Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-13
INAUG UR ALTON DATE
REVIVAL OF lHE MOVEMENT FOR
AIcHAnaE.
Appointed in 1902 to Meet
Soon and Formulate Report
to Congress-.

The national committee appointed in 1902
by the District Commissioners to secure
the change in the date Of the Inauguration
of the President of the United States Will
shortly resume fits efforts toward accom-
plishing the purpose for which it was APP
pointed, and it is hoped that by the next
meeting of Congress the committee Will
have something definite to present.
This national committee was appointed at
the request of the inaugural committee of
1901.
A resolution drawn by the late Senator
Hoar, chairman of the judiciary committee,
amending the Constitution SO to make
the inauguration day the last Thursday in
April and lengthen the term of the incom-
ing President to that extent, was supported
by the committee, passed unanimously by
the Senate, strongly supported by the
House, but never reported by the House
judiciary committee because a majority OF
the members could not agree upon 1t.
On the simple proposition for change Of
day, or at least that the question OF the
change Of day should be submitted for de-
cision to the people, by means of the pro-
posed amendment to the Constitution, the
national committee believed that a suffi-
Gent majority of the House would vote
favorably. But questions to change
in the beginning and ending of the sessions
OF Congress We're brought up in amend
WHICH prevented action on the IQdlu
question or the agreement of the majority
on any OF the amendments
The then chairman of the House judiciary
committee, Mr. Ray of New York. was hos
tile to the proposition and spoke of it at
one of the hearings given the national COM
mittee as based on "a trivial reason. and
that is simply to etsgood weather on inau-
guratlon day. The national committee
saw that Congress would not act in time
for the state legislatures to act before the
inauguration of 1903, and so it suspended
Its work until now.
Present Time Opportune.
Commissioner Macfarland, the chairman
Of the national committee which consists
or the governors of states and territories
and fifteen prominent residents of the Dis
trict, including men of international repu-
tatlon. believes that the time is ripe for
favorable consideration of the proposition
by Congress. He bases this opinion on
statements made to him by senators and
representatives. The popular opinion
throughout the country it is considered is
favorable ito the change as the strong let
tiers written by the forty-ive governors
VINO took places on the national committee
and the editorials of almost all the promi-
nent newspapers showed. The great argu-
ment is the danger to life and health in
the uncertain weather, which has been SO
deadly on some Inaugural ton days of the
beginning of March.
Chairman Macfarland, in answering
Chairman Ray, at the judiciary committee
hearing, said: The reason is not trivial,
but very important Congress" he said,
lis now considering a-bill for the better
protection of the, life of the President. 1t
would seem just -as important that he
should be protected from a fatal disease,
thrust upon him by the weather, on his in
tected from the assassin. And the Presi-
dent is only one of scores of public men
to be considered. besides the thousands of
private citizens who are entitled to equal
consideration.
Senator Bate is only the latest of very
long list of men and women killed by the
present inauguration day, even when it's
weather is as favorable as that of the re-
cent 4th of March. The argument of the
national committee was made in the inter-
est of the whole people, as represented by
their governors, rather than in the interest
of the District Of Columbia although it's
residents, lit Is considered, have az right to
protection from fatal weather. 1t was adj
mltted, of course, that II the Inauguration
day was transferred to the last week in
April 1t would greatly Increase and prob
ably double the number of visitors to
Washington, but the committee disclaimed
any intention to rest the case on that.
Early Committee Meeting.
Commissioner Mcfarland stated today
that within a month he will ask the COM
mittee to meet and plan for the work to be
done for the meeting of Congress. Its pres
ent membership Is Henry B. F. Macfar-
land. chairman: James L. Norris, secre-
tary; Admiral George Dewey, Gen. Nelson
A. Miles. Justice John M. Harlan, ex-Sec-
rotary John w. Foster, Charles J. Bell,
Charles c. Glover, Theodore w. Moves.
Frank A. Munsey, Beriah Wilkins, John
Joy Edson S. W. Woodward. Gen. H. v.
Boynton, Thomas w. Smith and the gov
ernors of Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado,
Connecticut, Delaware. Florida, Georgia.
Idaho Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas. Lou
isiana. Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri,
Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hamp-
shire, New Jersey New York, North Caro-
lima. North Dakota Ohio, Oregon, Penn
sylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina,
South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia,
| Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin,
| Arizona Alaska, New Mexico, as they were
| at the time of the appointment of the COM
| mittee. Some of them have successors who
| will take their places on the committee in
asmuch as the appointments were made as
| governors and not personally. Moreover.
| additions will probably be made to the resi-
| dent list.
Chairman mcfarland said today that
| Gen. John NJ. Wilson, chairman of the in
augural committee, will certainly be added,
| as all the chairmen of former inaugural