The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1921-03-03

washington, Marcn G.-lHduSuId-
ton of President-elect Harding will
mark the first swing of ceremonies
toward simplicity since Thomas JEFF
ferson toiled up Capitol Hill afoot
121 years ago.
The ceremony of administering
the oath, will be as it was prescribed
by George Washington. There will
be no change in its utter simplicity,
but Mr.. Harding by his own decision
will enter on his great task without
the pomp and parade that have IN
creasingly surrounded that solemn
moment as the years went by. Not
even the salvos of artillery that her
aided the dawn of Jefferson's inau-
guration day will wake the sleeping
echoes along the Potomac Friday.
Gone, too, will be the inaugural pa
rade, time honored since regular and
militia troops blazed the historic
Route up Pennsylvania avenue to the
Presidents house when President
Madison rode in state to take up du-
ties laid down by Jefferson. Weather
alone has prevented or hindered this
national spectacle in the years that
followed.
Gone, also, the decorated floats and
the soldiery from many states which
accompanied President William Hen
ry Harrison as he rode his horse to
the capitol to take the oath; gone
the tramping ranks Of cabinet officers
and clergy and professors and stu
dents of Georgetown university (which
made the historic journey with Polk,
gone is the military splendor of the
pageants that marked elevation to
high office of soldeirlv Zachary Tay-
lor and U. S. Grant.
Among things of the more recent
past not to be revived for Mr.. Hard
ing will be the gray and white clad
lines of West Point cadets, stepping
proudly and with perfect unison up
the great avenue. Inauguration has
been for these future leaders of the
| army and for their brothers of the
| midshipmen corps from Annapolis 9
great public day, and the, nation has
lavished well deserved plaudits or
| their appearance. O.,
| When Polk rode to his Inaugural
ton a kid-glove troop of young Vir
ginians, the Fairfax cavalry, clatter
ed before him as special escort. Il
was the first time a military organ
ization was specially distinguish
ed in such fashion, but at times hav,
paid and received compliments of thu
kind which will be lacking at MI
Harding's Inauguration. Presiden
Benjamin Harrison rode at the heat
of his old regiment, the Seventeenth
Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Presi
dent Mckinley was escorted by troo]
| A of Cleveland's Black Horse Caval
! ry.
Great with problems as may be tn
four years ahead of Mr.. Harding a
he turns with the weight of his oatl
upon him to the work he has himsel
said will be calling, grim tensenes
that has hung over the inauguratio
of some Of his predecessors will b
lacking.
Madison was to see Washington i
enemy hands and the President
house fired by British; the drummin
tramp of troops in full war gear cal
ed to guard the capitol in the brew
ing storm of Civil War was in Lir
coins ears as he pledged his faitl
his very life, to his task. Yet Dode
las, his defeated rival, stood at hi
side and held his hat as Lincoln Der
his long figure to seal his oath wit
his lips on that Bible.
Four years later, again called I
: high service, Lincoln saw the wrec
and ruin of war spreading forth to tn
South beyond the Potomac; wal
manned men were grooming in hos
: pitfalls hard by where he stood to tax
' his oath and ahead lay bitter days {
reconstruction.
/ President Hayes was twice swor
. in. March 4 was Sunday that yea
!, The election decision had left a hanl
ling sore behind it, for one ele,
! toral vote had defeated Tilden, Marc
; 3 privately the oath was first az
) ministered to President Hayes, to /
. repeated in public March 5.
When Wnadrow Wilson rode dow
Pennsylvania avenue and back agai
at his second Inauguration in 191
American entry into the World We