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Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
16
INVESTING IN MUTUAL FUNDS
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
This chapter describes mutual funds as an investment alternative. We begin our discussion by considering
why investors purchase mutual funds. Then, we examine the characteristics of closed-end, exchange-
traded, and open-end mutual funds. The differences between load funds and no-load funds are explained.
We also explore the different fees associated with fund investments. We describe the major categories of
mutual funds in terms of the types of securities they invest in. Finally, methods that can be used to
evaluate mutual fund investments and the mechanics of buying and selling mutual fund transactions are
presented.
Obj. 1 Describe the The major reasons why investors choose mutual funds are profes-
characteristics of sional management and diversification. Mutual funds are also a
mutual fund convenient way to invest money. There are three types of mutual
investments. funds. A closed-end fund is a mutual fund whose shares are issued
only when the fund is organized. An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is
a fund that invests in the stock and securities contained in a specific
stock or securities index. Both closed-end funds and exchange-
traded funds are traded on a stock or in the over-the-counter
market. An open-end fund is a mutual fund whose shares are sold
and redeemed by the investment company at the net asset value
(NAV) at the request of investors. Mutual funds are also classified
as load and no-load funds. Load funds charge a commission every
time an investor purchases shares. No commission is charged to
purchase shares in a no-load fund. Mutual funds can also be
classified as “A” shares (commission charged when shares are
purchased), “B” shares (commissions charged when money is
withdrawn during the first five to seven years, and “C” shares (no
commission to buy or sell shares, but higher, ongoing 12b-1 fees.
Other possible fees include management fees, contingent deferred
sales fees, and 12b-1 fees. Together all the different fees are
reported as an expense ratio.
16-1
Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
Obj. 2 Classify mutual funds The major categories of stock mutual funds, in terms of the types of
by investment securities in which they invest, are aggressive growth, equity
objective. income, global, growth, index, international, large-cap, mid cap,
regional, sector, small cap, and socially responsible. There are also
bond funds that include high-yield, intermediate corporate,
intermediate U.S. government, long-term corporate, long-term U.S.
government, municipal, short-term corporate, short-term U.S.
government and world. Finally, other funds invest in a mix of
different stocks, bonds, and other investment securities that include
asset allocation funds, balanced funds, fund of funds, lifecycle, and
money-market funds. Today, many investment companies use a
family of funds concept, which allows shareholders to switch their
investments among funds as different funds offer more potential,
financial reward, or security.
Obj. 3 Evaluate mutual The responsibility for choosing the “right” mutual fund rests with
funds for investment you—the investor. One of the first questions you must answer is if
purposes. you want a managed fund or an index fund. Most mutual funds are
managed funds with a professional fund manager (or team of
managers) who chooses the securities that are contained in the
fund. An index fund invests in the securities that are contained in
an index like the Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index. Statistically,
the majority of managed mutual funds have failed to outperform
the Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index over a long period of time.
The information on the Internet, from professional advisory
services, in newspapers, in the prospectus and annual reports, and
in financial publications can all help you evaluate a mutual fund.
Obj. 4 Describe how and The advantages and disadvantages of mutual funds have made
why mutual funds are mutual funds the investment of choice for many investors. For
bought and sold. $250 to $2,500 or more, you can open an account and begin
investing. The shares of a closed-end fund or exchange-traded fund
are bought and sold on organized exchanges or the over-the-
counter market. The shares of an open-end fund may be purchased
through an account executive or salesperson who is authorized to
sell them, from a mutual fund supermarket, or from the investment
company that sponsors the fund. The shares in an open-end fund
can be sold to the investment company that sponsors the fund.
Shareholders in mutual funds can receive a return in one of three
ways: income dividends, capital gain distributions when the fund
buys and sells securities in the fund’s portfolio at a profit, and
capital gains when the shareholder sells shares in the mutual fund
at a higher price than the price paid. Unless your mutual fund
account is part of an individual retirement account or 401k
retirement account, income dividends, capital gain distributions,
and capital gains are subject to taxation. A number of purchase and
withdrawal options are available.
16-2
Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES
• Ask students to comment on the My Personal Finance feature: “Why Mutual Funds” for this chapter
(p. 535).
• Point out the learning objectives (p. 535) in an effort to highlight the key points in the chapter.
• Ask students to express opinions they may have about investing in mutual funds.
• Discuss how different investment objectives can be achieved with various types of mutual funds.
