Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 March 1905 — THE PRESIDENT’S OATH. [ARTICLE]

THE PRESIDENT’S OATH.

The Obligation Which Mr. Roosevelt Took Saturday. The oath of office taken by the incoming President of the United States is the shortest and the simplest required of any ruler on earth. It is prescribed by the Constitution, and is a's follows: “I do solemnly swear (or affirnil shat I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and, to the best of my ability, protect, preserve and defend the Constitution of the United States.” This oath is slowly repeated by the President-elect after the chief justice of the Supreme Court, in the presence of the public,, upon a platform erected in front of the main door on the eastern side of the capital. After the President has taken the oath he delivers his inaugural addrgss. While the oath is being repeated thel’resident-elect and the chief justice face each other and bold with their right hands, between them, a Bible, furnished by some person interested or especially procured for the occasion, becomes the property of the President after it has been appropriately inscribed ami sealed by the chief clerk of the Supreme Court. President Cleveland, at both inaugurations, took the oath upon a little red pocket Bible which was given him by his mother when he left home as a boy. President Harrison used a Bible that had been presented to him by a Sunday school class in Indianapolis. At tlie close of the oath the Presidentelect bows his head and kisses the open page of the book, and it has been customary for him or for his wife or a friend to select some appropriate passage at which the book shall be opened and the verse upon which he shall press his lips. Sometimes, when those interested forget or neglect to choose a passage, the Bible is opened at random, but the clerk of the Supreme Court is always careful to note and mark the exact place where the lips touched the page. Mrs. August Krause, acquitted of the murder of her husband at Worthington, Minn., has brought suit against the Modern Woodmen for a death benefit, which was refused payment owing to the peculiar death of Krause. Federal Judge Anderson enjoined the •city of Indianapolis from enforcing an ordinance recently isissed to compel the Indianapolis Gas (Vanpany to sell fuel gas at 50 cents per thousand.