Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-01-24
THE NEW EXECUTIVE.
Lyman q. Humphrey Installed as
Governor at Topeka
Ex-Governor Martins Introduction and
the New Governors Response-The His
torical Birth of the state Por-
tentious of Good.

for the occasion. The exercises began
with prayer by Rev. J. A Bright, of abb
lene. The retiring Governor was intro
duced and delivered brief address. He
said:
Mr.. Chairman, Lno ladies and gentlemen:
In O few brief moments ! shall cease TO be a
servant OF the people and resume my position
as an American sovereign. Grateful as I am
10 the citizens of Kansas, who have twice
honored me with IN election TO the highest
office within their gift shall surrender my
honors and authority without regrets and re
surne my old station among them with salts.
faction and pride. The post OF honor may not
be the private station. but after an expert
ence OF four years discharging the always
laborious and often perplezing and vexatious
duties Of the executive once, am sure the
private station Is the post Of real independence
and enjoyment The labors, troubles and trials
Of public service are not however, without
their compensation II the officers charged
with important public duties and anxious to
perform them with intelligence and fidelity, en-
counters on the one hand occasional examples
Of ingratitude, or meanness, or dishonesty, or is
Rssailed with unjust criticism OF undeserved
abuse, he is sure TO find, on the other, many
more examples OF ardent devotion TO public in
terests and OF sterling integrity as well as
grateful appreciation OF favors, disinterested
and generous support and sincere and whole
do not intend, however, 10 trespass on your
time or tax your patience by a discussion Of ex-
ecutive labors. yexations and policies. This
vast audience OF representatives and citizens is
assembled 10 salute the rising sun. NV part in
the ceremonies OF the occasion is simply 10
transfer TO my successor the responsibilities of
the Office now hold. 1 can congratulate him
on the fact that many OF the disturbing Ques-
tions with which / have had to deal have been
finally and conclUsively settled-that in the
1t6 organized counties OF the State no I'M
settled county seat contests will harass or
perpleX him: that the open saloon has been
banished from Kansas and that the conscience
and the Judgment or Il vast majority Of the
people approve its Punishment [applausel {;
that peace prevails throughout the borders OF
the commonwealth and that, standing at the
threshold OF his administration. honored with
the confidence 81 all the people OF the State.
and grit about with the hopes and prayers for
his success, he can confidently expect that their
support will sustain him TO the end. All
know that during the darkest years OF his
country's life he calamity anu Loyalty de-
Tended his flag; all know that his private life
has been as stainless as his courage during
those tr ing years was dauntless; all know
that with his whole heart he loved Kansas and
will labor 10 protect the interests and promote
the welfare q her people; all know that stain
upon any official act will wound him rs did the
bullets OF his country's foes. He can there
fore, am sure, rely upon the sympathy, the
confidence and the answering support of all
honest just ard intelligent people should his
actions as Chief Executive be assailed, as they
may be. by disappointed place-hunters or by
malicious and prejudiced political opponents,
or BIZ those who, conscious OF their own base
ness and depravity. delight in believing evil of
others and in defaming honored names and
stainless characters. My fellow citizens, il IS
gr,N-
you my successor, Lyman U. Humphrey.
He introduced his successor, Lyman q.
Humphrey, who delivered u brief address.
After few preliminary remarks, Mr..
Humphrey said:
Standing at the threshold OF a great public
trust, the very contemplation OF its RESPONSE
bilities Quickens a keen sense OF duty into
feeling OF self-consecration TO the unmeasured
task lying before me.
In estimating the importance OF the execu-
tive Office, as one Of the coordinate branches Of
government the growing greatness of our COM
monwealth can not be excluded from view so
rich in the hallowed memories that hang over
AMI about her early days; in the marvellous
strides that have carried her forward, whereby
she has overtaken eighteen OF her sisters and
vaulted into the fifteenth place in rank among
the States; and still richer in the boundless
possibilities OF the years that shall round out
the peflOQ OF the nineteenth century.
Kansas in her career thus far covers what
has been aptly characterized a focal period in
history, toward which the lines of progress have
converged. and beautifully eXemrlifes in her
present conditions The philosophy of De Tocqre
will. that the growth of States bears some marks
OF their origin; that the circumstances of their
birth and rise affect the whole term of their be-
ing. In Kansas this may be observed in the
liberal spirit OF her Jaws and in the genius Of
I, ,,,-s Z,
IDEAS that have dominated and propelled her
with the gathering momentum of a falling body.
In 4 word, the high social and moral plane and
the intelligent aspirations OF her people are
traceable in a marked degree to the law de-
claTeG by the great Frenchman. having
its root the influence OF the early
history and settlement OF the State
an influence and a force that runs
like golden thread throughout our later ex-
perience, at once charming, fascinating and yet
powerful 10 which Kansas owes more than has
ever been duly acknowledged. For free Kan
sas was but The first born child OF Republican
supremacy on American soil; the triumph OF an
idea; the idea of the pilgrim as against that OF
the cavalier: the idea OF the founders of Law
renee over the idea OF the settlers OF Lecomp-
ton II WAS this conflict OF ideas that made
''blec ling Kansas seem like the last effort OF
Divine Providence in behalf OF human liberty,
the history OF which has become cl ,ssic and
reads like an epic poem. and in which the early
settlers of Kansas, brave men and heroic
women. dared and endured for great princi-
pie. With lofty courage and sublime unset
fshneSs, little dreaming that they were
thereby to make the name OF Kansas
luminous q synonym for liberty and
progress. or la$ng the foundations
OF Il commonwealth whose subsequent
career and history should bear the impress Of
their character and courageous struggles. so
clearly reflected in every monument Of the
Kansas OF to-day But so it was. and the idea
which thus triumphed in free Kansas, and
the influences going out from our early settle
ment are n living. eecrgizing force in all our
moral. social and material progress. 1t has
beaten back the buffalo and the Indian in
blazing the pathway for a better civilizations
il has reclaimed q barren waste and made the
great American desert a fugitive and vasa-
bond on the fase OF the earth"-a just rebuke
TO those geogi aphers, OF VII m even Plutarch
speaks who crowd into the edges of their
maps parts of the world they know nothing
about adding notes in the margin that
beyond lies nothing but dreary wastes-sandy
deserts"
BY this force OF which speak have we even
reversed Buckles law that great wealth must
preoede the highest civilization; for in all that
constitutes true civilization. the liberty and ed
ucation of the masses against the classes, in
the elevation OF woman by the enlargement OF
her legal and political rights, in the recognition
of the dignity Of honest labor. in legislation re-
garding the sanctity OF the home, the purity Of
the ballot the health and morals OF the
people, in the application OF the rule of
1.-The greatest good to the greatest num-
ber." which Priesty declares to be the
foundation of morals and legislation
in all these Kansas presents the highest type
OF civilization ever seen in any State, among
any people, since civil government was insti-
Iuted among the sons Of men, (Applause.l Il
is a civilization at once unique and in advance
OF great wealth among our people. OF its own