Evening star., 1909-03-15
The Second Order of Business.

Congress meets today in extra session
to consider tariff legislation. That is the
first order of business. The second item
on the program, in order of national i'm
portance, is the constitutional amendment
changing the date of inauguration from
March to the last Thursday in April, in
order that the American people may at
tend the ceremony of inducing the Presi-
dent into office without risk to their lives.
Not since the civil war has Congress
met in extra session Immediately after an
inauguration. This, then, is the first op-
portunity in more than forty years to
give prompt expression Of the public SEN
timent in favor of change OF date
aroused by bad inaugural day. There
is no mistaking the sentiment at this
time. 1t finds voice on all sides, and has
taken the form of series of insistent
editorials printed in scores of newspapers
of all shades of political opinions. The
tens of thousands who attended the inau
gura ton are now, at their homes, en-
phatcally denouncing the dangerous de-
lay in effecting the amendment of the
Constitution which caused their exposure
to the cold and damp of a March blizzard
in Washington. Those who started for
this city, but were unable to arrive until
after the ceremonies were over. or who
turned back from the blockade of stalled
trains in disgust. are equally vociferous
in their demand for a change.
The Stars canvass of Congress on this
subject proves that the sentiment in both
houses is strong for the amendment
With so few exceptions that they serve
chiefly to emphasize the virtual unanim-
tLa ;cIa orn
selves as unqualiiedly in favor of the
postponement of the inaugural to a day
in late April. Most of these members suf-
fered personally from the cold and slush.
They are at the same time learning of the
attitude of their constituents. who have
become active workers in the propaganda
for a change and are urging action at
this session.
The fact that four years must elapse
before the amendment takes effect should
spur Congress to the immediate consid-
GRAFTON of this subject rather than induce
postponement on the familiar ground that
there is plenty of time. Experience has
proved, with an upcountable cost in
human lives. that there is no safety in
postponement. The sentiment for a
change was strong in 1901, when the rain
on Mckinleys S second inauguration day
spoiled the pleasure of the multitudes as
sembIed in this city. But with easy con-
science the legislators allowed the subject
to drift along unsettled from session to
session and nothing was done.
Now something must be done, If the date
is ever to be changed. If the object les
son afforded by the storm Of the 4th, with
| all the sickness and suffering 1t caused
with all the deaths directly attributable
| to the forced exposure of a vast crowd OF
people to the severity of a snowstorm is
| not utterly ineffective Congress will act
at this session. not postponing the action
| as something negligible, but proceeding
| without hesitation delay to adopt the
amendment and SO pass it on to the state
| legislatures for ratification. No better
opportunity will ever be presented. and II
| may be many years before another as
| favorable will offer itself.