Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-01
IhAUGURAT|ON'S DATE
Many Unsuccessful Efforts to
Effect a Change.
THE ORIGINAL CHOICE
HOW MARCH 4 CAME TO BE Sc
LECTED.
Attempts to Lengthen the Sessions Of
ss-Disadvantage of the
Existing Practice.
THE ORIGINAL CHOICE
BY VIM. E. CURTIS.

BY VIM. E. CURTIS
| Written for The Evening Star and the Chicago
/ Record-Herald
The selection of the 4th of March for the
Inauguration of the President of the United
States was accidental The 30th of April
was the day originally chosen and Robert
C. Winthrop In his famous Grafton upon
the life and character of George Washing
ton, in allusion to that subject, said: Most
happy would it be If the 30th of April. on
which the first inauguration of Washington
| took place in 1882 could henceforth be the
| date of future inaugurations, as 1t might be
| by a slight amendment to the Constitution.
| giving as 1t would much-needed extension
| to the short session of Congress, and let
| ting the second century of our constitu-
| tionaI history begin where the first century
| practically began"
| The first paragraph of the second section
| of the first article of the Constitution pro-
| vides that the House of Representatives
| shall be composed of members chosen every
second year by the people OF the several
| states. This necessarily implies that the
| term is for two years. When this question
| was pending in the constitutional conven-
| ton Mr. Ellsworth moved that members
| of the lower house be elected for one year
| Mr.. Rutiedge proposed two years, Mr. Jeni-
/ fer three years. Mr.. Madison IN seconoins
| the motion for three years, made strong
| argument on the text that instability was
| one of the great errors of government, anu
| time has proved the truth of his words He
| declared that three years would be aoso-
lutely necessary for a member of the House
| to form proper knowledge or ms duties
and the interests of the state he repre-
scented.
Mr. Gerry. in reply. pleaded for annual
| elections las the only defense OF people
| against tyranny" He said that triennial
| elections would be the prelude to usurpa-
/ tion and he was as much against tri-
| ennial House as against hereditary execu-
| tive -. 49,,
| wears several states voted yes, three no and
| one state was divided. Two years was tnen
| inserted by unanimous vote OF the con-
| vention and on Saturday. September Io'
| 1855 the Congress of the confederation
| passed the following resolutions:
| "Resolved. That the first Wednesday In
/ January next be the day for appointing
| electors in the several states, which. before
| the said day, shall have ratified the salo
| constitutions; that the first Wednesday III
| February next be the day for electors 10
| assemble in their respective states ana vote
| for President and that the first "Wednesday
| in March next be the time, and the present
/ seat of Congress (New York; the place for
| commencing the proceedings under the COIL
| stitution.
| In accordance with this provision the SEN
| ators and representatives of the first Con-
| gress met in the city of New York on the
| first Wednesday of March. 17S9. when nap
| pened to be the fourth day of that month.
| Nearly four years after Congress passed an
| act which was approved March L, IisZ, OIL
| which section u reads as follows:
| land be it further enacted that the term
1 of four years for which President ana
| Vice President shall be elected shall In all
| cases commence on the 4th day of March
| next succeeding the day on which the votes
| of the electors shall have been given"
This act still remains on the statute books
| and is the only law governing the date OF
| inauguration. While the term of office
| hyt ha
| President and for members of the House of
| Representatives, cannot be EXTENDED or
| shortened without the consent of the iegls-
| latureS of two thirds of the states. the oates
for the Inauguration of the one and the
| meetings and adjournment of the other may
be fixed or changed by law. A constitu-
| tional amendment is not necessary.
Attempt to Change the Date.
There have been frequent attempts to
| change the date of Inauguration from the
| 4th of March to the Both of April, and for
the meeting of Congress from the first Mon
| day of December to the first Monday of
| January. Elaborate reports were made in
| favor of the proposition in 1888, in 1892 and
| in 1894, and if the 4th Of March next hap
| pens to be a stormy day the proposition will
! undoubtedly be revived at the next session
| of Congress. Many reasons have been given
| in support of the change, some of which are
| as follows:
|
| very important, and would doubtless save
| many lives and much suffering of people
| who are exposed to the rains and the wind
| and the cold that usually prevail al the be-
! ginning of the month of March. The death
| of at least one President and many thou
| sands of people have been due to exposure
| at inaugural ceremonies.
| 1t would restore the inauguration ceremO-
| MES to the original day intended
| 1t would enable Congress to be in session
| at the time of the Inauguration, and give
| the President an opportunity to send his
| annual message and define his policy imme-
| diately after his election without waiting
! for nine months.
| 1t would extend the time of the second
| session of Congress, which is now limited
| to less than three months. The time was
| formerly sufficient in the early days of the
| republic. but the requirements of the coun-
| try have increased many fold; the appro-
| prfation bills usually absorb the attention
| of both houses for almost the entire ses-
sion, and the enactment of many important
| measures is prevented from lack of time
| Very seldom can any legislation of i'm
| portance be considered at the second ses-
| sion of Congress beyond the supply bills.
| AT present the legislative branch of our
| government, which should come into ses-
| sion fresh from the people, does not meet
| until thirteen months after it's members are
elected. although they draw their salaries
| for nine months before they take the oath
| of office or begin their labors For nine
months every year there is no House of
Representatives. This is the only nation
| WHcIc SUCH a CouUlllOn prevails. In Eng
land. France. Germany and other countries
| parliament meets at once to settle the is
| sues upon which they were elected
| The inefficiency of representa- tives during
| the short session is frequently impaired be-
cause they fail of reelection and for the
few months following elections many dis
tricts are not represented by the men who
| have been chosen to represent them The
defeated candidates hold over. The repub-
| loans carried the congressional elections in
November. 1888. yet the democrats con
tlnued TO control the legislation of Con-
| gress. The democrats obtained a majority
In 1885, but We're compelled to wait a wear
before they had an opportunity of CARRYING
out the will of the people
| Many Reasons for Change.
There are many reasons why Congress
should be in session when the President is
inaugurated. 1t is not only an anomalous
| feature, but impracticable and Illogical.
that the legislative branch should dissolve
| the very moment that new executive
/ takes the oath of office. The latter Is
compelled to wait for nine months before
| he can even ask for the consideration of
the issues upon which he was elected