Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-06
The Inauguration Date.

Naturally enough, this latest expert
| ence of Washington with an old
fashioned blizzard upon it's great day
of days, upsetting all its cherished
plans, causing no end of loss, disap-
pointment and inconvenience, not to
| mention sickness, suffering and death,
| will bring about prompt and vigorous
| renewal OF the campaign for a change
this campaign has been waged for
many years. but, since a constitutional
change is involved, nothing has yet
come of it. More than that, few be-
lieve that anything will come of the
agitation which will now be carried on,
since tradition is so strong and con-
servatism so great when it comes to
tampering with the constitution, even
though the tampering is regarding q
matter in which practically all people
are agreed
The proposed change of date is TO
April 80, which was the day Washing
ton took the oath of office the first
time therefore there are good historic
cal reasons in favor of such q change,
although March 4 has been the date of
every Inauguration with the exception
of that first one. The change was n
favorite idea of the late Senator Hoar
and vigorously in the attempt to in
duce Congress to set the thing in mo-
ton. One of the advantages which he
urged for the change was the lengthen-
ing of the short session Of Congress by
nearly two months, but of course the
main object was milder weather for
Inauguration and the consideration of
the health of the people.
The weather of March in Wash
ington, although Washington is usually
looked upon as southern city, and at
the height of the summer season the
visitor thinks that it is located squarely
on the equator has been vilainous
upon many occasions. In 1889 Harri-
son was inaugurated upon wet and
chilly day. There was snow and sleet
when Cleveland took the oath of Office
for his second term in 1898 and the
beginning OF Mckinley's second term
in 1901 was likewise marked by rain,
raw winds and general conditions
which menaced the health Of the inau-
guration crowds. In spite of bad
conditions on these days. however. the
outdoor exercises were carried out ac-
| cording to the program, and not since
| Andrew Jackson was inauguratcd for
second term in 1888 have the eIe-
ments been SO unkind as to cause the
| exercises to be held within the capitol
| as they were this year
To be sure, the blizzard which had
| Washington in it's grasp. blocking
trains on neighborng railroads. break
ing down all telegraph and telephone
wires, relented enough SO that the 80
| 600 paraderS could carry out their part
of the program. but they had to march
through the snow and slush. with the
decorations spoiled along the line of
march and with shivering and dis
| gusted crowds viewing the pageants.
Washington's experience on Thursday.
added to the many strong arguments
in favor of change, reasons which
have existed in abundance and whose
force have been felt by the country at
large ever since President Taylor lost
his life as the result of cold con-
tracted on Inauguration day. There
are many good reasons for the change
and no good argument against it, but
that is not saying that the change will
| come about.