Mexico weekly ledger., 1897-01-21
MISSOURI'S NEW GOVERNOR.
A Portion of the Chief Executives
Inaugural Address-A Sensible
Business Document.

supreme court administered the
oath. In part Governor Stephens
said:
Senators and Representatives:
Having been called be a majority
of the electors of Missouri to the
chief executive Office of the state, /
come now to assume the high trust
committed to my hands. I hope l
am duly sensible of the weighty re-
sponslbilities imposed upon me by
the position to which l have been
assigned through the favor of my
countrymen. My great desire is to
render some substantial service to
the state, and / shall strive to so adj
minister the duties of my Office as to
promote the happiness and prosper
ity of the people and to contribute
something to the advancement and
glory of the commonwealth. Ishall
not wish to make brilliant or start
ling innovations. The best results
in practical government can be at
tanned only by the strict maintenance
of public order, by wise economy in
expenditures, and by exercising the
most exacting integrity in the dis
charge of public duty. Along these
lines it shall be my constant en-
deavor to conduct the affairs of the
state. That I shall encounter diff
culties and embarrassments in the
progress of my work is perhaps in
evitable, and that / shall make mis-
takes is almost certain, butinvoking
the Divine Master to guide me, and
inspired by a resolute purpose and
a patriotic desire to do my duty
without fear or favor, l shall hope
to SO perform my task-impartially,
justly, honorably-as to merit the
approval Of the people.
IMPORTANT WORE TO DO.
There is important work to do and
1 hope it will be done in a business
way. My chief ambition is to make
this administration distinctly a bus
ness administration, and I pray you
to make this legislature in the strict
est sense a business legislature.
Too much expedition is not to be
recommended, but we must not for
get that the session is limited to 20
days at a per diem sufficient to pay
the actual expenses of those in at
tendance. We should proceed jul
diciously and deliberately. We
should not act until we fully COM
prehend each given situation and
thoroughly understand the force and
effect of what we propose to do.
While all this is but the part of
prudence, my experience of several
years at the capital convinces me
that it is too often the case that the
first few weeks of the legislative
session are practically wasted. 1t
not infrequently happens that half
the session expires before the gen.
eral assembly begins in earnest to
take up the work it has to do. These
delays, so frequently prolonged with |
out apparent reason, result in post
the important work of the
body until near the close of the ses-
sion, when members, having grown
weary and impatient, become anx-
ious to return to their homes and
private affairs. The legislature is
then in poor condition to transact
business with the intelligent and de-
liberate care that should character
ize the proceedings of such a body.
This condition results inevitably in
great confusion, when not only are
apt to be made and the
most important matters neglected,
but it furnishes an opportunity for
the scheming lobbyist to score his
Partisanship should be moderated,
if not suppressed, and unseeming
strife should be avoided. Guided
by patriotism and common sense,
we should goforward with our work
like practical men, moving with
dignity, courage and confidence.
Let us not strive to see how many
laws we al pass, but rather en-
deavor to prove how good we can
make our legislation. Let us first
take up those matters of the great
est moment and of the most impos-
ing import, and, by cooperation,
labor to accomplish results as nearly
satisfactory as possible.
You are already informed by the
message of Governor Stone that at
the very threshold of the ensuing
biennial period we r confronted
with a fiscal condition that may
prove embarrassing unless we pro-
coed with the greatest care and de-
wise some remedy to relieve the sit
uation. During the last two years
the outgoing administration has
been hard pressed to make the rev.
enue collected meet the demands
created by the last appropriations.
1t is a subject with which l am toll
erably familiar by 8 of my |
connection with the treasury, and
it is sufficient for me to say that I
indorse the observations and rec
concentrations made by the COVER
nor. This is a matter to which we