Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-01-15

O'Clock y1rgYT Zw
morning, and accom-. WTTT|fse9G
panying by each o. N/y
these gentlemen were
usual ly one or more la GOVERNOR FIFER
dies The committee had caused 200 tickets to
be issued, but before 30 o'clock nearly
every one of these had been taken up, and
still the crowd kept pouring in.
Promptly at 45 the speaker raped the
house to order and the divine blessing was
invoked by the chaplain
Suddenly the huge portals OF the main en-
trance swung back and stentorian voice
exclaimed Mr. Speaker, the honorable,
the senate" One hundred and fifty three
members OF the house arose simultaneously
to their feet aud remained standing while
the senator's. head, d 10y Lieutenant Governor
Smith, filed in aud took their seats in the
little semi-crcle surrounding the front of
the speakers stand Then came the governor
and the state oiflcerselect who received
great applause; then the supreme court, and
ut 2:I0 p. m. silence secured while the
governor-elect was duly sworn into Office
followed by the other new officers The
governor-elect aud all the others were
cheered To the echo and when silence had
again fallen on the assemblage the new ex-
ecutive steppad forward and delivered his
inaugural address
Governor Fifer first declared his sense
of the honor to him involved in his
selection by the people for the high
office Of governor, and asks the active
aid and sympathy Of all well disposed citizens 10
the end that he may successfully discharge his
duties He referred in a complimentary manner
to his predecessor in the executive chair aud to
the late governors public services both in mill
tary aud civil positions. and closed the reference
as follows: Retiring voluntarily from the scenes
of his public lahnrs and truuphs he goas fromrIs
crowned with honorS and followed by the graft
tude and affection OF his fellow-citizeus"
Continuing he congratulates the country ON the
good feeling prevailing Notwithstanding the. re-
cent close of heated national camnaign and
then refers 10 the necessity Of pure ballot in a
free country. The consequences of ordinary
crime. he says, are generally confined To a few
victims but crimes against fair and free vote
are widespread In their effects Referring to
bribary at elections, he recommends tat tine
briber as well rs the one hribed be punished and
declares the former the most guilty. and should
De the one whose escape of penalty should be
most effectually guarded against
The labor question l. treated at length and IL
Is declared the duty of government TO particu-
larry care for those who make their living by
toll The true ends of government are Subverted
when the law is made an instrument in the hands
or wealth 10 strike down the rights Of labor
The real question he saws is not whethe~ the cor
dition of tue laborer here is better than under
the political and industrial ssspotisms of Europe
but is that condition a. good as il can be made
without doing injustice 10 any other class or in
terest of society
One OF the highest functions Of government the
governor saws is to keep the peace among the
people, and against force and lawlessneSS OF all
kinds He therefore approves of the law passed
by the last legislature prohibiting the employ
ment Of Pnkertou detectives to take the place of
the constituted authorities. He urges additional
enactments Ia behalf Of the working people
such as laws regulating the construction and
sanitation of factory buildings, the roper pro-
vision in mines of appliances and methods of
operation that will reduce 10 a minimum the
chances for loss Of health and life; the securing
TO miners of a fair system of calculating the
worth of their labor by providing a proper and
equitable ruis as TO screening the coal and
a rigid control of the question OF foreign labor,
by which the importation of cheap workmen
may be stopped To this end he advocates the
enactment by the general government of law
that none but citizens or those intending TO be
come such shall be employed on government
works. He also advocates a system of arbtra.
tion to settle labor disputes with capital.
The estimated value of school property In this
state is put at S2 900 COO and the school expendi
lures for year at Sl1 900 900 of which So 700 900
was paid TO teachers, and he urges the greatest
care that this vast sum be spent in such manner
to produce the greatest amount of good to the
state; and one suggestion to this end is that
teachers he required to attain higher standard
OF knowledge Of their profession The schools
should keep pace with the times. The normal
schools are complimented as institutions that are
agencies in this direction, which doing great
good.
The compulsory education law of the Thirty
third general assembly he says. has not been en-
forced although IL has hppn n the al inf
since July. 1883 II Is either good or IA bad law;
II good II should be enforced, and If bad repealed.
The hest means of determining the value of a law
IL to enforce it. He therefore, recommends that
il be made the duty of some one in each school
district TO see that the law is observed Ignor-
ance and its attendant evils-poverty and crime
constitute the real danger to free institutions
The masses must be educated, and that large and
rapidly increasing foreign element must be as
simulated and Americanized, and our public
schools the most effective agencies for the ac
complishment of these desirable objects.
No one who diScerns Alright the signs Of the
times fail to realize that another great battle
is to be fought out on this continent. II is not
to be a war of blOodshed fought with shot and
she'll but a war of ideas. war of law and
order against lawessness and disorder of moral
ity against immora lily, Of religion against IRE
ligion and If tn men and the women who are TO
come after us are intelligent and brave and
strong the battle will be won. but II they are
ignorant and vicious the battle will be lost and
the decline OF the republic will have begun.
The address was frequently applauded,
and when IL was concluded the cheers were
deafening, as we're, shortly afterward, the
cries for Ex-Governor Oglesby, which swelled
into a roar until "Uncle Dick" was COM
PEELED to come to the front and speak few
words of farewell He said the station to
which he had been just chosen did not re-
Quire the administration of an oath. He had
experienced the ordeal that the other gov
ernors had.
This morning the sun rose upon a live governor
lputting his hand on his breast, n major general
at least, because the commander. in-chief Of all
the militia in the state, but that governor, that
commander In. chief Is no more. Our distinguished
fellow citizen turning TO Governor Fiferl, to you
who are governor-elect no more but governor In
fact, make my first bow. Prolonged applause].
Thai governor. major general, commander-in.
chief, who welcomed with tolerabe willing coun-
tenance the rising sun, changes places with the
private soldier. Applause
The ex-governor closed with a few refiec-
tons on the responsibility that "hedges
about" a governor, and the tender OF his
best wishes to the new incumbent Of the
Office.
Last night crowded reception was held
at the executive mansion and thousands of
ladies and gentlemen from this city and all
parts OF the state passed into the mansion
to pay their respects to the new governor
and his wife. Ex-Governor Oglesby and
family left the city last evening for tour of
the south.
THE HOOSlER EXECUTIVE.