Evening star., 1901-11-25
THE PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION.
"A Change in the Inauguration Date q
Pressing Public Necessity,

From the New York Times
some restless and energetic critics in
Washington have discovered that the pres
idential succession law. which since Presi-
dent Mckinley's tragic death has been the
ooyecl OF much careful scrutiny, contains
certain flaws which it will be the duty of
congress at It's next session TO repair Ac-
cording to these critics, the most serious
deIect IN the succession act is it's failure
10 denne exactly the conditions under which
the power of the ad interim President ends
and the tenure Of his successor chosen by
special election, begins. Thus IL is argued
1nat II under the holdover authority of a
secretary OF state an election for President
We're held in November, and the result OF
the vote in the electoral college were de-
cIared, as usual on the second Wednesday
N feDruary' some doubt would still exist
as 10 the exact moment when the new Pres
ldent would qualify. The critics of the law
are disposed to assert that the new Prest-
cent title would date not from the day In
eDruary on which the votes We're counted
In the presence of the two houses of Com
gresS. but from the 4th of March following
1et, as they point out, the succession ACT
"hlle terminating the acting Presidents
power with the actual election of his sIic-
cessor, makes no provision for a Attn of
March inauguration and leaves an interreg-
mum OF about three weeks in which the
functions Of the presidency are virtually
suspended. Congress the critics of the law
contend. Will have to amend its work by
making the acting Presidents lease of DOW
y emu not on the election, but on the Qudli-
hcatiOn of successor.
We cannot. however quite admit the va
hdity of this ingenious attack on the pres
ent system of presidential succession The
defect IN the law of which complaint is
made IS in fact more imaginary than SUBJ
stantiaL No analogy can be maintained
between the election and installation of a
president chosen under the succession act
and the election and installation of a Pres
ldent chosen under ordinary conditions In
the latter case a 4th of March inaugura tion
Is necessary, because there Is an occupant
OF the White House whose legal term does
not and cannot expire until noon of March
a. But there can be no bar to the uualifi-
cation OF President chosen by special cleo
lion at any moment after his title has been
geclared valid through the acquiescence of
<ne two houses of Congress. His accession
would shorten no fixed term and invade 70
rights which could possibly be claimed by
the cabinet officer acting as an ad Interim
substitute.
We can therefore see no urgent need for
such a modification of the succession act
as lis critics are now demanding. IL Con-
sress feels inclined this winter to make
any changes in our present electoral sys-
tenn IL viii meet a far more pressing pub-
lie want by shifting the date Of the inaugu-
raj ceremony from March to April 20
thus lengthening the present shorter ses-
sion of Congress by eight full weeks and
insuring a presidential installation under
genial skies and amid surroundings more
conducive TO the splendor and dignity of
the celebration with which we mark the
transfer of power from one chief magis-
trate to another. Such a change is demand
ed by both reason and sentiment, and any
agitation in or out of Congress for reforms
In our electoral methods is to be welcomed
forcing the desirability of this revision
of our political calendar more and more
into view.