Evening star., 1909-03-13

SENTIMENT FOR A CHANGE.
Plan to Secure Later Inaugural Date
Nationally Approved.
Safe and Sane Day Needed.
From the indianapolis Star.
What We really need, in the way of
| mortuary REFORM is a safe and sane in
auSuration day.
Powerful Arguments.
From the Topeka State Journal.
A movement has already been started
! in Washington for change Of the date
Of the inaugurations of Presidents to
some time in April. The storm on March
on other Inauguration days of that date
are powerful arguments in favor of some
such change.
Would Diminish Pneumonia.
From the Savannah News.
Benjamin Franklin selected March as
the date for the Inauguration Of Presi-
dents Of the United States because his
astronomical calculations showed that the
date would fall on Sunday less frequently
than any other in the calendar. But
Senator Depew of New York has sug-
gested way to keep the inauguration
| from falling on Sunday and at the same
| time Of advancing it to a season of better
wed Ihdhc kilc lllIlc tic IdSl NCu-
nesday in April. he says. Manifestly that
can never come on Sunday. and late
| April weather in Washington Is about as
| good as any they ever have there. The
change of dates wouldn't hurt anybody,
but would in all probability have the ef-
feet Of diminishing the pneumonia rate.
The Demand for New Date.
From the Philadelphia Press.
| The demand for a change Of the in
auguration date to a more suitable time
| OF year comes from all over the country.
1t Is fortunate that Congress Is about to
meet before the impression Of the late in
augurafion day storm has had time to
grow dim. There is fair chance that
| 1t will pass the amendment desired In
view Of the state of public opinion on this
subject. The House has been the CHIEF
obstacle to a change in the date. Proba-
bly, last weeks experience. In which most
| of its members participated, had made
| them see the matter in new light.
| This change ought to be made. A con-
| stitut1onal amendment providing for 1t
| would be promptly ratified by the neces-
sary three-fourths of the states
The Crumpacker Plan.
! From the New York Tribune.
Representative Crumpacker of Indiana
is out with plan for an inauguration on
December l, making that day the begin
ming of our political year. Such a change
| would remove the inconveniences Of the
present short session of Congress. But 1t
| would not insure proper weather condi-
t1ons FOR the Inauguration pageant, and
| would involve holding state elections In
| the first week of October, instead of the
| first week of November. Such change
| would be unfortunate, since October Is the
| most suitable month in the year for cam
paigning, and the first week in November
| Is probably the very best time for hold
ing general elections. 1t is to be doubted,
| from one administration to another is de-
sirable. A President-elect needs time to
| think and to accustOm himself to his new
responsibilities. and the country Is better
! off for having little leisure in which to
consider the meaning of the change. Our
government is one of checks and balances,
| and the time which elapses between a
Presidents election and his Inauguration
Is useful check on the rash employment
Of newly acquired power.
An Excellent Opportunity.
From the Buffalo Evening News.
Every cause has its forlorn hope. and
| the path to success Is paved with the
bones Of the heroes of failure. In the
present case a peculiarly eXasperating
| for change, and the statement of Presi-
| dent Taft that Congress Is free to legis-
| late generally at the extra session while
| 1t waits for the tariff bill calls attention
to an excellent opportunity to lay the pro-
| posal before the states for ratification. 1t
! is not likely that any state will vote
| against the proposed change.
Not Even Sentiment Against It.
| From the Springfield Union.
When the Inauguration date was fixed
little thought was given to the weather
conditions that obtain during March, for
the event was not then such a great out
door festival as it has since become. But
when 100000 people, more or less, jour-
ney to Washington to witness the in
venience deserve some consideration, and
while favorable weather cannot be posi-
lively guaranteed for any particular date,
April 30 is much more likely to be
pleasant than any day in March. Not
| even sentiment is against changing the
| date. and good sense favors a change.
To select the date on which the Father
| of His Country was inaugurated has
appropriateness to commend 1t.
The Real Responsibility.
| From the Providence Bulletin.
| In Washington they are blaming the
weather bureau for the troubles in con-
| nection with the Inauguration. But the
rest of the country will be more likely to
| look elsewhere for the cause Of the ma
| tional disappointment. II Congress would
| do it's part toward putting off the In
auguration until April or May the presi-
dental bllzzardS would be quite out of the
| question.
The Time to Change Has Come.
From the Cincinnati Times-Star.
While In many respects this years in
auguration was as well managed as could
| have been expected under the unfavora-
| BILE conditions prevailing. there are sew
eral ways In which an improvement might
| be made next time. In the first place.
| the date of the inauguration ought to be
| changed. Such change has been agi-
tated for a number of years, but now
| the time has surely come to put it into
ERECT. The Inauguration of necessity
| must be largely an out-of-door affair. No
building can accommodate the crowd that
wants to see & new President take the
oath. The parade, too-in many respects
| the most enjoyable feature of the day-
must, of course be held outside To sub
| Ject tens, and even hundreds, of thou
sands, of people to such exposure as they
were subjected to last Thursday is simply
absurd. When the C.cWd gets to Wasll
| ington. having travelled in many cases
| hundreds of miles to see what is to he
seen, 1t is only human nature that it will
stay outside no matter what the weather
| conditions may be. The date of the in
auguration ought to be changed to late
| In April or early in May. There is no
sense in again aiding pneumonia in its
campaign against the health Of the Amer
| lean people as it was aided In Washington
| last week.
Ben Franklin's Fault.
| From the Norfolk Landmark.