• Ask if investors need to evaluate mutual funds since they are professionally managed.
CHAPTER 16 OUTLINE
16-3
Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
• According to the Mutual Fund Education Alliance • Use PPT slides 16-1 and 16.2.
(http://www.mfea.com) a mutual fund pools the
money of many investors—its shareholders—to invest
• Discussion Question: Why
in a variety of securities. would an investor choose
mutual funds for investment
• Mutual funds are an excellent choice for many purposes?
individuals.
• Current Example: Professional
• In many cases, they can also be used for retirement fund managers base their
accounts, including traditional individual retirement investment decisions on market
accounts, Roth IRAs, 401(k) and 403(b) retirement conditions, interest rates,
inflation, individual companies,
accounts. business periodicals,
government reports, and
• When part of a retirement account at work, many conversations with business
employers will match the employee’s contribution. executives.
• A common match might work like this: For every
$1.00 the employee invests, the employer contributes
an additional $0.50.
• All monies—both the employee’s and employer’s
contributions –are often invested in mutual funds that
are selected by the employee.
16-4
Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
16-5
Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
.
• Investors are free to buy and sell shares in an open- • Use PPT slide 16-9.
end fund at the net asset value. The net asset value
(NAV) per share is equal to the current market value • Text Highlight: You may want
to review the net asset value
of the mutual fund’s portfolio minus the mutual fund’s calculation in the example on
liabilities divided by the number of shares page 539.
outstanding.
• For most mutual funds, the net asset value is
calculated at the close of trading each day and • The How To . . . Open an
Investment Account and Begin
investors’ requests to buy or sell shares are filled at Investing in Funds feature on
the end of the trading day. page 540 provides 7 specific
• Load Funds and No-Load Funds. The investor steps to help your students begin
should compare the cost of investing in a mutual fund investing in funds.
with the cost of other investment alternatives.
• With regard to cost, mutual funds are classified as • Use PPT slide 16-10.
1. Load funds.
2. No-load funds. • Discussion Question: What is
the difference between a load
• The commission charge for load funds may be as high and no-load mutual fund?
as 8 ½ percent of the purchase price.
• Text Highlight: You may want
• While many exceptions exist, the average load charge to discuss the example for a
for mutual funds is between 3 and 5 percent. sales load calculation at this
• No-load funds don’t charge commissions when you point in your lecture—see page
buy shares because they have no salespeople. The 541.
chief reason why no-load funds may be a better choice • Text Highlight: A fee table for
is because these funds have lower fees because you the Davis New York Venture
don’t pay sales fees and commissions to salespeople Mutual Fund is illustrated in
Exhibit 16-2—see page 544.
to in order to purchase no-load funds.
• Since no-load funds offer the same investment
opportunities that load funds offer, you should
investigate them further before deciding which type of
mutual fund is best for you.
•
• Some mutual funds charge a contingent deferred Use PPT slide 16-11.
sales load of 1 to 5 percent that shareholders pay • Text Highlight: You may want
when they withdraw their investment from a mutual to discuss the example for
calculating the contingent
fund. These fees depend on how long the investor deferred sales load on page 542.
owns the fund. Generally, the deferred charge
declines until there is no withdrawal charge if you
own the shares in the fund for more than 5 to 7 years. • Current Example: The first
• Management Fees and Other Charges. Mutual money market fund was
introduced in 1972. It took
funds charge a management fee that ranges from 0.25
several months for the new fund
to 1.5 percent per year. While management fees vary, to become popular, but soon
the average is 0.50 percent to 1 percent of the fund’s millions of investors were
assets. flocking to it. Today, there are
• The investment company may also levy a 12b-1 fee to almost 800 money-market
funds.
defray the costs of advertising and marketing a mutual
16-6
Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
How to Read the Mutual Funds Section in the • Use Transparency Master
Newspaper (p. 552) 16-2.
• Use PPT slide 16-26.
• Most large metropolitan newspapers, The Wall Street
Journal, and Barron’s provide information about
mutual funds. • Text Highlight: You may want
• The name of a fund, net asset value, change in net to discuss the material on how to
asset value and year-to-date return are reported in read newspaper quotations for
mutual funds (Exhibit 16-7) at
tables like that shown in Exhibit 16-7. this point in your lecture (page
• The letters beside the name of a specific fund can be 554).
very informative. You can find out what they mean by
looking at the footnotes that accompany the
newspaper’s mutual fund quotations. Generally,
1. “p” means that a 12b-1 distribution fee is
charged.
