The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1889-01-31
Gov. TaxlOr,s Inaugural Address.

Uy MT Op6ukOr GcaI auu as hC StSPPVu |
forward to reply was greeted with
storm Of applause.
The Governor said;
Gentlemen OF the General Assembly, |
Friends and Fellow. Citizens: Called |
to preside over the destinies OF this
great State at an age when judgment
was not quite ripe with experience in
public affairs, l stood two years ago In |
this place to DO clothed with executive
power and pledged my purpose to be
guided in its exercise solely by the in
terests Of all the people.
/ am here to-day to resume that
trust. Under the guidance and care
OF Divine Providence our Common.
wealth has advanced and 10 still ad.
vancing in material development and
the contented happiness that follows
in the wake of prosperity.
Our domestic peace and security in
the enjoyment Of life, liberty and pros.
perity and all the blessings of good
government call upon us as q people
to thank the God OF nations, whose
hand is extended TO perpetuate the
best government yet devised for man.
While other countries groan under
oppression, and individual freedom IL
crushed by the merciless hand Of arbi-
trary power, we are blessed with
Constitution which is a living guaran-
tee Oi all the rights that belong to free
men, made inalienable and perpetual
in every sacred line.
While other governments are sus-
tained by bayonets, ours stands as firm
as the eternal hills, upheld by the al.
tections OF the people.
With them one man absorbs all
sovereignty; with us every man is a
king.
You are assembled once more in
your Capitol to carry into effect an
other expression Of the peoples SOW
ereign will.
In other lands ouch an occasion
might witness the coronation of q
master To you it means the inau-
guration OF a servant In my admin
lstration OF the affairs of the Common
wealth l have kept the interests OF the
people in view, and l have tried faith
fully and impartially to execute the
laws.
In pursuing this course ! have had
to meet many obstacles, but with pa.
tience and lone.suifering have kept
my eye steadily upon the right, and |
have struggled and persisted in its
course, confidently believing that the
voice OF the people would silence the
oppositions that beset me.
To the people alone have held my.
self accountable Tor my official con-
duct, and to their command alone
have ever been willing obedient to
bow.
| Now, fellow-citizens, standing upon
the threshold OF another biennial cycle,
let US take council together concern
ing our country.
| All the elements OF wealth and hap
piness exist within our borders, and
they call for strong right arms and
balanced brains for their development
and utilization.
Whatever policies will achieve these
ends ought to be adopted, II we have
inexhaustable mines of coal and iron
: and zinc and marble, they ought to be
opened. II we lack in men and means
to open them, we ought to adopt lib
eral policy which will attract and in
yite capital and labor to our State.
Ii our educational facilities are in
adequate, we ought TO strive to devise
more ample means and methods.
, With these policies achieved, the
State will grow stronger in wealth, thu
people will wax more prosperous, {
higher order OF intelligence will pre-
! vail and the capacity both to achieve
! and to enjoy will be enlarged in arith
} metical ratio.
II our lands yield not to the utter
most we should seek to rob science o
the secret OF our failure, and to thi
end the rudiments "f scientific agri
culture should be incorporated in on
! common school curriculem.
!. Ii our farmers are robbed OF the fnl
q measure OF profit upon the product @
y their toll, the rapacity of trusts an
: combinations should be held in chec
!, by laws adequate to enable the Execu
n tive to call them to account.
!. The power Of the Executive is limit
u ed by the law as be inds il, aud
= would be more dangerous to the Stat
!, for him to usurp power even to d
good, in the face of the law, than fo
the evil itself to be suffered to wrea
4 its damage until the lawmakers hay
'e opportunity to amend the law until
=. remedy il found. II our prison syi
y tenn is defective either in the use {
convict labor, in insufficient metho
of reformation, in lack oi buildings I