October 25 Saturday – In Princeton, N.J.: Sam’s notebook: “Guest over Sunday of Hutton—Princeton.
Inauguration of Pres. Woodrow Wilson. / Speeches by him, ex-Pres. Patton, Grover Cleveland & President Roosevelt.
No other speeches. / Stedman & Tyler (?) guests, too / [Horiz. Line separator] / Be in Murray Hall in full academic costume at 10.15 a.m.” [NB 45 TS 32].
The new President of Princeton, Woodrow Wilson was installed in a morning ceremony at Alexander Hall. Ray Stannard Baker writes:
It was a resplendent procession that filed slowly through the noble arches of the university library on that Saturday morning. Never, perhaps, in America had there been a more distinguished gathering of celebrities for a college ceremonial. The greatest educators were there, the most celebrated authors, distinguished statesmen, notable figures in the world of industry and finance. At the head of the procession marched, in academic cap and gown, the dignified figure of Grover Cleveland, side by side with Governor Murphy of New Jersey.
Woodrow Wilson, “slim, erect, keen-faced,” came next with the Chancellor of the State, and then the former president, Dr. Patton, accompanied by Dr. Henry van Dyke.
More than a hundred colleges and universities were represented in the stately procession, capped and gowned in academic dignity—those in the scarlet of Oxford University the most radiant of all. …
Marching behind the academic notables was a group of “men whose names were on every tongue.” One easily singled out the portly figure of Thomas B. Reed, then Speaker of the House of Representatives, and J. Pierpont Morgan, who had come, much heralded, in a special train from New York. Mark Twain’s erect form and snowy mane were conspicuous…[139-40].Note: Francis Landey Patton (1843-1932), President of Princeton (1888-1902).
In the evening Sam spoke at the Laurence Hutton dinner at Princeton University, following installation of Wilson as University President. Hutton had invited the august group of Grover Cleveland, Mark Twain, Edmund C. Stedman, Thomas B. Reed, Richard Watson Gilder, H.H. Rogers, and Col. George B. Harvey. Ex-Speaker Reed wrote on the flyleaf of Reed’s Rules. A Manual of General Parliamentary Law (1897), the following, which notes Sam spoke (whether formally or informally is not known) at the event:
Dear Mr. Hutton, I do not know how this book happened to be in my trunk but after last night’s experience you must realize how much you will need it if you continue to have such dinner company as you had last night. By looking at the ‘Rules’ you will see that you let Mark (Twain) talk too often, and did just right in giving Mr. Cleveland the close on us all. Finis coronat opus / T.B. Reed. / Sunday Oct. 26, 1902 [Laurence and Eleanor Hutton’s Book of Association (1905); Fatout 671].
Caroline B. Le Row wrote from Brooklyn to Sam, relating a lecture she’d attended the night before, where Mark Twain was compared favorably with Sir Walter Scott, for paying all his debts, and that the young folks in the crowd started applauding Mark Twain. She referred to his “joke letter for fuel” from the Treasury, and “how we should hate to have you freeze to death!” [MTP]. Note: Sam wrote “Preserve it” on the env. And at the top of the letter, “Livy never gets her share of these applauses, but it is because the people do not know. Yet she is entitled to the lion’s share.”
Sue Crane left Riverdale and arrived back in Elmira in the evening. The arrival of Clara Stanchfield allowed Sue to end her duties to Livy [Oct. 31 Crane to Sewell].