2. “r” means that a redemption charge may be made.
3. “t” means that both the p and r footnotes apply.
4. “s” means the fund has had a stock split or paid a
dividend.
Mutual Fund Prospectus (p. 552)
• An investment company sponsoring a mutual fund
must give potential investors a prospectus. • Use PPT slide 16-27.
• The prospectus should provide the answers to a • Discussion Question: What
number of questions—see text page 554. type of information do a fund
16-9
Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
16-10
Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
Taxes and Mutual Funds (p. 558) • Use PPT slide 16-32.
Income dividends, capital gains distributions, and
financial gains and losses from the transactions of closed-
end, exchange-traded, or open-end funds are subject to
taxation.
• When you pay taxes depends on the type of account
you own. For example, taxes can be postponed until
you begin making withdrawals if the shares are part of
a 401(k) retirement account or individual retirement
account.
• On the other hand, if your shares are part of a taxable
account, you pay taxes each year.
• For taxable accounts, investment companies are
required to send each shareholder a statement
specifying how much he or she received in dividends
and capital gain distributions at the end of each year.
• Reminder: Be sure you understand the difference
between capital gains distributions and capital gains.
• Caution: Even if you reinvest income dividends and
capital gain distributions in a taxable account, they are
still taxable and must be reported on your federal tax
return.
• Because income dividends and capital gain
distributions are taxable, one factor to consider when
choosing a mutual fund is its turnover. For a mutual
fund, the turnover ratio measures the percentage of a
fund’s holdings that have been changed or “been
replaced” during a 12-month period of time.
• Caution: Unless you are using the fund in a
retirement account, a fund with a high turnover ratio
can result in higher income tax bills.
• Be sure to keep accurate records for tax purposes.
Purchase Options (p. 559)
• The shares of a closed-end or exchange-traded funds
are traded on various securities exchanges or in the • Use PPT slide 16-33.
over-the-counter market.
• The shares of an open-end fund may be purchased
through an account executive or salesperson who is
authorized to sell them, or directly from the
investment company that sponsors the fund.
16-11
Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
• All four purchase options (regular accounts, voluntary • Discussion Question: Which
savings plans, contractual savings plans, and purchase option would you
choose to purchases shares in an
reinvestment plans) allow investors to buy shares over open-end fund?
a long period of time. As a result, they can use the • Caution: Many investors and
principle of dollar cost averaging. government regulatory agencies
are critical of contractual
savings plans because of
penalties that the fund imposes
on investors who do not fulfill
the contractual requirements.
CONCLUDING ACTIVITIES
• Point out the My Life Stages for Investing feature, chapter summary, and key terms (p. 562).
• Discuss selected end-of-chapter key formulas, self-test problems, financial planning problems,
financial planning activities, financial planning case, and continuing case.
• Use the Chapter Quiz in the Instructor’s Manual.
• Refer students to the activities on the student Web site.
16-12
Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
CHAPTER 16 QUIZ
TRUE-FALSE
_____1. The major reasons why investors purchase mutual funds are professional management and
diversification.
_____2. Shares in a closed-end mutual fund are issued by the investment company only when the
fund is organized.
_____3. Typically, the management fee for a mutual fund ranges between 3 and 5 percent of the
total dollar amount invested.
_____4. A family of funds exists when one investment company manages a group of mutual funds.
_____5. Generally, there are a number of purchase options and withdrawal options for investors
that purchase mutual funds.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
_____6. A mutual fund in which new shares are issued and redeemed by the investment company
at the request of investors is called a(n) ____________ fund.
a. closed end
b. open-end
c. load
d. no-load
_____7. Some mutual funds charge 12b-1 fees to defray the cost of
a. management of the fund.
b. recordkeeping for securities in the fund’s portfolio.
16-13
Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
_____8. An investor who wants a tax-free investment would choose a(n) ____________ fund.
a. balanced
b. income
c. sector
d. municipal bond
_____9. A document that prospective mutual fund investors receive is called a(n)
a. SEC report.
b. load fund report.
c. index fund report.
d. prospectus.
_____10. Payments made to a fund’s shareholders that result from the sales of securities in the
fund’s portfolio are called
a. income dividends.
b. capital gain distributions.
c. tax-free income.
d. none of the above.
