Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1911-05-05
CONGRESS ENQUIRIES
EXACT DATE Of
EXPIRATION OF
THE Term
Investigation Discloses Tha.
There is No Statute Defin.
ing Hour When Legislators
Terms Terminate.
MARCH 3, MIDNIGHT
OR MARCH 4. NOON

especial t"rr~sV"wdeWc~ q" the Herald,
Washington. MaA :. When dues
the term al u member of ia. United
states senate ur member uf the
h"ise "f representative begin. aud
when does Il end
The Legislators who make cur laws.
" ho impose our taxes aud Who 80 .rd
"ui money do not Know. aud accord
ingiN thcN directed Henry NJ Eosr.
assistant secretary uf the United
states sruatc. an official who knows
more about The history of The senate.
It's customs. practices aud uSag-s
than most al the members of the s.n-
ATE themselves, To- make an inVrstigt.
ton of the laws and preccd.nts tor
tho purrns" "i determining this du,~.
ton. u I,oSsihto.
Naturali> one would suppose after
the government had been organized
and doing business Tor tho past CEN
turN aud u quarter. that the lrgislHt.
"r~ some "i whom have been u the
service Tor generation. would know
hS this time when their terms begin
ana rnd. hut It seems that this t. on,'
81 ia" things upnn which thtN de- not
APPEAR /" Dc informed
MI. Rose has made a report. anI IL
affords interesting reading lie points
ont that Va" Trainers of The cpustitl-
tt"n. who seem a. have thought of al
most rN"r3 thing elise which would
have hearing upon IA, conduct uf
government aud the general welfare
ana Who looked Tar ahead into ia.
fuiuro aud laid down Fundamental
laws which those who hutc roilnv ed
have been unable tu Improve Ia any
apPtrciablc extent. evidently neglect
ed to- flN the hoginuing aud the .rrd-
Ing ~ congress email terms In fact
There Is ahsomtois nothing in the
constitution that specifics when the
term "f president. senator or a
member of tho housr 81 representa-
lives begins ~ terminates
EarlS in ihe FIRST session of the
second runsrcHs an act was passed
relative 10 the election OF the pred
dent and Nie' president which pr
vid"d that CO., terms should be- lol
i"ui lrair. commencing on the tour d
day Of March, next Nuccerding ma
DAY np which the votes of the eject
ar shall have hrcu given
This b. 10, only proylalou ia thu
sintaios which tNcs The btianulnr .r
"ndine of the presidential term II
was held b., q number of the states
men 90 The EARLIER legislative prrin
that this statutory prorisio moaul
that the term of the president NOT
only commenced ION the ith da, Of
Marph, bat also began AT the v,rv
beginning 81 that daA, 81 immediately
afi, midnight of thu ard uf MARION.
A. b ttu. 1T ia" constitution h
sintui,F arr silent a~ iu TIA, com.
meno'm"pt of ih. congressional torn
and the time as the beginning hud
ending of the term of service oi a
senator or member OF IA. house. u
h historical fnct. wen known TIN
h"cEur' uf thc urag'r transpurtstlnr
advantages Geulg. Washington diI
not reach philadelphia Nher" he t"IA
oath oi office a. the first president
until ANN an. 1888 When ID" was
elected Tor second time. hoWrN p.
NJ Notified congress that II war hl9
purposr to tax, the oath Of oflir- ~
/. o'clock noon on March ~ tie
srnaur chamhor succccdlng priest
dents have iotiuwcd the esampi. Du
May ~. 1870. thD senate consider -
and agreed 10 resolution which de-
clared that the terms of the pfesi-
dent, vice president, senate and hoils"
began on March 4 i,Np In, there
has never been any statute on the
subject
This situation has repeatedly led u
emhsrrarsmHn' and controversies DO.
cause congressman have never agreed
AZ 10 whether MarcA 4 meant that
their terms began and ended a, mid
night on the night Of March 4. or q,
~ o'clock noon on March 4. the time
fixed b. Washington when he TOOK