Evening star., 1909-03-07


jurisdiction and in the states will doubt
less take the matter up for favorable
action at their next meetings, and tha
a resolution bearing on the subject will
be introduced at the next national en-
campment Of the organization.
Capt. Israel w. Stone, past commander
of the Department of the Potomac, G
a. r., said last night:
ITO continue March as Inaugural tior
day is a menace to the health of the
thousands who participate in the parade
and other features of the occasion. l an
heartily in favor of the change and sc
is every member of the Grand Army OF
the Republic. The date proposed in the
Senate-the last Wednesday in April-is a
good one.
Efforts in the Past
For twenty years and more efforts have
been made in Congress to enact legislation
looking to a change in the constitutional
date for inauguration of the President
These attempts have been first In one
branch of the Congress, then in the other
and sometimes simultaneously, but never
reached fruition. resolution would pass
the Senate and be held up by non-action
OF the House. Again a House committee
would report favorably, and the Senate
would be stubborn.
Several times the Senate would be work
ed up to point of enthusiasm. especially
dIter ndTu winter, ana easily pass
resolution. By the time it got over to the
House the birds would be singing the
fragrant scents of spring would drift in
through the open windows Of the House,
and members would forget the hardships
of March 4.
Two men in the past who were most
conspicuous and unremitting in their ef-
forts to change the date were the late
Senator Hoar of Massachusetts and the
late Representative Grain of Texas. Both
COZ fnxrn hi t. %l,~s,.
spective bodies of Congress and partial
action, but no effective results.
The debates i'm Congress TEEN with
speeches urging the change in date. and
reasons without end have been advanced
In support. There seemed to be general
acquiescence in the proposal and general
non-action in carrying it out.
In the first session Of the For
ty-ninth Congress a resolution intro
dueed by Mr.. ingalls, was favor
on privileges and elections, and passed
the Senate. The debate was extensive
and the arguments sounded very similar
to those put forward at this time. No
further action was taken in that Con-
gress, and the legislation died with ad-
journment.
In the Fiftieth Congress, first session,
Mr. Hoar introduced a resolution which
was favorably reported from the commit
tee on privileges and elections, and passed
the committee on judiciary. being reported
favorably. A subsequent motion to sus-
pend the rules and pass the resolution
failed.
In the same session Mr.. Grain of Texas
secured favorable report from the COM
mittee on privileges and elections on his
resolution, but the House voted it down.
In the Fifty-first Congress resolutions
were introduced in the Senate by Mr..
Hoar and In the House by Mr.. Grain. but
action
In the Fifty-second Congress at the first
session Mr.. Grain again secured q report
on his resolution from committee, but the
House refused to pass it.
In the Fifty-f1fth Congress Mr.. Hoar in
troduced a resolution in the Senate, which
was favorably reported by the committee
on privileges and elections. 1t wars made
a special order, and. after extensive de-
bate. passed the Senate. 1t was not acted
upon by the House.
In the Fifty-seventh Congress Mr. Hoar
again renewed his efforts. a resolution
offered by him was favorably reported,
debated and passed in the Senate, but
died In the House committee on judiciary.
The Grain Resolution.
A typical form of resolution debated in
recent years was the one which Mr..
Grain favorably reported in the Fiftieth
Congress. It follows:
That the following articles be proposed
to the legislatures of the several states
as amendments to the Constitution of the
United States, namely:
THE term Of the President who may
be in Office when this amendment shall
have been adopted shall continue until
ceeding the 4th day Of March. upon which
his term would otherwise expire. and the
Both day Of April at noon shall there
after be substituted for the 4th day of
March as the commencement and termi-
nation Of the official term Of the Presi-
dent and Vice President
The resolution proposed to amend the
Constitution in the twelfth article by
striking out the words 4th day of March
and substituting instead the 30th day
OF April at noon. It also proposed the
following additional article Of the Con-
stitution:
THE 31st day OF December at noon
Is substituted for the 4th day Of March
as the commencement and termination of
the official term of the senators and Of
the members OF the House Of Representa-
tives.
'The Congress in existence when the
members OF the first House Of Repre-
sentatives are elected after the ratifica-
ton of this amendment shall hold no
annual session after such election, and
Its term Of office shall expire on the first
day Of the following December: and
provided that there shall be no diminu-
lioh VI TIC SdidiIcS VI lne members OF
Congress the term Of which is curtailed
by this amendment.
''The senators whose existing term
would otherwise expire on the 4th day
Of March next succeeding the day on
which the term OF the first Congress-
shall commence after the ratification Of
this amendment shall continue in office
until their successors are appointed or
elected.
Congress shall assemble at least once
In each year. and such meeting shall be
on the first Monday in January, unless
Congress shall by law appoint different
day."
Report on the Resolution.
The report on that resolution said, in
part:
1.-The first article of the proposed
amendment changes the day of tine inau-
guration of the President from the 4th of
March to the Goth Of April. The principal
reasons for this change are, first, to make
the date Of future presidential Inaugural
tions identical with that Of the first Presi-
dent of the republic. and second. to have
inaugurations take place at q season of
rily. be mild and pleasant and not harsh
and inclement, as 1t usually Is at the be-
ginning Of March.
Many thousands Of cases of bronchities
pneumonia and kindred diseases through
out the country have had their origin in
the exposure incident to travel to and
from the capital of the people desirous of
witnessing presidential inaugurations and
in attending them.
of the District of Columbia, it appears
that the avera ge temneratur for Ma rob