SUPPLEMENTARY LECTURE
This lecture should help students understand the importance of reading the fine print in a contractual
savings plan agreement that may be used in connection with mutual fund investments.
Introduction
On June 14, 2008, Mike Dobson signed an agreement to buy shares in XYZ mutual fund. As part of the
contract, Mike agreed to make monthly purchases in the amount of $200 for the next 10 years. The sales
representative for XYZ told Mike that the company insisted on the contractual savings plan arrangement
because it helped individual investors “discipline” themselves to make regular purchases.
16-14
Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
The Problem
After three years, Mike got tired of making $200 monthly installments. Besides, his total three-year
investment in the mutual fund—over $7,000—had a current market value of less than the total of his
contributions. He contacted the salesperson who had signed him up and told him that he wanted to
withdraw his money.
The salesperson told him that he could “cash in” his investment, but that a large portion of his monthly
investments had gone to pay the up-front commissions. If he were to cash in his investment now, he
would receive only about $4,000. Finally, the salesperson told him that he should stick it out and continue
to make monthly purchases.
At this point, you may want to ask students the following questions.
1. What would you do if you were Mike Dobson?
2. Does it seem fair that most of the commissions are charged in the first three years?
Final Note
Many financial planners and government regulatory agencies are critical of contractual savings plans. As
a result, the Securities and Exchange Commission and many states have imposed new rules on investment
companies offering contractual savings plans.
CONCEPT QUESTIONS
16-15
Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
3. What are the typical sales fees charged for a load and no-load mutual fund?
Fees for a load fund may be as high as 8 ½ percent. While many exceptions exist, the average load
charge for mutual funds is between 3 and 5 percent. A no-load fund is a mutual fund in which no
sales charge is paid by the individual investor. (p. 541)
4. What is the difference among Class A, B, and C shares?
With Class A shares, investors pay a commission when they purchase shares. With Class B shares,
investors pay a commission when they sell shares during the first five to seven years. With Class C
shares, investors pay no commission to buy or sell shares, but pay higher ongoing 12b-1 fees. (p. 543)
5. What are the typical management fees, 12b-1 fees, and expense ratios?
While fees vary considerably, the typical annual management fee for a mutual fund is calculated on
the value of a fund’s total assets and ranges between 0.50 and 1 percent per year. A 12b-1 fee is used
to defer the costs of distribution and marketing a mutual fund. Typical annual 12b-1 fees cannot
exceed 1 percent of the fund’s assets.
Together, all the different management fees, 12b-1 fees, if any, and any additional fund operating
costs are referred to as an expense ratio. As a guideline, many financial experts recommend that you
choose a fund with an expense ratio of 1 percent or less. (pp. 542-543)
Action Application: Use the Internet or library sources to identify a mutual fund that you believe could
help you obtain your investment goals. Then answer the following questions.
1. What is the name of the fund?
2. Is there a sales load? If so, how much is the charge?
3. What is the fund’s management fee?
4. What is the fund’s expense ratio?
While student answers may vary, you may want to use this question to reinforce the topics in this first
section of Chapter 16 and also introduce the topic of Evaluation of Mutual Funds.
Concept Check 16-2 (p. 548)
1. How important is the investment objective as stated in the fund’s prospectus?
The managers of mutual funds tailor their investment portfolios to the investment objectives of their
customers. As such, investors must make sure that their objectives and a prospective mutual fund’s
objectives match. (p. 545)
2. Why do you think fund managers offer so many different kinds of funds?
Fund managers know that investors have different objectives, and therefore, offer funds to match
those objectives. (p. 545)
3. What is a family of funds? How is it related to shareholder exchanges?
16-16
Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
A family of funds exists when one investment company manages a group of mutual funds. Each fund
within the family has a different financial objective. Generally, investors may give instructions to
switch from one fund to another within the same family. (p. 547)
Action Application: Use the Internet or library sources to identify one mutual fund in each of the three
categories (stocks, bonds, and other). Describe the characteristics of the fund you select and the type of
investor who would invest in that type of fund.
General Type
Name of Fund Characteristics of Fund Typical Investor
of Fund
Stock
Bond
Other
Depending on the fund chosen and the source of information, student answers will vary.
16-17
Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
The Internet can provide investors with current market values, information about the fund provided
by the investment company sponsoring the fund, and by professional advisory services. Professional
advisory services provide investors with the most detailed information about mutual funds.
