Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-03-16
HARRlSON'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS
Iopscs That intercst tho Counirv.
Large are Briefly AID Conc,seIy
ireated-The Address Delivered
In q Dpwnpuuring Ham.
PRESIDENT uARRrsoS's nnpre

III DDWnpuuriDE italu.
PRESIDENT HARRISON ADDRESS.
WASHINGTON, March At 1925
the president elect reached the TEN.
porary platform at the east of the cap
itoi and promptly began reading his in
augural address, us follows:
A MUTUAL COVENANT.
There is no constitutional or legal re-
quirenent that the president shall take the
oath OF office in the presence of the people.
out there is SO manifest an Appropriateness
LII a publlc induction TO the Office of chief
executive officer of the nation that from the
beginning of the government the people, to
whose service the official oath consecrates
the officer, have been called to witness the
solemn ceremonial. An oath taken in
the presence OF the people becomes mutual
covenant; the officer covenants to serve the
whole body of the people by a faithful exc
cutlon of the laws, SO that they may be the
unfalling defense and security of those who
respect and observe them. and that neither
wealth, station nor power of combinations
shall be able 10 eyade their Just penalties or
TO wrest them from q benefcient public
purpose, to serve ends o. cruelty Or selfish
ness. My promise is spoken, yours
~unspoken, but not the less real and
solemn. The people of every state
have hero their representatives; surely
l do not misinterpret the spirit Of
the occasion when l assume that the whole
body OF the people covenant with me and
with each other to-day to support and de-
fend the constitution and union of the
states, to yield willing obedience to all
laws, and each to every other citizen his
equal civil and political rights. Entering
thus solemnly into covenant with each other
we may reyerently invoke and confidently
expect the favor and help Of Almighty God
that he Will give 10 me wisdom, strength
and fidelity, and To our people the spirit Of
fraternity and love of righteousness and
peace.
This occasion
DERIVES PECULIAR
from the fact that the presidential term
which begins this day is the twenty sixth
under our constitution. The first Inaugural
ton of President Washington took place in
New York, where congress then was sitting,
or the 30th day of April, 1888,
having been deferred by reason
of delays IN amending the organiza-
ton of congress and the canvass of the
electoral vote. Our people have already
worthily observed the c~entennials Of tho
declaration Of Independence, of the battle
Of Yorktown and the adoption Of the consti-
tuition, and will shortly celebrate in New
York the institution of the second great de-
partment of our constitution, the scheme
of government. When the centennial of
the constitution of the judicial department
by the organization of the supreme court
shall have been suitably observed, as ] trust
it will be, our nation will have fully entered
its second century.
will not attempt to note the marvellous
and in a great part happy contrasts between
our country as 1t steps over the threshold
into its second century of organized exist
ence under the constitution. and that weak
but wisely ordered young nation that looked
undauntedly down the first century, when
Gil its years stretched out before il. Our
people will not fail at this time to recall the
incidents which accompanied the institution
of the government under the constitution, or
find inspiration and guidance in the teach
ings and example of Washington and his
great associates. and find hope and courage
in tho contrast which thirty eight populous
and prosperous states offer TO thirteen
states, weak in everything except courage
and the love of liberty, that then fringed on
our Atlantic seaboard. The territory of
Dakota has now a population greater than
any of the original states Except Virginia),
and greater than the aggregate of tive of the
smaller states in 1870.
THE CENTER OF POPULATION
west of our national capital rs then located
was east of Baltimore, and ii was argued by
many well Informed persons that il would
be moved eastward rather than westward.
Yet in 1880 it was found to be near Cincin-
natl, md the new census about 10 be taken
viii show another stride 10 the westward.
That which was tho body has come to be
only the rich fringe OF the nation robe.
But our growth has not been limited to
territory, population and aggregate wealth,
marvellous rs il has been in each OF these
directions. The masses of Our people are
better fed, clothed and housed than their
I'm M Iaa,1eEs4A g. A-.I.-
education have been vastly enlarged and
moro generally diifused. The virtues of
courage and patriotism have given recent
proof OF their continued presence and IN
creGSing power in the hearts and over the
lives of our people. The influences OF re-
lieion have been multiplied and strength
ened, the sweet Offices of charity have
greatly increased, and the virtue of temper
ance is held III higher estimation. We have
not attained the ideal condition. Not all of
our people are happy and prosperous; not
al of them virtGous and law abiding. but on
the whole the opportunities offered to tho
individual to secure the conf orts of life are
better than are found elsewhere, and larg ely
better than they were here 100 years ago.
]RoTECTIo TO AMERICAN INDUSTRIES.
The surrender of n large measure Of SOW
ereignty to the general government, effected
by the adoption OF the constitution, was not
accomplished until the suggestions OF
reason were strongly reinforced by the more
imperative voice of experience. The d.
vergent interests of peace speedily demanded
q more perfect union. The merchant, the
shipmaster and the manufacture discovered
and disclosed to our statesmen and TO the
people that commercial emancipation must
be added to the political freedom which had
been so bravely won. The commercial pol
lev of the mother country had no. relaxed
any of it's hard and oppressive features to
hold in check,the development OF our COM
mercial marine, to prevent or retard the es-
Establishment and growth of manufacturers in
the states, and SO to secure an American
market for their ships and n carrying trade
for their ships was the policy of European
statesmen and was pursued with a
most selfish vigor. Petitions poured
In upon congress urging the imposition
of discriminating duties that should
encourage toe production of needed things
at home. The patriotism Of tho people,
which no longer found q field for exercise III
war, was theoretically directed to the duty
of e%quipping the young republic for the de-
tense of IT'S independence by making its
people self dependent. Societies tor the
promotion of home manufacturers and for
encouraging the use of domestios in the
OF the states. The revival ut the end of the
century of the same patriotic interest IN the
preservation and development of domestic
industries and the defense OF our working
people against injurious foreign competl-
ton ia an incident worthy of attention. 1t
is not a departure but n return that We have
Hl HI H..