The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-05-18
INAUGURATION DAY.

the Federal Constitution so as ia
change tho date of Inauguration Day
for the President and President
we do not think that any one outside
Of Washington need bother very much
about that failure. or that the people
generally need concern themselves
especially about the alleged fact that
there is nearly always storm on In.
auguration Day in Washington. Such
very small portion of the people
of the country-a negligible fraction
of one-tenth or one per cent, let us
sav-ever attends those ceremonies or
is in the least discommoded by the
Washington storm on March Ith every
fourth year, that the matter is too in
consequential to think about.
! There are, however, some things that
ought to he changed in the ordinary
routine. First OF all. the fiscal wear
and Federal terms should begin on the
! first day of January in place of
some Intermediary date during the year.
The fiscal year of the Government
should be made to conform TO the
calendar year. The President s term
should begin January LIST The session
of Congress newly elected should be
gin also the next January LIST. The gen.
eral election is held not later than the
Sth Of November in any year, and there
Is ample time to get all the returns in
and get the new members of Congress
to work right after the first of .Tanu-
ary. in place of waiting for moro than
year after the election for the new
Congress 10 sit as now.
The President also is elected at the
November election. The Presidential
electors arc then chosen: these should |
meet not later than the middle of De.
cember. officially and formally confirm
the people s choice, and the President |
should take Office on the first of the
year.
The members of the United States
Senate are elected by tho State Lcgisla
lures, usually in January. 1t would be |
a good deal better to let them wait over
until the January succeeding before
taking their seats than to compel both
Houses of Congress. including the new.
ly elected and complete Houses. TO wait
for more than a year before beginning
their work
a mere Constitutional amendment.
changing Inauguration Day because
residents of Washington might get
wet if they 90 out in storm on that
day, is frivolous proposition alto
gcther. Matters ought to be precisely
as they are now. unless a radical change
IS 20 be put into effect This radical
change is desirable. and should con-
form somewhat to the points above out.
lined
We are altogether too slow in giving
Congressional elections effect. Consider
The case for a moment. We elect
new set of Representatives in
the lower house OF Congress on the sth
day of November next Their term
begins on the fourth day of
March, next year. But unless called to.
yether in extraordinary session, which
S not IN the least likely, they do not
actually take their seats and begin
heir labors AS members of Congress
lntil the first Monday of December.
1911, year and month after their
election. Surely the American people
should devise means Of getting quicker
lctiou than that
We believe, as outlined above. that
here should be a complete change In all
his routine. When the Constitution was
idopted. II was serious for a member
II Congress to get 10 Washington from
emote district. 1t took a week to two
weeks TO get from New England
points to Washington. 1t took nearly I
week 10 get to New York City q
rom Washington. Now matters have !
hanged altogether. A few days bring c
my one from any point in the country l
o Washington II is absurd to keep c
lp the time schedules of an efete i
transportation system. We should get t
iowu to business, and give our elec. '
ions immediate effect, and should {
hange the routine accordingly ]
1T makes no difference at all about C
he convenience of sIght.secrs in Wash. T
ngton who want TO enjoy the parade, ,
he festivities, and the decorations on p
inauguration Day But it makes the +
biggest kind Of difference to the people r
# the country whether the proposi- >
ions which they vote for shall be
'ut into effect in a reasonable degree
# time, or whether they have 10
vait for year or two TO be given
'fiicial expression. As it is. we are C
,reat way behind Great Britain in this n
espect. The Parliamentary elections J
# last January decided in effect that t
he new Budget, upon the ratification c
# which that election depended, should Il
'e passed. In April that Budget was {
'assed, and was signed Immediately by
he King, Nothing of that kind, as TO T
peedy action, could happen in this {
ountry- Great Britain gets immediate n
iction upon the people s choice, al i
hough Great Britain is monarchy. 1t a
S impossible TO get such immediate and S
positive action in this country, al. i