El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-03-04
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN

Washington, D. c., March 4-One
year from today some man will be in
augurated president Of the United
States. Just who that man will be it is
the principal business of the American
public from now until November to de-
termine. But whoever he may be, there
will be a great procession a magnlLi-
cent celebration and a grand ball Hun
dreds of thousands Of visitors Will
crowd into the capital city Of WASH
ingtOn- It viii be wonderful 1f-anQ
this is a big lift the weather is good
Weather in Washington in March is
seldom good. That Is why presidents
are so often inaugurated in bHZzards,
that IS why inauguration day presages
Dleurisy, pneumonia and all manner OF
pulmonary troubles.
1t Is said that after long years OF
agitation and Disappointing failures the
prospects are excellent that the resOlu-
ton, introduced by representative Rob
an amendment to the federal cOnsti-
tuition, which will change the date OF
presidential inauguration, viii pass
both the senate and the house or rep
resentatives- In the main the resoIu-
ton Is one that everybody favOrs, and
yet 1t has been very hard to get con-
gress to act upon it. II the resoIutlon
passes, and ultimately is ratified by
three-fOurths Of the states, 1t viii er-
feet a number OF important reforms
besides that of changing the Date
upon which the American president
takes his oath Of office
Would Put Date In April.
The resolution proposes that begin
ming with the Inauguration of 1917, the
induction into office of the chief mag
!strate OF the country shall take place.
Of on the fourth Of March This Will
necessitate the lengthening Of the term
of the president, who Is to De elecIeo
noon on the last Thursday of April.
1917, instead OF at noon on the Attn OF
March, 1871. 1t VIII be seen from tnls
that II the resolution becomes a part
of the organic law of the country, the
president elected next fall will nave
a term more than six weeks longer
than any president VINO ever mas Deeh
It is provided in the resolution that
upon the ratification OF the proposed
of states. the terms Of representatives
and senators will thereafter end and
begin on the second Tuesday Of Janu-
airy instead OF the 18th Of March AT the
first congressional election after the
amendment Is ratified, the candidates
then elected viii begin their active
service as members Of ne mouse t.C On la 1S
second Tuesday OF January instead OF
waiting until the following December
for the regular session or congress. or
until an extra session is convened IN
der the present law the men elected IN
November begin to draw their salaries
on the 4th OF March following. but
months after the election. The proposed
plan provides that congress shall meet
on the second Tuesday Of January at
least once a year, and that there snali
not be any short session whose ex-
piration Is fixed by the constitution or
by law other than the customary reso-
luton for adjournment without day
Has Many Advantages
It Is felt that the advantages Of this
plan are great as compared with the
present system Of congressional service
In the first place. ii viii prevent the
old congress from legislating after
new one has been elected. It frequently
IL hot "a al -
hostile TO the wishes OF the people as
expressed in the election at which the
succeeding congress is chosen; yet the
old congress holds three months ses-
sion. and probably enacts. much legis-
lation contrary to the verdict OF the
ballot box after that verdict has been
gress existing at the election viii have
no more opportunity 70 legislate. The
portion Of the resolution providing that
the meeting day of congress shall be on
the second Tuesday OF January does
not make II mandatory for the annual
session to begin on that day Congress
It sees fit
Might End FiIibusters.
The elimination of the short session
journment is fixed by the constitution.
will. 1t is claimed. be an improvement
over the present method in other ways
For instance, nearly all Of the big fill
busters have been conducted during the
short sessions OF congress. With the
date Of adjournment left at the discre-
ton of congress itself, II would be next
tics OF talking a river and harbOr Bill
to death, or OF like efforts at thrOtuing
legislation, 10 meet with success.
Another advantage IS the fact that
under the proposed new departure the
house which is elected with the Dresl-
dent in the quadrennial elections will
be the one which viii count the vote
and select the president II no choice is
made In the electoral colleges. As mat
tiers stand today the house of represen-
presidential election would have to Sc
lect the president in the event such Sc
lection was not made in electoral col
candidate who was far strongest be-
fore the people might not be elected.
an unquestionable preference for the
candidate OF one party, and yet the
other party might control the election
IN the house itself
The law provides that where the
choice OF a president is not made in
the electoral colleges, It shall be made
In the house Of representatives from
among the three leading candidates in
the electoral colleges. Each state shall
have one vote in this election The pres
ent house OF. representatives is so con-
election were thrown into the house.
there would be an absolute tie Each OF
the two principal parties would have p
votes. In matter OF such tremendous
moment party lines probably would be
very rigidly drawn. and there would be
almost no chance of breaking this tie.
Nothing but the death OF some member
of the house from a state the political
complexion Of whose vote might be
changed by the elimination OF one
man, might serve to break the tie
The complexion of the vote of each
state would be determined by the num-
Der OF members OF each party in the
delegation. If there were more Re
publicans than Democrats in the dele
posed by the audience to be overcome I
by the Intensity Of his feelings. The
lines, in a few moments came to his l
lips and as he pronounced them in !
trumpet tones and platntive notes, clear ]