The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-03-05


people Rt an early hour, and every
where the national emblem was in evil
dence. In and about the hotel Run
ner where GOVERNOR elect Atkinson
and his stan were Quartered, there was
hustle all morning. The big lobby was
packed and the new governor was be-
sieged by admirtng friends, many Of
whom were shaking hands with him
for the first time since election.
The March to the Capitol.
At 1880 the Elkins Club, OF Wheel
Ing, headed by the bugle and drum
corps Of twenty men, marched from
the local headquarters to the hotel and
escorted the goVernor-elect and his
stan. the members Of the latter all be-
ing IN full uniform and wearing the
insignia OF their rank, to the state
house. Mr.. Atkinson occupied an open
carriage drawn by four bay horses. In
the carriage with him were his three
daughters, Misses Bessie. Florence and
Nellie, and Secretary OF State w. n.
o. Dawson. Following were a half q
dozen carriages containing the mem-
bers Of the staff In uniform, and sew
eral distinguished citizens. In the first
were Adjutant General j. W. N. APP
pletOn Surgeon General Meyers and
Colonel and Mrs. Morris Horkheimer
Colonel Frank J. Hearne, Colonel
Gould, Colonel ElkIns and Colonel Hew-
lit occupied another carriage. The es-
cort was led by Charley HenninE. of
Wheeling, who gracefully bestrode a
handsome horse, which he afterwards
declared was a dandy" because Il
allowed him to remain on It's back
until the capitol was reached. The es-
cort marched down Capital street,both
sides Of which were densely packed
with people. to the state house, where
the Elkins Club opened order and sa-
luted the distinguished occupants oe
the carriages, as they were driven
through the line to the entrance. The
GoVernor-t0-be and staf were con-
Quoted TO the reception room, where
they were cordially greeted by Gov
ernor MacCorkle, who Immediately an
nounced that the hour of twelve O'Clock
having arrived, the party would pro-
coed to the portico of the capitol for
the Inaugural ceremonies, The process
sion filed out, and the governor and
his successor took their station In
front. the stan officers of tho new gov
ernor surrounding them and presenting
4 brilliant spectacle
At 1902, two minutes after Governor
MacCorkle's term had expired, Rev. DR..
A. B. Riker, OF the Methodist Episcopal
church. offered an eloquent prayer. after
WHICH AuOftTHOE udNNblAlG bAEpgG0 "
the front and spoke as follows, being
loudly cheered at the conclusion:
Retiring Governors Graceful spesch.
My Fellow Countrymen:-Four years
ago when assumed the high position of
the governorshIp I promised you that I
would give to the duties Of this office my
whole energies, and that I would do all In
my power 10 upbuild the state OF West
Virginia. Whether or not have sue
ceeded in carrying out my promise to
the people Is for you to judge. All can
say IS that have earnestly devoted four
of the best years OF my life to the service
of the state. When / look back feel
that the sacrifice OF these years has not
been In vain, for no state Will more GER
talhly and surely afford to her servants
the reward OF honest and vigorous efforts
In her behalf. Her magnificent valleys
are opened to commerce, her splendid
cities are bustlinS with commercial lie,
her fruitful soil Is teemlng with plenty
and every sectio1 is pervaded with un-
precedented PE0sp peT!ty.
To-day marks an era In the history OF
the state. 1t is not merely the succession
of one constitutional executive by an
other, hut the party, which for twenty
five years has held the relnS OF govern
ment, gives away in the control OF the
state to It's competitor Believing as l
do, earnestly and honestly in the tenetl
uf the Democratic party. naturally
would have preferred to see Democar-
tic succession; but the people Know bet
ter than individuals, and representing
my party, bow to the Will OF the ma
jorlty.
II is a great pleasure to me, the retir-
ing executive, that can deliver the ex-
ecutive chair to one in every sense
worthy to fill it. He Is a vigorous poll
tIcian, yet without public reproAch; =
hard campalgner, yet with no bitterness;
holding, earnestly to the doctrines Of the
Republican party, yet believe he Will be
the governor Of the whole people, and not
merely the head of a faction. Rejoicing
personally with my friend in his victory,
and hoping that his administration may
be successful and pleasing to himself. AZ
we'll as great benefit to the state, have
now the pleasure OF introducing to the
people my worthy successor, my warm
friend, the Governor-elect Of West Viz
vinia the Honorable George Wesley At
klnSon."
AS Governor Atkinson stepped forward
he was the recipient OF splendid oVa-
tIon from the vast crowd which packed
the state house grounds and extended TAR
beyond its limits. When the cheering
SuDSlQtu utllNNAN0 49, -
dress, as follows:
Governor AtIGInsOm'H Address,
Fellow Citizens of West VlrSinia;-'To
the political party to which have the
honor TO belong. and trust to all the
people OF our state, this Is en- auspicious
occasion. For twenty-slN years the
Democratic party has had exclusive con-
troll Of aur state government. In 2 re.
public It IS not best that any polltleal
party should be kept In power too long.
/ do not mean 70 convey the idea tnas
continued power necessarily brings
about dishonesty In the management OF
public affairs: but do mean to say thAt
any party, when too long In authority.
NECESSARILY becomes opinlonated, and
drops into rutS from which 1t cannot cas-
ily eStrlcate itself. To get Into the
habit OF thinking only in one particular
channel, OF acting one way, ana dolnR
everything in the selfsame manner "
disastrous to any Individual, or class OF
individuals, and To u OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
or natiOnal--as well. .A.,..
A government Is simply an aggregation
Of individuals, and whatever anectS an
Individual citizen affects the government
IN the same manner and in the same de-
gree. Running In grooves VIII STUNT
Iossillze and necessarily render any IN.
dIyEtIual lopsIlsd. The same is true OF
any Organized body OF men, and OF
state also. a lopsidcd, one.ideaded man
Is by no means an ideal cltlZeh, even "
he Is not dangerous to the pubic Weail
and Tho same Is true OF a lopslded polite
coI marry Hence [ say-and 1 do not de.
sire IA be considered as rejecting upon
our Democratic friends, who, for more
thon n quarter of a century, nave hRu
cyrIugivS control OF our STATE govern