The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1912-02-15
Arguments Why Date Should
Be Changed to the Last
Thursday In April.

If congress could regulate the
weather as it regulates the trusts,
II the railroads and a thousand 9TH
er things, there would be no need
for the proposed constitutional amend
ment changing the date OF presiden-
. tial inaugurations from March to
the last Thursday in April. But mas
much as the weather for Inauguration
days cannot even be predicted. much
less regulated, it seems wise to many
members of congress to get around
the problem by changing the time.
Within the last fifty years there
which could be called really pleasant.
On many there have been rain and
snow, often combined with high
winds and low temperatures. More
than once presidents elect have risked
the chances of pneumonia by Drawing
the weather on the east front of the
capitol. That thousands of American
citizens who have witnessed inaugu
rations on stormy days have suffered
illness and death as q result of the
exposure is we'll known.
Washington is not a city which is
particularly well equipped for wintry
days. No large snow cleaning force
is maintained, because such a plant
would lie idle most of the time. Dur
ing the recent extreme cold weather
many persons in private dwellings
and apartments suffered because heat
ing facilities were not adequate to
meet the unusual conditions. The
average citizen Of Washington does
not possess an arctic outfit. because
he seldom needs it, while the average
visitor does not bring one with him,
because he is apt to be under the i'm
preston that he is going to the sunny
south. Thousands of such visitors on
Inauguration day have discovered,
however, that the nations capital can
be just as wintry and disagreeable on
occasions as almost any other city in
the United States.
Weather Record an Argument.
The weather record Of past inaugural
lions is a. standing argument for
change of date. 1t is a record which
is filed with storms of rain and snow,
freezing temperatures and piercing
winds. That no president has met his
death as a direct result of exposure at
an inauguration seems astonishing
when this record is read. Ordinarily
70 ne
the steps of the capitol and also stands
there while he delivers his inaugural
address. During part of the ceremo-
MES he is bareheaded Not only is the
incoming president taking risk, but
also many high officials of the govern
ment who are in attendance, notably
the chief justice Of the United States.
who administers the oath and who is
usually man of advanced years. On
few occasions it has been necessary
because of the violence of the weather
to hold the ceremonies in the senate
chamber. the public thus being denied
view. This was the case in 1909,
when President Taft was inaugurated
When Abraham Lincoln was inaugu-
rated for his first term in 1861 the day
was overcast. although there was no
rain. There were high winds, how
ever, varying from southwest to north
west and accompanied by rapid
changes in temperature The mercury
at one time registered 70 and at an
other period of the day showed 30 de-
grees less. The weather bureau has no
available record Of the second Lincoln
inauguration in 1865.
Hayes Was Fortunate.
Both of the Grant Inauguration days
were unpleasant. In 1869, when he be-
gan his first term, March opened
with rain, which continued until an
hour before the ceremonies. After
that the day was cloudy. The temper
allure ranged from 80 to 43 degrees,
with light winds. The second Grant
inauguration, in 1873, was signalized
by very cold. but clear, weather. There
were brisk north winds. The highest
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