The Golden age. [volume], March 04, 1909, Image 1

About The Golden age. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1906-1920

Image provided by: Digital Library of Georgia, a project of GALILEO located at the University of Georgia Libraries

                
A Fascinating Free Scholarship Proposition: WRITE US RIGHT NOW
IB WBjtjßfesft is
| L
VOL UJI E TO U K
NUMBER IHR EE
All Former Pageants of Splendor Surpassed in the Inauguration of President Taft and Vice-President Sherman
The National Capital fe Ablaze With Glory” During the Inauguration Pestibities
A
LL the eyes of all the world are on
Washington today—March Fourth, nine
teen hundred and nine. And if all the
outside world, how much more the eyes
and heart of every patriotic American!
While over six millions of men did not
vote with the more than seven millions
I who elected William Howard Taft and
1 James Schoolcraft Sherman, we are all
voting today for the na
tion’s new rulers, and ask
ing the God of nations to
bless and guide them as
they steer the ship of state.
From nearly one hundred
millions of people there
goes up the chorus of one
grand, beautiful 11 Reces
sional ’ ’:
“God of our fathers,
Be with us yet
Lest we forget —
Lest we forget! ’ ’
According to the impres
sive custom of years Presi
dent Taft bowed his head
over the Holy Bible, took
the solemn obligation which
made him, for a stated pe
riod, the chief magistrate of
the United States, and de
livered his inaugural ad
dress on the East Front of
the capitol in Washington,
in the presence of listening,
cheering thousands — ll a
multitude that no man
could number.”
And thus, out from un
der the remarkable admin
istration of Theodore Roos-
evelt, perhaps the most spectacular of any Presi
dent during the nation’s life time, and yet forever
distinguished for its startling brilliancy and its re
freshing and inspiring honesty, we lay our hand of
confidence in the big, broad hand of William How
ard Taft, believing that a patriot guides the ship,
and that a statesman is at the helm.
It is interesting and instructive at the time of
this last and greatest of all inaugurations to go
back to the early days and see how our fathers
‘ * did the thing.” A correspondent of the Associa
ted Press gives the following graphic story of the
THE NATION’S NEW RULERS
lolln. ;
III® Mr
BY Harris &f.win CCPyRI OHT iqog V ■ v
STUDIO \j/
PRESIDENT WILLIAM H. TAFT AND VICE PRESIDENT JAMES S. SHERMAN.
ATLANTA, GA., MARCH 4 1909.
first three inaugurations: ‘‘The ceremony of the in
duction of a president into office is distinctively
American. Conceived in the minds and hearts of
the nation’s fathers, while they yet were in the
throes of a great revolution, it is grand in its mo
tive —sublime in its simplicity. Through the lapse
of years, since the establishment of the American
government, substantially no change has been made
in the ceremonial form, although elaborate and beau-
tiful accompaniments, in recent years, have become
notable features of this most important of Ameri
can functions.
‘ ‘ln the time of Taft, as in the time of Washing
ton, the spectacle bears the same simple impressive
ness. Here no emperor, or king, or dictator, arro
gating to himself, ‘ through the law of succession or
monarchial expediency,’ the powers of government;
but the creatures of a willing, enthusiastic and ho
mogeneous people taking upon himself, through the
expression of his peers, the responsibility of carry
ing out their mandates and directing the execution
ot their will. Yesterday he was one of a hundred
million people; today, yet one of the people, but
chosen tor a brief time to direct their destinies and
to protect and defend their nation.
“It was Washington, who, to a large extent, de
vised the plan of a president’s inaugural. In this
respect, as in others, his wonk has stood the test of
lime. It will endure, too, for so long ias the nation
may live, in its original form of beautiful and im-
. •! r , • , ok place ln the old federal
nulding, winch then was the seat of congress and
the oath was administered by Chancellor Living
ston. The first president was awaited upon by com
mittees of the house and senate at his temporary
aiding place, and an escort of regular United States
troops accompanied him to the ‘capitol.’ He was
driven in a handsome coach, and as he had no prede
eessor, he was alone in the carriage. When the an
nouncement was made formally that Washington
had taken the obligation which made him the first
president of the United States, the multitude wait
(Continued on Page 9.)
TWO DOLLARS A YEAR.
JIVE CENTS A COPY.
pressive simplicity.
“Washington was induct
ed into office at New York.
At the time of notification
of his election, he was re
siding at his beautiful coun
try home, Mount Vernon.
He proceedd to the then
seat of government on
horseback, in coaches, and
in eight-oared barges. His
journey was a triumphal
march. No such scenes of
enthusiasm ever had been
witnessed in this country as
attended Iris progress. The
country people gave him
hearty greetings by the
roadside; in Philadelphia
the citizens had decorated
the streets and buildings
elaborately, and he rode on
a splendid milk-white char
ger beneath triumphal arch
es; and in towns and ham
lets farther east his path
way was strewn with flow
ers by women ? pd children.
Details of the ceremony
attendant upon the admin
istration of the oath of of
fice were worked out after
his arrival in New York. It
Tnr. w-x i „ _ _ •