Newspapers provide current information about a mutual fund’s net asset value, change in net asset
value, and year-to-date returns. The prospectus contains a summary of the fund and information
about fees, past financial performance, and the fund’s management. The annual report contains
detailed financial information on the fund’s assets and liabilities, statement of operations, and
statement of changes in net asset value. The annual report also contains a schedule of investments and
a letter from the fund’s independent auditors. Financial publications provide investors with another
detailed source of information about mutual funds. (pp. 550-556)
Action Application. Use the Internet or library sources to report the type of fund, year-to-date (YTD)
return, net asset value, and Morningstar rating for the following mutual funds listed in the middle of page
556. Then explain if you think any of the funds could help you obtain your investment goals.
Fund Net Asset Morningstar
Fund Type of Fund YTD Return
Symbol Value Rating
Calvert Long
CLDAX
Term Income
Depending on the source used, student answers will vary. You may want to use this action application to
reinforce the need for evaluating mutual funds. You may also want to reinforce the need for matching a
fund’s objective with the investor’s personal objectives.
16-18
Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
4. What options can be used to purchase shares in an open-end mutual fund from an investment
company?
The shares of an open-end fund may be purchased through a salesperson who is authorized to sell
them, through an account executive, through a mutual fund supermarket, or directly from the
investment company. To purchase shares from an investment company, investors may also use these
options: regular account transactions, voluntary savings plans, contractual savings plans, and
reinvestment plans. (pp. 559-560)
5. What options can be used to withdraw money from an open-end mutual fund?
Shares in an open-end fund can be sold on any business day to the investment company that sponsors
the fund. Investors may also use these options to withdraw funds: (1) withdraw a specified, fixed
dollar amount each investment period; (2) liquidate a certain number of shares each investment
period; (3) withdraw a fixed percentage of asset growth; and (4) withdraw all asset growth that results
from income, dividends, and capital gains earned by the fund during an investment period. (p. 561)
Action Application. Use the Internet to obtain a prospectus for a specific mutual fund that you believe
would be a quality long-term investment. Then describe the purchase and withdrawal options described in
the fund’s prospectus.
Answers will depend on the mutual fund that students research on the Internet.
16-19
Chapter 16 - Investing in Mutual Funds
2. Calculating Net Asset Value. Given the information below, calculate the net asset value for the New
Empire small-cap mutual fund.
Total assets $380,000,000
Total liabilities 15,000,000
Total number of shares 20,000,000
The net asset value per share is equal to the current market value of the mutual fund’s portfolio minus
the mutual fund’s liabilities divided by the number of shares outstanding. For the above information,
the net asset value is $18.25 as calculated below.
$380,000,000 − $15,000,000
Net asset value =
20,000,000
Net asset value = $18.25 per share
Learning Objective: 1
Topic: Why Investors Purchase Mutual Funds
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Bloom’s Tag: Application
3. Calculating Sales Fees. Jan Throng invested $22,000 in the Invesco Charter Mutual Fund. The fund
Ms. Throng must pay $1,210 for commissions as illustrated below.
$1,210 Commission = $22,000 0.055
Learning Objective: 1
Topic: Why Investors Purchase Mutual Funds
Level of Difficulty: Medium
Bloom’s Tag: Application
4. Calculating Sales Fees. Bill Matthew’s invested $7,700 in the John Hancock Government Income
fund. The fund charges 4.5 percent commission when shares are purchased. Calculate the amount of
commission Bill must pay.
Mr. Matthew’s must pay $346.50 for commissions as illustrated below.
$346.50 Commission = $7,700 0.045
Learning Objective: 1
Topic: Why Investors Purchase Mutual Funds
Level of Difficulty: Medium
Bloom’s Tag: Application
16-20
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then over seventy years old and very frail, to brave a blizzard, even
for the purpose of administering a Presidential oath. However, he
decided to wait until the weather had given its ultimate indication
before changing the programme. He said afterward that as he drove
to the Capitol there were many brave citizens in the streets who gave
voice to as hearty cheers as could possibly be expected under the
circumstances.
I was being taken care of by Captain Archibald Butt, so I had
nothing except the weather to worry about. With a last hopeless look
out of doors I proceeded to don my Inauguration finery, feeling duly
thankful that it was not too springlike in its character. The
newspapers say I wore a purple satin suit, and a small hat trimmed
with gold lace and a high white aigrette. This is as good a description
as any, though it might have been more flattering, considering the
importance I attached to the subject. I remember the hat perfectly.
