Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-24
FAVOR APRIL DATE.
Governors Write Mr.. Macfar-
land as to Inauguration.
LETTER SENT Mr.. HENRY
Former District Commissioner For.
wards Comments Of Several State
Executives to Representative.

Henry b. r. Mcfarland, former Com
missioner OF the District of Columbia and
chairman Of the national committee on
change Of Inauguration date today sent
letter to Representative Robert l..
Henry OF Texas, chairman of the rules
committee, inclosing comments from the
governors Of half a dozen states on the
recent favorable report by the judiciary
committee Of the House on the Henry
change-of-date resolution.
Mr.. Mcfarland says that. as has been
customary for the last ten years, he, as
the mead OF the national committee on
TINS question, has communicated with
the governors OF all Of the states asking
them to serve on the committee and aid
able replies from a dozen and has no
doubt all will express their willingness
to become members Of the committee and
do what they can to further the reform.
Text Of Letter.
Following is the text of the letter
from Mr.. Macfarland to Representative
Henry:
The national committee on change
Of inauguration day, of which 1 am
chairman. has. since it's organization in
1901, communicated in January Of each
year with all the governors who came
newly into office at that time in order
to secure their membership on the
committee and cooperation in this
work.
! In this manner. the committee has Sc
cured the active assistance Of most of
the governors of states and territories in
office during the past ten years, and most
Of them have expressed the deepest in
terest in the object and strong desire to
see 1t accomplished
According to custom, I have written.
as chairman. to the governors coming into
office. asking them to serve on the COM
mittee. and already a number of re-
Sp OnseS have come, all favorable. The
governors responding with the general
statement that they will serve on the ma
tional committee and are heartily in favor
of the change are Gov. William Hodges
Mann of Virginia, Gov. =. L. Goldsbor-
oush of Maryland, Gov. r. p. Bass Of
New Hampshire, Gov. John A. Mead of
Vermont. Gov. Joseph NJ. Carey of Wyo-
ming. Gov. James B. McCreary of Ken
lucky. Gov. Lee Cruce of Oklahoma. Gov.
John Burke of North Dakota and Gov.
Emmett O'Ncal of Alabama.
THOSE making more extended comment
who says: The choice of March for
inauguration day was, in my opinion, par
ticuiarly unfortunate. The military and
civic parades and the great open-air gath
ering which mark that day assuredly
ought to have a reasonable chance of
who says: The choice Of March for
~, If ever, gives such weather to Wash
ington.
I think the day should be changed if
only because of the discomfort, sickness
and economic loss which usually result
under the present plan.
Gov. Brewers Views.
Gov. Earl Brewer of Mississippi. who
says: L thoroughly agree with you and
the other members of the national COM
mittee that the date of the Inauguration
of the President and Vice President of
the United States should be changed from
the Fourth of March to the last Thursday
in April.
."rne argument of rsuch a change is all
one way. I gladly accept the APPOINT
ment as a member of the national COM
mittee on the proposed change of inau-
guration day and will most heartily CO.
operate to bring about this result. will
be glad to be kept advised of the prog
ress made"
Gov. Cole L. Blease of South Carolina
saws: Il desire to state that l will
consent to serve on the national commit
tee on the proposed change of fnaugura-
ton day, and hope that the change Will
be made / don't see what better argu-
ment anybody would want than to ex-
perience the terrible weather which has
prevailed on such occasions. l have had
the privilege OF being In washington In
1850 and at several inaugurations since,
including President Taft's, and l cannot
conceive how sensible men would want
any further proof than to be present on
the occasion. II can assist you In any
other way let me know
"As I receive other letters from the
governors ] will notify you.
Significance Is Noted.
1.-The significance of the fact that we
have had an average Of forty governors
from the states and territories on the ma
tional committee at all times. and that
the new governors are as interested as
the old governors, lies not only in their
expression of the interest felt all over
the country. but also in promises Of CO.
operation when the proposed amendment
shall have been submitted by Congress
to the legislatures of the states.
with congratulations upon the good
prospects OF the resolution etc.