Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-03-04
PRESIDENTIAL RACE.

| has been to diminish the popular in
| terest in the presidential election TO
| be held in the United States on the
| eth of November next. While the
professional politicians have been Wig
orously stirring the political pot, the
people at large have yet to. be arous'
ed to anything approaching enthusi-
asm The belief entertained in some
| quarters that the United States has
no interest in the European holocaust
| that rises above the dollar mark is
effectually disproved by this wide,
| spread apathy of the people toward
| their own most important political
question.
The fact remains, however, that a
| year from today will be Inauguration
| Day, when President Wilson will be-
gin another term or his successor
will be indicted into office. 1t is
yet too early to make any prediction
as to the probable opponent OF Presl-
dent Wilson in the impending presi-
| Dental race That issues which have
grown out of the European war will
profoundly influence American poll
tics this year is certain. What effect
these new elements will have on the
| result of the contest only rash
prophet would attempt to foretell.
The fact that the next Inauguration
Day will fall on Sunday recalls a
curious incident. when Zachary Tay-
| lOr was to be inaugurated president
in 1S49, the 4th of March fell on the
| Sabbath, and the General refused to
| be indicted into office on that day.
He did not take the oath of office
| until the ceremony of inauguration
was performed on the 5th of March.
At that time the law made the presi'
| dent pro tenn of the Senate in line
for the presidency. in case there were
no President or Vice President. This
gave rise to the claim that David r.
Atchison, at that time president pro
TEN of the upper house of Congress,
| is entitled to recognition among the
! chief executives of the United States
as having been "Presdent for day
| 1t is declared that under the law
| AtchisOn became President of the
United States at noon of March 4,
1S49. and legally held that high office
until General Taylor was inaugurated
on the following day.
This "President for day was a
| native of FrogtOWn, Ky, and was a
senator from 1S41 to 1855. After his
brief term as President he became
Vice President of the United States,
following the death of William r.
King. This was another accidental
honor. President Taylor died in 1850
and Vice President Fillmore succeed.
ed him. while King became president
of the Senate and acting Vice Presi
dent The latter was elected Vice
| President in 1852, but died soon after
| his induction into Office, and Atchison
assumed the duties of the office The
| President for a day died fifty years
ago. but his name is commemOrated
by the Kansas city of Atchison.
The first Inauguration Day in the
! United States was celebrated on the
last day of April, 1889, when General
| Washington took the oath of office in
| Federal hail. New York City. where
| the first Congress held its sessions
Washington rode to the hall in a
coach of state, and was wildly cheer
ed as he passed through the streets
| The vicinity of the ancient hall was
| crowded with people, the New York
ers of that day having as great "a
fOndness for spectacle of any kind
as have those of today. Washington
took the oath of Office in balcony
overlooking the street. That ended
the formal ceremony, but the New
Workers made day and a night of it
Crowds of merrymakers filled the
streets and taverns until the small
hours of the following morning, in
toxicated with liberty and liquid bev
erages.