The aigrette was not quite as high as it started out to be. It had nearly
met an untimely end at a reception the day before where it collided
with a lighted gas-jet. Fortunately it was put out before it was greatly
damaged, but it had to be trimmed down some, and I imagined that
it exuded a faint odour of burning feathers.
At least two years before the election, when no one could
anticipate who would be the next President, President Roosevelt had
announced at a Cabinet meeting that he did not intend to ride back
to the White House with his successor. It was a precedent which he
did not like and which he desired to break. Mrs. Roosevelt went, with
her family and friends, directly from the White House to the station
to wait for her husband to join her after the Inauguration. It was
about half past eleven when Captain Butt and I started in a limousine
for the Capitol where we arrived to find the “scene set” for the
ceremonies in the Senate Chamber.
Our children were already in the gallery, waiting eagerly. It was an
event in their young lives never to be forgotten, and I believe that
Robert and Helen were in properly receptive moods. My son Charlie,
however, seems not to have been so confident. Charlie is a great lover
of adventure stories and it is a favourite tradition in the family now
that he carried with him to the Senate Chamber a copy of “Treasure
Island” with which to while away the time in case the Inaugural
address should prove too long. Charlie was only eleven years old and
I consider it a great tribute to his father’s eloquence that “Treasure
Island” was not opened that day.
This Inauguration was said to be, by persons who had seen many,
one of the most impressive ceremonies that ever opened the
administration of a President. The oath of office is usually
administered and the Inaugural address delivered from a large
platform erected in front of the Capitol before which ten thousand
people can assemble. But the ten thousand people are sure to have
been waiting in a massed crowd for an hour or more; they are always
tired and uncomfortable, so when they finally discover that few of
them can really hear anything, and that they have seen all there is to
be seen, they begin to move about and talk, the noise and agitation
greatly detracting from the impressiveness of the ceremony. Because
my husband’s Inauguration took place in the Senate Chamber it was
no less “in the sight of all the people.” There was room on the floor of
the Chamber for the whole official personnel of the Government of
the United States, resident in Washington. There were the retiring
President and his Cabinet, the Justices of the Supreme Court in their
robes of office, the Senate and the House of Representatives, besides
the foreign Ambassadors and the whole Diplomatic Corps in their
brilliant uniforms, while the galleries were crowded with official
families and a substantial number of unofficial auditors.
MR. AND MRS. TAFT RETURNING TO THE WHITE HOUSE
MR. TAFT’S INAUGURATION
It was a great presence; and the taking of the oath and the
delivering of the Inaugural address before assembled national
authority and the world’s representatives, in a solemn silence in
which every word could be heard, left a deep impression.
As soon as Mr. Taft had finished speaking Mr. Roosevelt walked
rapidly up, and giving his hand a mighty grasp, said something which
sounded like “Bully speech, old man!” and hurried out of the
Chamber accompanied by members of his Cabinet who were to see
him off at the station. My husband told me afterward that what he
really said was: “God bless you, old man. It is a great state
document.”
Since the ex-President was not going to ride back to the White
House with his successor, I decided that I would. No President’s wife
had ever done it before, but as long as precedents were being
disregarded I thought it might not be too great a risk for me to
disregard this one. Of course, there was objection. Some of the
Inaugural Committee expressed their disapproval, but I had my way
and in spite of protests took my place at my husband’s side.
By the time the Inauguration ceremonies were concluded the skies
had cleared and the sun had come out. Mr. Taft left the Senate
Chamber with the Committee, followed by the assembled dignitaries
in the order of precedence. With Captain Butt I hurried from the
gallery and joined him in the great hall under the Dome, on his way
to the platform on the North Side where the Inauguration would
have taken place but for the weather. In front of the temporary
structure many people had gathered, and as we descended to the
front they called for the new President. In response he stepped to the
platform where the Inaugural oath was to have been administered,
and bowed repeatedly.
A platoon of mounted Police and our escort, the Cleveland City
Troop, with their elaborate and beautiful uniforms somewhat
bedraggled by the morning’s sleet and mud, met us at the steps
leading down from the platform. We entered the official coach and
four and were slowly driven down through the Capitol grounds to
Pennsylvania Avenue, and thence to the White House. As I have said,
the clouds had rolled by; the day was cold but bright; the expected
and expectant crowds were thronging the sidewalks and filling the
stands, and our greeting from them was all that my fancy had
pictured it.
