New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-05

| in energy and htfulncSS lhe sun trled nara to-
ward o'clock pierce the mist and gloom, but
| with little success
OUTDOOR EXERCISES DISMAL F@ILURE.
For all purposes of enjoyment, except to those
who had been fortunate enough to secure seats
in windows fronting upon Pcnnsylvaria-avc., tie
outdoor exercises of the day proved dismal
failure At a distance these references to the
weather on Inauguration day may seen, trivial.
Not here. AS matter of fact, the weather
in all pagcantS forms so important an eiement
of success that recognizing this. many attempts
have been made in Congress to change the date
of Inauguration from March to April 80, the
day on which Washington took for the first time
the oath of o,ice. But they have all failed. Not
because tho proposition is without merit, but
because of the aversion of Congress to deal with
questions which can have only remote bearing.
This is especially true of the House. If 1t were
10 meet tomorrow there is little doubt as to what
the vote would be- on proposition to change the
date But by December next the suferings of
to-day will nave have been forgotten. One
President already has fallen victim of tho
weather and the apparent inability of Congress
to view the matter with a little common sense.
| Will it require a second to induce it to act D.?
All Presidents since Andrew Jackson's time,
front of the Capitol, have been sngularly aversc
to depart from this custom by having the entire
ceremony take place inside the Senate Chamber.
| The violent rain storm which swept Washington
| four wears ago when President Harrison was
| inauguratcd may not have dampened the ardor
and enthusiasm Of his friends. hut it certainly
sent many of them home with colds and other
bodily ailmcnts-an awkward reminder of the PEN
atty paid by their devotion. IL was gracious
and thoughtful act, therefore, on the part OF
President Harrison, that he should have resisted
the entreaties Of those, who, recoecting the un-
| timely end of his grandfather, begged him not
to expose himself to the inclemency OF the weather
He WAS unwilling, he said, to dissappoint the
thousands who, in drenching rain, had waited
for hours at the foot of the Capitol steps.
President Grant was equally considerate. On
| the day of his second Inauguration the tempera-
,urc ranged from four to sixteen degrees above
zero. and storm struck the Capitol which attained
a velocity of twenty-oight miles an hour. But,
like Harrison, he was unwilling to disappont the
| cypcctant throngs. and for more than two hours
ne remained on the historic platform in front Of
the Capitol: and. when Garfield was inaugurated,
snow like to-day, covered the ground. and the
mir was raw and damp. The day OF Hayes's IN
auguration was ushered in by rain. Lincoln
Jared little better, and Cleoelands first Inaugural
ton was an exception
TIE NEED OF CHANGING THE DAY.
The duty OF Congress to act seems plain, or
else il will become necessary to change the CHAR
octer of the exercises by restricting them to the
Senate Chamber But who will be the first
President to decree that change?
II cannot be said that the ceremonies to-day
differed barring the weather. in any material
point from those which have preceded. The
cxcrcises in the Senate are conducted on rules
sanctioned by tradition, and followed with naive