The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-17
AGREED TO BY THE HOUSE.
The Inaugural Resolution Adopted
After Some Debate

joint resolution providing for the pay
ment Of expenses OF the Inauguration of
the President and Vice President OF the
United States, on March 4. 1901, under a
programme to be arranged by joint COM
mittee OF the two houses Of Congress.
three members OF the committee repre-
senting the Senate and an equal number
the House. was passed by the House of
Representatives a few minutes before ad-
journment yesterday.
Mr.. Bingham reported the resolution
from the Committee on Appropriations, to
which it was recommitted on Tuesday, and
as reported it provided only for the pay
ment Of expenses of the Inauguration of
the President under a programme to be
prepared by joint committee. This was
in obedience to the instructions of the
House adopted at the moment OF the adop-
tion OF the motion OF recommittal Mr.
Bingham stated that 1t was the unanimous
opinion of the committee that the Joint
resolution should include provision for the
Inauguration of the Vice President. and he
moved an amendment to this effect
Mr.. Hepburn did not approve of the
II thought the gentleman was instrucs-
ed to report proposition directly oppo-
site to that which he now proposes. The
gentleman's position seems to me to be
somewhat singular. He was instructed by
this House to make a particular report.
That was by almost unanimous vote.
He now makes the report and now pro-
poses to modify the report and go back
to the original proposition substantially.
'.In my judgment the matters are en-
tirely distinct. The one pertains to the
presiding officer of the Senate. 1t has the
same relation to the inauguration of the
President of the United States that the
Induction of our honored Speaker has to
that event The President of the United
States has no participation whatever,
necessarily. in that function. and his In
auguration would be as complete any
where else. Three times. l remind you.
a President of the United States has been
inducted into office. clothed with all of his
functions and powers, when the Senate OF
the United States was not in session. and
when there was not any attempt to secure
its cooperation.
Their presence is absolutely unneces-
sary, as completely SO as would be the
presence of the House. Now, they pro-
pose that we participate in the inaugura-
tion of the Vice President, their presid-
ing officer, and in the inauguration of
the President. I care nothing about the
Inauguration of the Vice President, any
moro than Senator would care about
the Inauguration of the Speaker of the
House. / am interested, and we all are,
in the inauguration of the President. an
event that takes place in an entirely
different place at a different time, under
entirely different circumstances, and that
has no reia.iaG whatever to the inau
guraticn of the Vice President. We are
interested in the former, we are not in
the latter.
I'VE are invited. it is true. but treat
ed with contempt and indignity; and my
refusal to further participate is because
of the contempt that has been shown this
House time and again.
I'VE are invited there and find no pro-
vision for US. Time and again members
Of the House have gone there. 200 and 600
strong, and found that fifty or sixty could
be seated hundred CT more could be
permitted to stand up in the corners Of
the chamber. and the balance of them wait
in the corridors until the Vice President
was lnaugurated and it was time to begin
the ceremonies of the Inauguration OF the
President"
The discussion was participated in by
Messrs. DalZell. Hemenway, Richardson of
Tennessee. and McRae. The amendment
proposed by Mr.. Bingham were adopted
and the resolution, as amended agreed to-