Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-04
By Henry B. F. Mcfarland
president WILL
L IAN HENRY HAIR
RICON died a month
Chairman of National Committee
on Change of Inauguration Day

RISON died a month on Change of
after his Inauguration as "
the result of his taking
the oath of office on the east front of the
CAPITOL in a March wind and snowstorr1.
A Mexican Ambassador, two United States
Senators, and many private citizens of this
country have died from the same cause.
The Inauguration of President is the
greatest official function in our national life,
and is attended by hundreds of thousands
of people. ., :,
and the lives of the people should be pro-
tected from unnecessary risk, the national
committee on the change of Inauguration
Day has worked for nine years to have
this day so placed on the calendar that it
will probably have pleasant weather. The
committee feels confident that in this session
Of Congress the first step will be taken by
both houses toward changing the date of
Inauguration from March 4 to the last
Thursday in April. To make the change in
the political calendar possible, an amend
ment to the Constitution is necessary, and,
in order to clear the way for such amend
ment, the House and the Senate must pass
by two-thirds vote resolution submitting
the proposition to the Legislatures of the
States. The Senate has twice passed the
session it failed of passage in the House by
only one vote. The committee has received
assurance that the Senate will again pass it.,
following such action by the House; and the
latest inquiries give every reason for the belief
that the House will take favorable action.
Some of Its Dangers
DERSONS who were in Washington last
L Inauguration Day well remember the
blizzard that isolated the national Capital
for great part of the day, and for the rest
of the day there was communication with
New York by one wire only, going by way
of New Orleans, besides temporary COM
munication with Baltimore by wireless.
1t does not require much imagination to
see that the change from one administration
to the other at critical period in the coun-
try's history might take place, if March 4
Washington was absolutely isolated from
the rest of the country, with consequences
that might be serious. However, we dwell
upon the pressing danger, the proved dan
ger, to life.
AS have already pointed out, one Presi-
dent of the United States died month after
his Inauguration because he was exposed on
Inauguration Day to storm less severe than
that Of last March 4, and other eminent men
have died from the same cause. Fortunate
ly, no one died as result of the exposure of
last March 4, and that may be in part be-
cause the actual ceremony of Inauguration
took place in the Senate Chamber to the
great disappointment of many thousands
who had gone to Washington to witness it.
But within recent time Ambassador Azpiroz
of Mexico, Senator Bate of Tennessee, and
Judge Weldon of the Illinois Court of
Claims, died almost Immediately after and
as the result of exposure on March 4; and
Senator Plat of Connecticut, who had been
i'll before, probably received his death stroke
from the same exposure.
These prominent men, of course, illustrate
the danger in striking manner. When one
of them passes, it attracts the attention of
the whole country. Hundreds and perhaps
thousands of other American citizens, just
as much entitled to consideration, have un-.
doubtedly suffered illness, and many of
them death, because of like exposure.
Nearly All Governors In It
THIS committee on changing the date of
Inauguration was first appointed by the
Commissioners of the District of Columbia
in 1901, after an Inauguration Day so severe
hot + fa1 of %lc