Evening star., 1909-03-04
Change the Date!

Responsibility for the atrocious condi-
tions as to weather in which Mr.. Taft
was today inaugurated as President rests
upon Congress. For more than a genera
ton appeals have been made to that body
to change the date from the 4th Of March
to more clement season. General agree
ment has fixed upon the last Thursday in
April as the most convenient and pro-
pitious time for inducting the executive
into office. That day approximates the
time when George Washington took his
first oath as President, and at the same
time avoids the falling of Inauguration
day on Sunday.
Whenever the House and Senate have
been approached on this proposition there
has developed disposition to procrasti-
nate. When as at present the inaugura-
ton has just occurred the appeal for the
adoption of a constitutional amendment
has been met by the response that there
is plenty of time to accomplish the re-
suit before the next Inauguration. Thus
from year to year the subject has been
postponed. On one or two occasions the
Senate has acted. The House has never
adopted the amendment. A few years ago
1t was seriously discussed In committee
and an effort was made to harmonize the
plan to change the Inauguration day with
that to secure the converting of Congress
Immediately after its election. The latter
proposition, however. involves difficulties
in the matter of counting the electoral
votes, which must under the Constitution
be done by the expiring Congress and not
by the Congress elected at the same time
with the President AS a consequence
lot i1o lot oi,,t J,,f{a
proposing the amendment to the Constitu-
ton has been in simple terms. affecting
only the time of the beginning Of the
presidential term.
This is in some respects the worst day
of inauguration for thirty-two years. 1t
is comparable with Grants second inau
guration. which was so bitter that some
of the West Point cadets were actually
frozen. 1t is no solace to those who have
assembled here from all the states. COM
ing in some cases thousands of miles, to
be told that tomorrow may be bright and
balmy. There is no comfort for them in
the fact that this is the worst day Wash
ington has known this season This Is the
day they suffer. the day on which they
should be guaranteed at least immunity
from dangerous, life-menacing conditions.
The Inauguration in late April would
surely insure such day. 1t might be
rainy. but It would not be cold. it would
not be snowy. Washington would GER
tainly not be in the grip Of a blizzard
Every man in Washington today from
the states should constitute himself a
member of a great national committee
to work early and late to persuade Con-
gress to change the inaugural date. The
pressure must be brought to bear upon
the federal legislature from the outside.
Washington has done all 1t can, and now
leaves the matter to the citizens Of the
country at large. This is not a local mat
ter.
The first act of the new Congress meet
ing in extra session, though it has been
called to consider the tariff question.
should be to pass that long-postponed res
olution It could not save the lives that
may have been sacrificed today. but 1t
could guarantee, as far as Congress Is
concerned, that the next Inauguration will
he held under less DANGEROUS conditions