Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1925-01-22

Chief Executive, was duly installed
into that high office with ceremonies
befitting the occasion on Wednesday
the 18th. Raleigh put her best foot
forward and the whole State ioined
IN doing honor to a distinguished
son who had fought his way from the
plow handle to the highest honor in
the gift of those now pledged to up
hold his hands in the effort to keep
the Old North State right in the
forefront of American common
wealths.
1t cannot be recorded as a brilliant
inaugural day, but the weather man
had been reasonably considerate in
planning for the day and a great
crowd saw the capital city in her best
attire and will long remember the
joyous occasion which marked an
epoch in the political life of the
State, in witnessing the final act
that made a governor.
Tarheelia was here in force. The
men, the women and the children
came from the mountains and from
the sea. The humble and the veal
thy wed with each other IN making
the day what every proud North Car
Gilman would have it to be. The leg
islators and those who sent them here
were as one in love fot the land ofI
opportunity was the spirit Of the day.
1t seemed that the folks from ev-.
erywhere wanted to have a part in
the ceremonies, for it was great
outpouring of people that thronged
the streets, happy in the thought that
they were helping make another Gov
ernor. 1t was a day fit for so great
an event and it was a crowd worthy
of welcoming to the capital city the
man called to leadership when con-
servation should prevail in high pla-
ceS.
AS the inaugural party passed from
the Mansion to the City Auditorium
doors and windows, side walks and
balconies were vantage points from
which to get a glimpse of the fifty
third person to take the oath as
Governor of the commonwealth. Ev-
erywhere were flags of the state and
flags of the country. Troops were
in evidence on every hand and play
ed well their part of a great drama.
The oath of office was administer
ed to Governor Mclean before an
epochal assemblage of North Carolin-
ians in the City Auditorium shortly
after noon Members of the General
Assembly occupied seats of honor in
| front of the "ninety and nine" and
heard with marked attention one of
the ablest state papers that has been
presented in a generation. The ad-
dress held the vast assemblage in
rapt attention. 1t appeared to be
precisely the kind of talk they wan
ted to hear and frequent outbursts
of applause greeted the striking ut
, terances of the new governor.
! General Albert L. Cox, Raleigh at
! torney, presided over the inaugural
ceremonies at the Auditorium and
presented Senator johnson of Robe
son, who announced that the oaths
of office would be administered by
Chief Justice Hoke to the Governor
elect, while Justice Clarkson and
Stacey would officiate in inducing
the others of the elective officers into
their respective positions. The oaths
were administered in the following
order: R. A. Doughton, Commissioner
of Revenue, Frank D. Grist, Com
missioner of Labor and Printing, G.
P. Pell, Corporation Commissioner;
w. A. Graham, Commissioner of Ag-
riculture; Dennis G. Brummit, At
torney General; A. T. Allen, Super
intendent of Public Instruction, Bax-
ter Durham, State Auditor; w. N.
Everett, Secretary of State; J. FL
mer Long, Lieutenant Governor; An
gus Wilton Mclean, Governor. State
! Treasurer Lacy was i'll in New York
City and could not be present to
qualify as Treasurer for the sixth
time in succession.
As Senator johnson called each
name there was a general applause
as the recipients of those honors ap-
peared to take the oath required up
on entering their duties. Mr.. Mclean
was presented by the retiring Gov
ernor as the great audience arose en-
masse to greet in the good old North
Carolina way the man in whom they
had few weeks previous plighted
their faith. 1t was a whole-hearted
reception which the new Executive
received at each turn of the way all
through that eventful day and he
was visibly touched with so many ev-