The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-04-26

oouy 70 tne Lower House TO witness
the Inauguration Of Governor Coke ant
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Hubbard. Tn,
hall was packed with large and fash
ionable audience. The oath OF ot,,o,
having been administered by she Chic
Justice, Governor Coke delivered In,
oil owing inaugural address, which was
istened TO with eager attention lby
every member and person present and
at Its close received with rounds ofap
plause;
GOVERNORS INAUGURAL. Address,
fehotg-citilens and geatIemen QfUhe legislature,
Alter years OF trial and struggle, the people
OF Texas have NJ length inangurated a gov.
ernmont mado In all IT'S parts by themsolyes.
It's mults and errors, as well AZ Its blessings.
have no uncertain paternity. The highest
exercises 0fsovereign powor OF which State
IN the American Union Is capable, IL thai
through which the people OF Texas have
| swept out OF existence the old government
and erected In Its stead that which to.d
has been put In operation In all It's depart.
ments. Thus has great revolution been nc
complished without violence or disorder,
and with no other conflict than the attrltion
or opposing opinions IN the fle.d OF nrgu.
ment anu discussion, preparatory TO the
grand arbitrament OF the peaceful ballot
Free discussion, by press and people, and
free ballot, have eliminated from The aggre.
gate mass OF popular sentiment and opinion.
the sovereign Will Of the people, and given
u expression In the new instrument OF fun
damental law under which we are now as
sembled, This IL the sixth time In the his
tory OF Texas that this sovereign right has
been exercised. The constitution OF 1895, the
work OF the fathers OF the Republic, OF the
heroic age OF Texas, OF the men who barred
OF the right Of local self-government ana by
their wisdom In council and yalor In the
field achieved the Independence OF Texas
that OF 1875, whiclLlnerged the glorious Lone
star Of the Republic In the constellation OF
the American Union the constitution of
1861, DO n amid the mutterng thundes
which presaged the coming OF the great civil
war, and expiring In 1855, under the heel of
the conquerer; that OF 1865, rudely thrust
aside and ignored under the reconstruction
1870, Just superseded. In all these, In the 70.
specti We periods OF their adoption and EN-.
forcement, represented the VIII of the peo-
pie AZ nodded and fixed by the circum-
stances surrounding them, and In turn have
been discarded, as changed conditions OF
State and society have required correspond.
Ing changes OF government. A comparison
OF these Instruments OF organic law with the
last expression OF the popular will, now
about being enforced, Will furnish another
exempliheation OF the great truth, that
change is the one memorable condition of all
human governments. There must be growth
and advancement, or retrogession and de-
cay. Government can no more be stations
airy than can society, or the members OF
which II IL composed. The constitutions OF
governments In the American States have
until q few years past been mere outlines
and landmarks, and declarations of prlnci-
N al l..at .anl
details of the structure 70 be nodded and
altered, amended, or abolished, as
time OF cotemp0raneous circumstances
might require. In the more recently framed
State constitutions we plainly see wide de-
parture from the beaten track OF coEBtitu-
tional structure, and In none OF them Is this
more apparent than In the new Constitution
Of Texas.
The accepted theory OF American constitu-
lional government Is, that state constitu-
grants OF power, and asa general rule, not
without Its exceptions, that powers not pro-
hibited exist In the State Government.
Hence, express prohibitions are necessary
upon the powers the people would withhold
from the State Government, and rs time and
and experience suggest their
wisdom, these restrictions upon the powers
Of government have multiplied In the more
created instruments of fundament-
al law. Many causes have conspired to pro-
iuce these great changes eff constitutional
theory, and prominent among them are the
enormous amounts of capital concentrated
In q few hands, operating under charters
which perpetuates Its power; Immense rail-
road systems, which drive off competition
and mon0polize the carrying trade OF the
the wonderful growth OF towns and
cities, whose immediate local governments
subject to abuses and malign In
iiuence, general extravaganza and frequent
Of all departments OF govern
ment, OF late years, becoming 80 alarming
all producing results which necessitate a
clearer definition' and closer guardianship
lection, constitutional barrier not demanded
by the conditions OF society quarter OF
Steam and electricity, Invention and en-
terprise have wrought such changes in the
conditions surrounding the country, have
pushed It's wealth and progress forward with
such rapidity; have diversified Its Industries
and enlarged Its interests to such an extent,
that government must expand 10 embrace
within Its regulating control the vast and
inharmonious relations which
have been created, and while protecting
them In their commerce with each other,
must protect the public Interest against
them all. In doing this the result has been
the formation OF instruments OF organic law
more yoluminous, more detailed, contain
ing more numerous limitations, and assert
ing, for the protection OF the people, more
extensive powers in the government than
did constitutions OF the olden time: instead
of being obnoxious TO the change Oh descend
ing into the details OF legislation, mace
against constitutions, thus departing rom
the old standard, these instruments simply
respond TO the demands OF the times ana
the exigencies OF the state. Iney are Keep,
ing pace with the progress OF society, ana
conforming TO Its conditions-meeting the
Attacks upon the rights OF the public, whlcn,
in the grow III and diversifcation OF Interests,
each struggling for liz own advancement NJ
<s~fa ALL atl QF
inc made. The Constitu'io OF Texas OF
III, and 1916 did not more fully represent the
demands OF the country-the requirements
and exigencies of these -perisds-than does
our Cor stitution amended ~ pupic sohti,
ment already demands IL snail oe' 'hose vi
1879. ,,,,r~o,s,, ,ta
vas,lt nj issues made In the politics or the
Staie' in the halls of legislation, and IN the
nrinary Assem- blies OF the people during tne
nsi decade. and we nee faithfully. reflected
in ,ts retrictions upon powers OF Govern
~ ami a. in its assertion OF powerr. Tne uan
gars Of the past, a recurrence OF Wmlch ars 80
we'll provided against In future. me ihs,ru-
' wen pn1ssent in its fundamental and lead.
ins Failures. basis on which 6overnment
,ns :. No reared, eminently conservative q
ali ihe purposes for which government u
Instituted and adapted 20 sounu aho
healthy growth and aeveiopin rna re az s
81, ,rs.s,rietlys; But when such Is the case
w arr,r N on the safe side, and whiie TEN
norarilv Inconvenience may enSus, Nv ~. ~
pp,anant injury will result. On oil questions
OF principle eectlne sne erea Of h. proysions
!. consnicuous. In portions OF Us eumin ~,
.ativa machinery, however, nre 70 % ,vu III
defects which II Is believed, WI. ~.
efficiancy Of the Government IN ~ = ~ the
0pe,taa ron.,res shall at once be remedieo.
51,ssss, .s,a ~ reshold OF the first admlnistIa