New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-15
TIE LNauGURArLoN nArE-

We learn from the news columns of "TAe
Washington Post that another effort is to be
made TO reform our political calender. The 10Th
Congress is to be asked to do what the 57th
should have done-and came near ,ing-that
is, to rob Inauguration Day of it's present ter
rors and discomforts by pushing the date for
ward from March 4 to April 30 -Four years ago
Congress seemed on the point of yielding TO the
demand for more seasonable Inauguration
Day. Larry in the session of 1901-'02 Senator
HOar of Massachusetts, introduced a resolution
which provided for the continuance of the
administration then In office until April 80 1905
and for an extension of the life of the 5Sth Con
greSs-not then elected-from March 8 to April
80 1905.
This resolution had the double merit OF free
ing the Inauguration ceremony from any fur
Their March blizzard accompaniment and of
making general legislation practicable at the
short sessions Of Congress. The Senate passed
Mr.. Hoars resolution by unanimous vote. To
facilitate its passage through the House of
Representatives q committee was organized by
leading citizens of the District of Columbia
which succeeded in enlisting the cooperation OF
the Governors of nearly all the States. Yet at
the last minute certain members of the House
Judiciary Committee objected 70 the lengthen-
ing of the short session. the committee of citi
zens and Governors divided on the question of
sustaining the Hoar measure as it stood or
consentlng to have it tinkered with, and tie
session ended with the resolution still slumber-
ing the judiciary Committees calendar.
All hope of lettering conditions for the inau-
suration of 1905 had to be abandoned. But now
that that ceremony is over the Washington
committee has decided to renew its agitation.
and Governors and State legislatures will be
once more appealed to for support. The Hon.
H. B. f. Mcfarland of the Commission
5.f pf Of md QI1ai py1
of the committee announces that plans for an
April Inauguration will be submitted to the
new Congress as it assemblies. What
shape these plans Will take cannot now be pre-
dicted. Mr. Macfarland seems to think that q
simple postponement of the inauguration cere.
mOny till the last Thursday In April will an
swer all purposes. This compromise sug-
gested in February, 1908, when the House Ju-
dietary Committee baked at the HOar bill.
But a halfway measure Of this sort seems
little better than no legislation at all. Ii the
President is TO take the oath on March 4, it
would be en- anti-climax to wait till the end of
April to celebrate his induction into Office. Such
warmed over ceremony could have little more
than local interest. IL there is to be no real
change in the Inauguration date or of the date on
which the short session of Congress ends. cele
bration late in April seems altogether inconse-
quenta and superfiuous Senator Hears plan
Was idT nIoFe IOSlCdl meeting, as IL uiu the te-
nand for longer working term for Congress as
well as the demand for escape from the rigcrs
and inconvenience of the present outdoor show
1t is well enough to emphasize the desirabity
of an April Inauguration Day pageant from
spectacular point of view but unless the changes
proposed in the political calendar are actual
changes, accomplishing some positive national
benefit 1t seems scarcely worth while to make
| them. It would be difficult to pump up much
enthusiasm over an inaugural celebration eight
or nine weeks overdue.