El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-01-04
Wilson's Inauguration Will BE -By-
E:4:.on. Rene
Expenses Are All Paid
BY
Rene Bache
Capital Depend Money Back

which is rather crowded. The situation
Of affairs at this Juncture IS rather
odd. when one comes to think of It. for
there is no president Of the United
States This term having expired at
uoOn), there is no vice president and the
house Of representatives does not exist
A vice president is quickly supplied,
however the first business in order be-
ing the swearing in of the new incum-
bent of that office by the president pro
tenn of the senate. lie immediately rs
SumeS the chair, and calls the upper
house to order. That body now finds
itself in special session, convened by
the president at noon, March 4, to
receive such communications as may
be made by the executive There is
no executive yet, but presently there
viii be.
Meanwhile, since breakfast time, one
third of the senate has lost its job. and
a corresponding number of new SEN
atOrS (m2ny OF them having been re
elected) must be sworn in. This is &C
compIiShed in double quick time by the
vice president, who administers the
oath to them in punches. and who,
when the task has been successfully
accomplished, says: The sergeant at
arms will now execute the order of
the senate relative to the inaugural
ceremonies OF the president OF the Unit
ed States"
Procession Is Formed.
ThereupOn, under the direction Of the
sergeant at arms, procession IS
the supreme court and the marshal of
the District of Columbia, arm in arm.
These officials are followed by the
justices of the supreme court, after
whom come the president and preSi-
dent elect, and. the outgoing and IN
coming vice presidents, escorted by the
committee Of arran gementS- Next in
line are the diplomats headed by the
ambassadors. and. following them, the
members of the cabinet, representatives
of the coming house, and high Officers
OF the army and navy. The spectators.
descending bv the stairs from the gal
leries. join the parade, four abreast,
and the march proceeds southwark
through the main corridor Of the CAPT
tOl and then, by way OF the rOtunda,
to the pillared marble p0rtico On the
east
The view from the p0rtico presents a
wonderful spectacle. Along The MIDDLE
part of the east front Of she capitol an
immense platform and SrandStand nave
been erected, with row on row OF
chairs for occupancy by those who
have been fortunate enough TO obtain
tickets. Down the middle of the great
flight of marble steps is passageWay,
through which the president elect de-
scends until he arrives at small plat
form bearing a sort of kiosk. In the
kiosk he stands looking down upon an
immense sea of uptUrned faces. while
the chief Justice of the supreme court
administers to him the oath Then he
begins the delivery of his inaugural
some time in type in tho office of eV-
cry important newspaper in the cOun-
try. 1t is in print and on the streets
before he has finished it.
On getting back to the white house
the new president seats himself in the
box at the front of his private stand
and reviews the procession task
which must be somewhat WeariSOne,
for it takes something like three hours
to pass. and he has had fatiguInS
morning not to mention the fact that
custom and the will Of the people de
mand that he shall show himself at the
inaugural ball in the evening
Congress does go so far as to pay
for the ceremonies at the capitol ap-
prop-iating $4,000 for building the plat
form and grand stand on the east
front, for the wages of extra police
men. for the printing Of tickets OF ad-
mission to the senate wing, and Incl
dentals.
It would seem odd If Mr.. Wilson
should walk into the capitol one Of
these days and begin chatting about
the plans for his inauguration ct
this was what Lincoln did Maj. Rich
ards, at that time employed in the sen
ate stationery room, near the east en-
trance of the senate wing. was sitting
at his desk when he looked up and saw
uncle Abe. It was a pleasant February
day, and Mr.. Lincoln had driven from
the white house. as he said, to get the
hang of things for the 4th of March"
He remarked that the unfinished SEN
ate portico, being unguarded by a rail-
ing. was unsafe for a crowd of people.
Mai. Richards took him in to see the
sergeant at arms. who suggested tenn
porary wooden railing. But Mr.. Lin
coin did not think that it would be
safe, and directed that the doors lead
ing out upon the east pOTticO be kept
closed on Inauguration day. 'On that
very day. says Mai. Richards. while
Mr. Lincoln was so sOlicitOus about the
safety of others, Wilkes Booth was in
the corridors of the capitol seeking an
opportunity to assassinate him"
Rene BaChe.