The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1895-01-11

notary ut Lansing, swear them In and
then let them wander at their sweet
VIII TO the state capitol and take pos
session. Last year n tritie more cere-
mDny was observed. when Gov. Rich
and several state officers congregated
in the executive Office and were adj
miulatered the oath of Office in bunch.
But this year the spectacle was an UNI
n ual and impressive innovation.
Representative hall was the scene of
the ceremonies, and every available
space was filled by interested specta-
tar. Members of the legislature oc-
eupicd the chairs at each side of the
platform erected in front of the
speakers desk. and upon the platform
were Gov. Rich, Chief Justice McGrath,
Gen. Alger, president OF the day; eX-
Gov. Alpheus Felch, the elective state
officers, the governors staff, Senator
Patton, Representative Chamberlai n
and Joseph Belanger, French; Thco-
phile Francois, Belgian, and Herman
Freud, Colombian consuls at Detroit.
The hall had been made bright with
flags and flowers, and the scene was
still further enlivcned by the glittering
uniforms of the governors staff and
the foreign consuls and the costumes
of the ladies who composed one-third
of the audience.
IL was o'clodx in the afternoon
when Gov. Rich and his retinue entered
the hall, and shortly after Gen. Alger
called the aSSemblage to order. He
referred TO the fact that never before
had any public ceremonies attended
the induction of the servants of the
people Of Michigan into Office, and said
. L.. II -,
was the impression upon the officers
that it was no light thing TO take oath
for the performance of the great duties
devOlying upon them. lie hoped not
only TO see the custom perpetuated
here, but to see the militia turn out in
the future TO add Il further glory to
the day. After congratulating the
governor, the other officers and the
people on the occasion, and on the
conditions under which they were
gathered together, he called upon Rev.
Clarence +. smith, of the First Con-
gregational.church, Lansing, to offer
prayer. A song by the Lansing Male
Quartet followed. Judge McGrath
then delivered splendid address.
which was listened TO with deep in
terest. Some of the best points in
~ dnbiNb 1hNpANtitN HtC(Ni WIFI do lOA-
lows:
Mr. President and Follow Citizens: IL Is
emlnently fitting that the officers elect OF this
great commonwealth be introduced into office.
not with pomp and extravagant ceremonial
but In public manner indicative OF public
concern in the administration OF the duties
assumed. These ofiicCrs-clect arc here not by
reason Of the accident or incident OF birth but
by virtue OF the suffrages of the people OF
great state. We come together as citizens of
great state with the sentiment YoX popull, vox
del, upon our lips, rendering 10 these officers
10 al That pertains 90 the administration OF the
Affairs of state our hearty cooperation.
We are not convened in spirit otcxultation
but rather In spirit OF exaltation. We
official function. These officers are to-day as
Stunning public trusts. They are not, Il is true.
90 administer affairs of the nation but 90 us,
these local affairs are vastly the more import
ant We are too apt 10 lose sight OF our own
provincial concerns. We cannot too often be
reminded OF our duty of local government, TO
the basic elements of Our national structure,
so the Integers OF our national entity. Our
public school system upon which rests in such
large measure our hope for the future, Is the
child and creIture of tho local entity, and we
should hesitate long before we substitute for
shat hope reliance upon measures which are
expressive only or public officers we demand
not mere perfuuctory discharge OF the dut .cs
but faithful discharge OF those duties in the
Interests OF tho pubic. The highest, largest
development OF n people must be sought for
under the purcst democracy. Equality is
equity tits dc Tocqueville who says that
ELECTED magistrates do not make the Amer
fean democracy flourish: IL tOurishcs because
she magistrates urc elective" Eternal vigil
Ianco Is stii tho price OF liberty. Within
every schoOlhousc, over which floats tho
American flag, should be written in letters OF
gold that truism. aud with IL should be taught,
% part OF the curriculum, the theory of
representative government and the duties OF
American citizenship
believe il WIS Dr. Parkhurst who said. in
substance, that II Is as much mans duty to
attend the primaries and TO vote on election
fuss aNN
pray. With us IL rs In the power of the people
10 correct whatever OF evil creeps into our
system OF government or exists under IL. The
panacea for those ills OF which complaint is
made Is individual activity in the direction OF
reform. and 6rst of all the reformation should
begin with ourselves Tho perpetutty of this
republic will not be seriously imperilcd until
either the great masses OF our people become
corrupt, or good citizens surrender their rights
and duties. Dtsreputable citizens are In the
minority in every community. and in every
party. III they have In any locality obtained
control IL has been with the active or passive
assent OF good citizens or those who profess
20 be such. who hold the actual power in their
hands. What our country needs is here and
there some sacrifice 10 public interests. some
time devoted to the plain but important duties
OF citizenship. This IL not party question. IL
rises higher than party. and appeals to our
patriotism. An eminent writer has snid. that
"A vote in peace Is like stroke in battle, and
none the less effective because IL is peaceful
and bloodless. The vote is not so much right,
but duty; ana TO prepare ourselves for giving
~ Is a duty also.
Our confidence in Republican institutions
should not be shaken by occasional resorts to
violence, or by here ana there an instance OF
political corruption or Official pcrtidy The
core OF the nation Is sound and firm. The
masses Of the people arc honest and law abid-
ing. The recent election in our own state has
demonstrated that the people commend and
uphold IN executive who has the fearessn ess
40 insist upon q complete and careful discharge
of public duties 10y the peoples servants; tho
moral stamina 60 rebukc negligence in Office,
and Sufficient courage aud regard for law and
order TO call into service the police power OF
the state. TO suppress riot and protect persons
and property from tho COnsc lucnces OF disre-
gard OF law. However much the people may
sympathiZe with wrongs growing out OF private
relations. the sentiment that RENTS parties "a
peaceful methods for the redress OF their
grievances, and condemns resort to violence
Is predominant The great heart OF the people
Is ght There may be moments when they
rush TO The larboard or starboard and endangcl
abe safety OF the ship of state, but they art
quick To discover the danger aud soon right the
ship.
Lot each OF us SO administer the affairs o'
our several trusts that the people will be re
inspired with confidence IN our institutions
and lot the fair namc OF our Michigan so free
from blot or stain, again stand as the synonym
for faithfulncss and integrity In Official station
One by ono the candidates wer,
sworn in, the governor first. In firm
emphatic tone of voice the governor
repeated the words slowly after tn,
chief Justice, IL was the general yer
diet that his cxcDlIoncv apDearcd IL