The morning times., 1897-03-01

| bate and without objection, not only in
The Forty-ninth but in the FifNeth Senate,
but no action was taken upon it in the
House. on the 21St Of February, 1888,
MI. Culberson, of Texas, called up the
resolution, which had been reported ia
vorably from the Committee on Foreign
Affairs, and attempted to pass it under
suspension of the rules, but it failed to
get the two-thirds vote necessary. On
the Sd of Apnl, 1883, Mr.. Crane of Texas,
renewed the effort, which again failed
The resolution was opposed by Mr.. Reed
OF Maine, who made sa rca site speech; by
Mr.. Kerr OF Iowa, who referred to the gen
orally accepted fiction that Jefferson rode
to the Capitol on horseback and tied his
bride TO tree while he went in and took
the oath of office
Il do not think ii adds to the respect
for the government to have ostentatious
displays at the Inauguration of the Pres-
dent he said. Il do not think it would
hurt the country if the inauguration were
made TO take place on such a cold day as
would put displays out of the question"
Senator Burrows made a somewhat hu-
morous speech, in which he remarked that
he had yet to hear Of a President-el elect
of March.
change of date for the ina ugur alton of
the President from the 4uh OF March to the
30th of April would accomplish four things.
1t would insure better weather which is
very important. 1t would restore the in
auguration to the original day intended
1t would enable Congress to devote two
additional months to the business required
of the short session. 1t would enable Con
gress TO be in session while the President
is inausurated. AS it now stands the law
requires Congress TO assemble on the first
Monday in December of each year The
first session ma Y be extended Indefinitely
The second session must terminate on the
4th of March following, giving an average
OF three months for business which was
formerly sufficient. But the requirements
of the appropriation bills have become
so great of late years thatvery little other
business is ever transacted, and the add
ton OF two months would be great
advantage.
While the term Of office prescribed by
the Constitution both for the President and
members of Congress can neither be length
ened nor curtailed, without a constitu-
tiOnal amendment, the dates for the meet
ing ana the adjournment of Congress, and
for the Inauguration of the President may
be fixed and changed by law. A con-
stitutional amendments is not necessary.
There are many good reasons why Con
gress should be in session when the Presi-
dent is inaugurated. 1t is an anomalous
condition in our system OF government that
the legislative branch of the government
should dissolve the very moment that Il
new executive takes the oath OF office, and
under ordinary circumstances, unless he
shall call a special session, it is nine months
before he can submit message to the CO.
ordinate body ana make such suggestions
as he desires for legislation. Another
curious anomaly is that the legislative
branch does not meet until thirteen mon tbs
after ii is elected This is the only coun-
try in the universe where such a condition
prevails. IN England, France, Germany
and other countries the parliaments meet
at once TO settle the issues upon which
they are elected. Here, unless the Presi-
dent calls them together for a special ses-
sion, the issues are often dead before Con
gress is enabled to consider them.