The Washington herald., 1911-05-15

Important matters for the con-
sideration of the people of the
whole nation are contained in pro-
posed Legislation which the House
Committee on Rules is about to take
up and push forward. Not only is
that committee in deadly earnest
concerning a change in the date Of
the Inauguration of the President OF
the United States, but it will be
agreed by it that a recommendation
shall be made to the House whereby
the sittings of Congress no longer
shall take place on the first Monday
in December, but on the second
Tuesday in January.
IMPORTANT CHANGES SUGGESTED.
Connected with activities of the Rules
Committee, and depending upon the
prompt submission and adoption OF Con-
ability of the following important and
far-reaching occurrences:
The Inauguration of the successor
to President Taft on the last Thurs
day in April, 1913. instead of ON March
4, 1913.
The abandonment of what is known
as the short session of the present
Congress. which is ordinarily sched-
uled to begin on the first Monday in
December, 1912.
The converting of the Sixty-third
Congress on the second Tuesday in
January, 1913. instead of on the first
Monday in December. 1913
The counting OF the Presidential
ELECTORAL vote by the Congress which
is elected with the next President, in
stead of by a Congress containing
members whose terms of office expire
with his Inauguration.
The abandonment thenceforth of
the customary short session of Con-
gress.
Meeting Time of Congress.
The proposed change of the date of
inauguration has already been announced
in a resolution introduced by Representa-
tive Robert L. Henry. chairman of the
House Committee on Rules. In a revised
joint resolution which he will lay before
the House this week there is the added
provision that the second Tuesday of
January, at noon, shall constitute the
official term of the Senators and of the
Members of the House of Representatives
and that Congress shall assemble each
year on that date. In order to properly
adjust the proposed shifting Of the conven-
ing date Of Congress so that there shall
be no overlapping terms Of members it
is provided In the resolution that the
Congress in existence when the members
of the first House Of Representatives are
elected after the ratification of the pro-
posed amendment shall hold no annual
session after such election, and that its
term shall expire on the second Tuesday
in January following.
In a word, in order to place the in
auguration of the President on a more
propitious date and to follow out the
originally intended will Of the trainers
of the Constitution that the electoral
vote should be counted by an incoming
and not an outgoing Congress, there is
to be shortening Of the term of the
Congressman who are in Office when the
proposed shift takes place, and a length
ening of the term Of the President who
10 lueH OulCc 10 pTOpeTly ell
feet this change Of dates it has been
agreed that the Constitution of the
United States must be amended, and
that for the first time in history the
date of the Inauguration Of the President
shall be definitely mentioned therein as
such.
Constitutional Amendments.
Chairman Henry has resolved his find
ings on the whole important question into
the following succinct statement:
/. The terms Of Senators and Repre-
sentatives can be changed only by con-
stitutional amendment 1t cannot be done
by law.
3 The 4th of March as the beginning
and termination of the Presidential term
can be changed only by constitutional
amendment, and not by law.
3. Should the President-elect or Vice
President-elect die between the counting
Of the electoral vote and their Inaugural
ton, there is no provision in the Con-
stitution or law for selecting their sue
cessors, and this hiatus can only be rem
edied by constitutional amendments.
The resolution heretofore introduced by
Representative Henry contains provision
t. meet the last named condition, as
Well as for the changing Of the Inaugural
ton date. His revised resolution, be-
sides changing the date Of the sittings OF
Congress, also makes provision for