Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-01-12
GOVERNOR VIM. J. STONE.
His Inauguration Largely Attended
An Extract rom His In
augnral Address.

Monday, January 8. The Senate
and House met in joint session
promptly at 1 AS. The proceedings
were simple but very impressive.
Governor Francis the retiring execu-
tive, walked arm in arm with the
new Governor to the Legislative
Hall and were preceded by a special
committee from the House and
Senate.
GOVERNOR STONES INAUGURAL.
The hall of the House was pack
ed to the limit, and from the senate
chamber to the House hundreds
crowded and pushed in the attempt
to get a peep into the hall.
The oath was administered by
the chief justice in the usual form
and then Governor Stone began his
inaugural address. 1t was a short,
concise speech. Among other things,
he said:
As an independent and co-ordl-
nate department Of the State govern
ment, elected to your high office by
the same constituency which has
commissioned me, with great powers
con6ded to you to be employed in
de~pendently, and yet for the general
good, in patriotic cooperation with
those designated by the people to
exercise the functions and powers of
other departments, [ greet you.
l shall not on this occasion dis
cuss in detail, or with adequate sug-
gestion even, any question of leg
islative or administrative policy. Ii,
during the progress of your ensuing
session, 1 shall at any time deem it
important to advise with you upon
any particular subject of public
interest | will do so by special COM
m~unication.
| am content now to express the
hope, which l devoutly cherish, that
all of US who are to be associated in
the administration this day inaugur-
ated, may, without regard to party
opinion or affinity, be always in
spired by sentiments of elevated
patriotism, and, SO far as may be
possible, act in harmonious concert
with the sole purpose of advancing
the state and of being useful to the
great people who have honored and
entrusted us. In practical admin
istration we should exercise sim
plicity without boorishness economy
without parslmony, courage without
audacity, candor without gush, di-
plomacy without deception publicity
without indiscretion, and patriotism
without pretense. In other words
we should practice what We preach.
ADVICE TO THE LEGISLATORS.
Public office is a public trust; but
they are trusts which should not be
multiplied or continued except to
meet some imperative public de-
mand, and should always be adj
ministered with the most discrimi-
mating and exacting fidelity. Not a
farthing of public money should be
expended which is not essential to
the public welfare, but whatever is
necessary for the development and
expansion of the state and the pro-
motion of the general good should
be promptly appropriated. Public
expenditures should be made with
studied economy and absolute in
tegrity and yet we should take large
! and progressive views of all ques-
tons, so that this great state Of ours
may not be impeded in her onward
march to hat imperial supre macy
which lies before her.
We should remember that we
are but the representatives of the
people; that the powers We are
about to exercise have been COM
mitted to US as a matter of conf
dence and trust by those thousands
still occupied in the fields, and
shops, and counting rooms of the
state; that the business we are
commissioned to transact is then
business. This is a government Of
the people and we are but their
agents. They have a right to be in
formed at all times as to the state
and condition of their public affairs.
There is little legitimate occasion
for public officials to lock up their
public secrets and exclude the peo-
pie from their confidence. The peo-
pie are justly suspicious of secrets,
and they will resent any trick or de.
eeption imposed upon them. l be,
lieve, therefore, in dealing openly
and frankly with the people of the
state, relying confidently upon them
to second and approve any effort we
may make to carry the state along
the pathway of a higher and noble,
development.
IMPRESSED WITH HIS DUTIES.
If we shall approach III duties
and discharge them in this spirit, ]
am sure the public expectation with
regard to us will not be wholly dis,
appointed, and we can hope to add
something of value to the splendid
a~chieyanarta wrought ont by the