The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-03-19
CHANGING INAUGURATION DAY.

| The Grain bill, it would seem, will pass
! both branches OF our national Legislature
at Washington, go to the president, be
duly signed, and as mile-post mark a
certain stage in the progress Of our
country,
The Grain bill, aforesaid, is nothing
more or less than bill to change the day
1 OF Inauguration of our presidents from
March to April 50 This idea originated
with Mr.. Hoar IN the senate and was after
ward adopted by Mr.. Grain. This change
| is urged principally for climatic
and sanitary reasons, the chances OF
propitious and endurable outdoor weather
! being much greater on the Both of April
| than or the ith of March.
! No great detriment can come from this
/ bill, per Sc, and as an index finger pointing
lsyith precision TO our endurance as ma
| ton, it is as valuable as any Syballine
| prophecy.
| Its import is, strictly, that our presiden-
tial iuaugurations are 10 become more
splendid and more popular, for the selec-
ton of a date less liable to elemental dis
| turb gnces could mean nothing less. Every
succeeding year the inaugural ceremony
has rivaled the preceding one in
| regal splendor and homage from
vast and swelling mult1tudes. It has been
made gala day. No newly made mon
arch of the old world bows his head to
such tumultuous cheers as greet presi-
dent of the United States ut his inaugural.
While it might be argued with some show
of reason that these gorgeous displays are
too close patterns Of servile peasantry IN
monarchial forms of government, the
very fact, on the other hand, that it is Il
demonstration of loyalty to the head Of the
country outweighs any such cavil And
loyalty in this country is not the submits
sion to divine right OF birth that charac-
terizes the people of kingdoms, but rather
takes on the form of brotherly con-
graduation Of lucky member of the gen
eral family
To such as believe that the country
would be better served with an unostenta-
tious Inauguration, there is always the
pleasing picture for the imagination to
summon. OF rugged Cincinnatus fresh
from the fields and for whom no change
of date from March to April would be nee
essary, but whose sinewy limbs and
bronze neck could brave all inclemency and
demonstrate Ruskin's saying that there is
no such thing as bad weather, but only
different varieties of delightful.
All of which is idealic and pretty enough
but largely fictional.
The inaugural has become part of our
system of government. Voltaire said
England mad a revolution every six years.
The United States has one every four
years. Our people are divided into two or
more determined factions; campaign of
sharp contest is waged and the country
gets into most unsettled condition. The
inaugural comes as a restorative. The
factions, victorious and defeated, unite in
doing homage to a common president. The
man who has been chosen chief by the
majority has the respect of the whole.
The inaugural marks the time of delivery
of this feeling of regard, with, of course,
the exception of few deluded souls, who
lose sight of their patriotism in their par
tisan intensity.
On the whole a movement to increase
the festivities of the inauguration cere-
mony is highly laudable and salutary to
our government.