Evening star., 1909-03-13
FOR CONCERTED WORK
Movement to Change lnau-
guraI Date Is Growing.
CONGRESSIONAL INTEREST
Cannon and Gaines Join With Ma.
tional Committee.
CONFERENCE NEXT MONDAY
Resolution Favoring the Last Thurs
day in April to Be offered in the
House First of Week.
CONFERENCE NEXT MONDAY

tee on the election OF President and
Vice President, will CO operate with the
national committee on the proposed
change of inauguration day in its ef-
forts to have Congress name the last
Thursday of April as the date for hold
ing the inaugural ceremonies.
The subcommittee of the natlonal
committee. of which Commissioner Mac
farland is chairman. conferred with the
Speaker and Representative Gaines yes
terday and was assured of their Co
operation. The latter was formerly op-
posed to the change of date for con-
stitutional reasons.
A resolution providing for the
change, in the terms Of the resolution
prepared by Senator Hoar and adopted
by the Senate, 1T is also announced.
will be offered in the House Monday.
The national committee members are
continuing their efforts to bring about
concerted action for change of the m
augural date to the last Thursday in
April To that end,.a conference VIII
be held with Senator Depew, upon his
return from New York Monday. by the
subcommitte of the national committee.
The Original Plan.
Chairman Macfarland of the national
committee stated today that the national
committee had never had but one policy
from its organization in 1901, and that was
to transfer the inauguration day to the
last Thursday in April by a constitutional
amendment, according TO the resolution
drafted by Senator Hoar, which provided
for the extension of the terms of the
President and Vice President, and of the
Congress to the lSat Thurday in April.
He said there never had been any change
in that policy and particularly that the
national committee had never entertained
the proposition to have an inauguration
celebration at a later date than the actual
Inauguration of the President and Vice
President.
On the contrary, he said, the national
committee had opposed that proposition,
believing strongly that no considerable
number of people would come to Wash
ington for inauguration festivities six
weeks after the inauguration day actual
ly occurred.
He also stated that he hoped all the
friends of the movement in Congress
would unite with the committee on the
last Thursday in April as the day for the
Inauguration, and not scatter their
strength between propositions for differ
ent days.
| Representative Henry's Views.
Another emphatic approval of the de-
cision of the national committee to have
the last Thursday in April named as the
inaugural date was received by Com
missioner Macfarland, it's chairman, yes
terday afternoon from Representative H.
l.. Henry of Texas. a member of the
House committee on the judiciary. Said
Representative Henry:
"You may rely upon my heartiest CO.
operation in changing the date of the in
auguration of the President and Vice
President. In my judgment your COM
Thursday in April as the proper date. and
my views precisely coincide with the wis
dom of such selection. We should win in
this movement, and it is now an oppor-
tune time to begin.
Command my services in that direction
al all times. and believe mesheart and soul
in sympathy with the object of your
committee
Favor the Change.
Following are numerous congressional
Endorsements Of the proposed change of
the date. In addition to those printed
yesterday:
Senator Warner, Missousi:
Il am heartily in sympathy with the
movement to change the date of the in
auguration of Presidents and Vice Presi-
dents of the United States.
Il have no special objection to the Both
udN oi ApiI, d5 ndS DSeH suggested
save possibly that that date will some
times fall on Sunday. Therefore / would
make 1t the last Thursday in April or
the first Thursday in May, the latter date
preferable"
Senator Gore, Oklahoma:
1T seems to me the most rational
change which could be made would be
one designed to lessen the confusion
which results in having our calendar
year, our political year and our fiscal
year begin at widely different times. If
the auguration date could be changed to
July ii would have the double advan-
tage of celebrating the nations birthday
and Of having our political year begin at
practically the same date our fiscal
year That would be more permanent
and practicable advantage than the mere
chance of sunshine, shower or snow on
another date.
Senator Rayner, Maryland:
81 am in favor of changing the date Of
the inauguration. / am examining the
legal aspects of the matter now, and my
present impression is that We can accom-
plish it by law without constitutional
amendment. but | have not yet finished
my examination of the subject
Senator Clapp, Minnesota:
Il think there are several demands for
constitutional amendments (which have
been pressed for some time which are
quite as important as that intended to
effect change in the date of inaugural
Ing the President"
Senator Taylor, Tennessee:
II am very much in favor of postponing
the inaugural date and think the 3Oth of
| April about the time
| Representative Foster, Vermont:
Il am In favor OF changing the date
! OF inauguration to some day in the latter
part of April or first of May. l have not
vet fixed upon any particular date, but
| my preference would be for the first
| Tuesday in May
Representative Focht, Pennsylvania !:
| II am in hearty accord with the senti-
ment expressed in your letter that the
| date for the Inauguration be changed to
| a later date than the 4th of March.
Representative Howell, New Jersey
81 am in favor of a change in the date
l of inaugurating future Presidents and
| Vice Presidents from the fourth of
| March to some date in the latter part
OF April or the first part of May"
Representative Cooper, Wisconsin.
Il am in favor of changing the date
| OF inaugurating future Presidents and
Vice Presidents of the United States to
some date reasonably certain to insure
| nlaaSan in Wa pOfn