onlookers and the plat
/ form on which Mr.. Wilson was to taxi
the oath, were drawn up the cadets
! of the two greatest government
schools, West Point and Annapolis
= and Ranking them were bodies of reg
ulars and of national guardsmen. TIL
L whole scene was charged with colo
and with life.
On reaching the platform the pres
L dent and president-elect took tn
: seats reserved for them, seats whic
were fanked by many rows of benche
rising tier on tier for the accommods
2 ton of the friends and families of tn
i officers of the government and of tn
/, press.
Mr.. Wilson Takes the Oath.
The instant that Mr.. Taft and NJ
Wilson came within sight of the crow
: there was great outburst of al
plause, and the military bands struc
quickly into "The Star Spangled Bal
ner." Only few bars of the musi
were played and then soldiers and C
:. villains became silent to witness r
: spectfully the oath taking and
!; listen to the address which followed.
: The chief justice of the Suprem
!, court delivered the oath to the pres
- dent-elect, who, uttering the word