Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-20
WOULD CHANGE DATE
Former Speaker Keifer Favors
a Later Inauguration.
APRIL 80 Is PREFERRED
Recalls How March A Came to Be
Selected.
WESTINGHOUSE FIRST TERM CUT
Might Have Been Sworn in the
Second Time Four Years From
Date of First Inauguration.

mer Speaker of the House of Represen-
tatives. Is heartily in favor of the pro-
posed pcstponement Of the date of the
inauguration of the President.
4 wish the date was changed to about
April 3Oth of each inauguration year."
he said today George Washington was
sworn in and inaugurated on April 80
1889. and if he had stood by his rights
and insisted upon a four-year term from
that date we would have escaped from
the usual bad weather that is likely to
be encountered on March l.
You must understand that March
was fixed through a resolution of the
old Continental Congress. The consti-
tutional convention. which framed our
Constitution. completed its work Septem-
Der II 17S7.
THE Continental Congress- pending the
ratification of the Constitution by the
required number of states, at a session
held September H. 17SS. adopted a reso-
luton declaring that the first Wednes-
day In January next thereafter he day
for appointing electors in the several
states which before that day had rati-
fed the Constitution; that on the first
Wednesday of February next thereafter
be the day for the electors to assemble
in their several states and vote for PreSi-
dent. and that the first Wednesday in
March next thereafter be the time for
commencing proceedings under the Con-
sttutiOn. This September l., 1885, reso-
luton started the wheels of government
under the Constitution to move. 1t turned
out that the first Wednesday of March in
the year 1879 fell On the fourth day of
that month. and as Congress was called
together that day the terms CT senators
and representatives commenced that day.
The terms of the members Of the House
of Representatives being for two years
commenced that day and ended two years
thereafter and hence it follows thar each
Congress in each odd year ends on the
4th of March and the new Congress COM
mences that day. Without constitutional
amendment 1t would be impossible to
make any change in the commencement
ending of Congress.
Washington's First Term Was Short.
1t seems. however, that 1.-THE President
was not inauguratcd on the 4th of March.
but on the Both of April, 1850. and Wash
ingtons second Inauguration might well
hive been on the Both of April, 1913. and
had that been insisted upon our inau-
guration day would have fallen on later
day than the closing of a Congress- AS
the Constitution of the United States only
required Congress to meet on the first
Monday of December, 1t does not seem
that there would have been any par
t1CuIdr Q1Elculty IN having the term OF
the President, begin upon a different day
from that of the members of Congress.
However, it seems that for some reason
Inauguration d~y was made after the first
inauguration to conform to the time when
the constitutional government first went
into operation, to wit, March of each in
auguratiOn year.
IT do not see any objection to changing
tho Constitution by amendment SO as to
fix later day In the year for Inaugural
tons.
1T has occurred to me that the Presi-
dent might be sworn in on March and
later day be fixed by law when there
should be a general reception given. pa
rade ETC., and thus an opportunity would
be presented for the people to visit Wash
1gton and see the President. etc. 1t
lay be that this would look much like
monarchial coronation day and would
lot be democratic and American.
There are difficulties in the way of Il
constitutional amendment, but they are
not inSurmountable.
Here are some further expressions
of opinion received from members Of
the Senate and House of Representa-
tives in favor of the postponement of
the date of the inauguration:
Senator Page, Vermont:
What a full discussion of the propo-
sition to which you call my attention
would bring out in the nature Of OBJ
jections to changing the date of future
inaugurations 1 know not, but my
present impressions are decidedly III
favor Of the third or fourth Thursday
of April"
Representative Carter, Oklahoma:
Il think for many reasons the
date Of the inauguration should be
changed to time of more propitious
weather. The latter part of April or
the first of May would be more sea-
sonable."
Representative Moorehead, N. c.:
II shall favor CHANGING the date
of inaugurating Presidents and Vice
Presidents to some later date. Any
date around the last of April or first
of May would appear fitting"
Representative Helm, Alabama:
81 should like to see the date for in
augurating the President changed to
May f.
Representative Cowles, N. c.:
IL am in favor of such change. and it
seems to me that the most suit able date
for future inaugurations would be the
last Thursday in April or the first Thurs
day in May"
Representative Southwick, N. z:
Common Humanity. if no other con-
sheraton, should influence every thought
full man to favor change in the date
for inauguration. Without having paid
especial attention to the matter, the 1st
of May would appeal to me as the proper
date for moving day at the White
House.