For me that drive was the proudest and happiest event of
Inauguration Day. Perhaps I had a little secret elation in thinking
that I was doing something which no woman had ever done before. I
forgot the anxieties of the preceding night; the consternation caused
by the fearful weather; and every trouble seemed swept aside. My
responsibilities had not yet begun to worry me, and I was able to
enjoy, almost to the full, the realisation that my husband was actually
President of the United States and that it was this fact which the
cheering crowds were acclaiming.
There was nobody at the White House to bid us welcome except
the official staff and some of our own guests. But it didn’t matter.
There is never any ceremony about moving into the White House.
You just drive up and walk in,—and there you are. The aides and
ushers who greeted us at the entrance, treated our occupation of our
new residence so much as a matter of course that I could not help but
feel something as Cinderella must have felt when her mice footmen
bowed her into her coach and four and behaved just as if they had
conducted her to a Court Ball every night of her life. I stood for a
moment over the great brass seal, bearing the national coat-of-arms,
which is sunk in the floor in the middle of the entrance hall. “The
Seal of the President of the United States,” I read around the border,
and now—that meant my husband!
But I could not linger long because my duties as a hostess began at
once. I was not unused to the accepted regulations of official life, so,
in spite of a slight feeling that the whole thing was unreal, I was not
embarrassed as I walked into the great dining-room and took my
place by the door to receive guests for the first time as mistress of the
White House.
I had left to the efficient management of Captain Archibald Butt as
many of the details of the day’s programme as was possible. Some
time before I had carefully gone over the plans with him, we had
provided for any reasonable emergency, and I knew my instructions
would be carried out. Captain Butt—later Major Butt—had been
military aide to President Roosevelt; we had known him well, both in
the Philippines and in Washington, and we were glad to have the
opportunity of continuing him in that capacity. Whatever Major Butt
did was done faultlessly—always. During the three years he was with
us—day in and day out, upon every possible occasion, in the closest
intimacy—I never ceased to wonder at his genius for work, his
comprehensive grasp of important matters and of small details, his
extraordinary accuracy. His very presence inspired the utmost
confidence. Archie Butt, as everybody called him, became our close
and dearly loved friend. Indeed, we felt that he belonged to us, and
nothing in all our experience ever touched us as deeply as the tragedy
of his death. Returning from a short vacation abroad, he went down
on the Titanic, facing death like a soldier, after the lives of nearly all
the women and children had been saved.
We had invited a large number of people to the usual Inaugural
luncheon. The cook and several of the staff of servants were to
accompany Mrs. Roosevelt to Oyster Bay, but they remained until
the afternoon of the Fourth when the staff I had engaged were
installed. There are a few old, official servants who remain in the
house from one administration to another, keeping in operation an
uninterrupted household routine, so there was no reason why the
Inaugural luncheon should not be carried through with the same
smoothness and despatch to be expected on ordinary occasions. But
again we reckoned without the weather. The difficulties of traffic,
added to the crush on the avenues, made it impossible for our guests
to arrive on time and they continued to straggle in throughout the
whole afternoon, each one wishing to apologise in person and make
special explanation. This, of course, made anything like systematic
reception out of the question and the result was that the luncheon
really ran into and became a part of the tea for my husband’s
classmates of Yale, which was scheduled for five o’clock. There was
some confusion, but much goodwill and frank enjoyment and the fact
that the President was not there to receive his classmates caused
nothing more than a few repetitions of, by that time, familiar
comments on the elements.
Mr. Taft was reviewing the Inaugural Parade and the last of it did
not pass the reviewing stand until after nightfall. He came in,
however, in time to exchange greetings with old-time, enthusiastic
friends, the members of the Yale class of ‘78, and to hold them longer
than they had intended to remain. When the last of them had wished
us Godspeed and said good-bye, we stood, the five of us,—my
husband, my three children and I,—alone in the big state dining-
room, and tried to realise that, for the first time, the White House
was really our Home. The great walnut-panelled room, with its
silvered chandeliers and big moose heads, seemed very empty with
only the Taft family in it, after all the clatter and chatter that had
been sounding there all day. We gazed at each other for a moment,
with slightly lost expressions on our faces, and then nature asserted
herself in the new President.
© Harris & Ewing.