Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-08
APPEAL TO GOVERNORS
Cooperation in Changing
Date of Inauguration Sought.
IDENTICAL LETTERS SENT
Action by Mr.. Mcfarland, National
Committee Chairman.
REvIVES MOVEMENT OF 1901
Refers to Favorable Action Already
Taken by the Senate-Why Last
Thursday in April Is Preferred.
REVIVES MOVEMENT OF 1901


man Of the rational COMMITTEES on the
proposed change of Inauguration day. has
sent to the governors of states who came
into office January ] a letter lnFl'lns
them 10 take the places of their prede'
cessors in Office upon the national conf
Inittec. Most OF the hold-over govern
nrs are already members of the commit
tee
The appointrnents of The governors are
made in the name of the office and not
in the name of the individual. because
tie national committee believes IT is
necessary that the governors who Will
be in Office at the time the mater IS SUD
mitted to the legislatures. IL Congress
odopts the resolution, shall be informed
and be in hearty sympathy with the
movement.
Invited to Cooperate.
The letter written 10 the governors
inviting their cooperation with the
movement follows:
Il have the honor to invite your AZ
tention to the proposed change OF 'ie
date of the inauguration OF the fresi
don, and the Vice President of the United
states fror, the 4th of March to the
last Thursday in April. rccomnended Wy
the national committee composed OF lne
governors of the states ann tefII'oI re-
ana twenty-one residents of the DlStfict
OF Columbia .,,a
.~The national committee desires 10 sta,e
that there appears to be prac.icailS
unanimous sentiment In the ccnhtrS. IN
pressed by the governors OIL lhe $50.
and territories and by the newspaper
nress I'm favor of the proposed chails {
Of inauguration day. The Tason. ou
course Is that the 4th OF Marcn Weat ne
has been fatal to many people ana mas
tn,n.ired tine health of many more OF
those whose official or personal in'eres'
exposes them to the clements OH hiauo =
ration day. The weather bureau reeo ,tlS
for the last forty years show that tlls
weather of the last week In April is as
kind as the weather of the first week III
March is unlsind. A day or the "eeh'
rather than day of the montIi' ~ pi
posed for the new Inauguration DAY III
order to avoid the Inconvenience OF nav
Ing 1t clash with Sunday
@At the request of the inaugural COM
mittee of 1901 the Commissioners ol tile
District of Columbia appointed ma
tional committee on the proposed chahse
OF inauguration day. The governors vi
many states and territories are members
of this committee.
Action by the Senate.
The project progressed SO lar at tna'
time as the adoption in the senate Oh
f,;n. resolution, introduced by Sena'or
Hoar providing for change OF date
TO the last Thursday in April; pu' In
the House the proposition became COM
nlicated with questions as to the oegin n,
ming and termination of Congress- WHICH
prevented favorable action
The Indictment weather OF the 'nausu-
ration Of 1908 contributed to the death OF
several persons of prominence In pubic
affairs and emphasized the need for
change such as was proposed. ne ma
,innaI committee in 1905 renewed Its ef-
forts The governors of forty-hve states
and territories accepted service on the
national committee. The joint resoiution
went through a similar course as III 'he
preceding Congress.
Necessity for Change Emphasized.
The ver,- stormy weather of the 4th
of March. 1850. which compelled the hold
ing of the inauguration ceremonies In
the Senate cnamber for the first time in
MANY years and which affected the
health Of many people has emphasized
the necessity for the proposed change
and Las drawn forth many expressions
to that effect from senators and repre-
sentatiVeS.
..'rne twenty one members Of the com
mi;tee from the District OF Columbia, IN
Guiding AL the surviving chairmen OF the
inaugural committees, are:
Henry b. F.. Mcfarland chairman
James l.. Norris. secretary: Thomas W
Smith. John W. Foster. Admiral George
s ". Woodward. c. G. Glover. Frank A
Nunsey John Joy Edison, Theodore w
%oyes. Justice John Nj Harlan, Gen
JOHN VI. Wilson, John F. wilkins. Edgar
- shaw Scott c. Bone. John r. Nc
Lean. Edward j. Stellwagen. j. Henry
Small r William F. Guide.
Il write ask that first you Will give
your consent 10 serve On the nationa
committee on the proposed change or IN
ausuration day. and second that YOU
will cooperate in bringing about the de-
sired result. Any suggestions you may
have 10 make will be gratefully re-
Ceived."
Senator Hoar's Selection.
The last Thursday in April was chosen
a. the day for which TO work, said Com
missioner Macfa rland today. on the advice
Of Senator Hoar. because George Wash
in=ton's first inauguration took place or
that day. which was the %oth OF April o.
tHat wear. Senator Hoar in the first draf
81 his resolution named the last Nednes
dav I'm April as named i'll the resolution
recently introduced by Senator Depew
but afterWard amended II, because o.
George Washington's 1nausnration DAY
80 as to make ii the last Thursday "
April, and the national committee deter
mined IL would adhere to that day.
MI. Madden's Suggestion.
A compromise proposition with respec
inaugural from March 4 to some time II
April or May is suggested by Representa-
tive Madden OF Illinois. who says he ha
talked with a number Of members o
Congress who favor his idea and wh
think 1t would be much easier to brinl
about than a change in the Constitution
Let us have the incoming Prcsiden
and Vice President take the oath of offic
March 4, just they do now" said MI
Madden to a Star reporter today. ''bu
without any formality or any out-ofdoo
festivities. Then. by simple resolution
Or something similar In the way of
congressional enactment, could set
day-say about the latter part of April o
the first part of May-for the big pagean
and all the attendant ceremonies, includ
Ing the inaugural address.
l. Il will wager one thing, continue
Mr. Madden, land that Is just this: TIL
crowd that would visit Washington o.
the occasion of such postponed inau
gural program would be larger than ha
ever come to the National capital hereto
fore for such ceremony. Many peopl
from all over the United States woul
take their vacations then and make tn
trip to Washington. Fair weather Nigh
he confidently expected. and the good pee
pie OF the National capital could go ahea
and prepare an elaborate program of
week or so that easily would eclipse any
thing that has ever been attempted In III
past.
Thinks Amendment Impracticable.
Il think 1t will be found. after mos
careful consideration OF the subject tina