The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-03
A Model State Paper.

Colonel Roosevelt's inaugural address
as delivered at Albany yesterday is
worthy TO be ranked among the great
state papers Of the century. 1t is brief,
it is plain and it is sound TO the core
in its philosophy as to what should con-
stitute acceptable public service When
one has read it one has sufficient
political creed for every probable
emergency. Here 1t is:
"A very heavy responsibility rests
upon the governor of New York state,
a state of seven millions of inhabitants,
of great wealth. of widely varied indus
tries and with a population singularly
diversified, not merely in occupation,
but in race origin. i'm habits of life, in
ways Of thought 1t is not an easy task
80 to frame our laws that justice may
be done to all alike in such a popula-
ton, so many of whom have interests
that seem entirely antagonistic. But
upon the great and fundamental issues
Of good government there must always
be unity of interest among all per-
sons who wish well to the common
genius or of any special briliancy in
the administration of our government
than there is neeC of such homely vir-
tues and qualities as common sense,
honesty and courage There are very
many difficult problems to face, some
Of which are as old as government
itself, while others have sprung into
being in consequence of the growing
cOmplexity and steadily increasing ten
sion of our social life for the last two
generations. 1t is not given to any man
or to any set of men, to see with abso-
lutely clear vision into the future. All
that can be done is to face the facts as
we find them, to meet each difficulty in
practical fashion and to strive steadily
for the betterment both of our civic
and our social conditions.
I'VE must realize on the one hand.
that we can do little if we do not set
ourselves a high IDEAL and, on the 9TH
even this little if we do not work
through practical methods and with a
readiness to face life as 1t Is, and not
as we think it ought to be. Under no
form of government is it so necessary
thus to combine efficiency and moral
ity, high principle and rough common
sense, justice and the sturdiest physi-
cal and moral courage, as in repub-
lie. 1t is absolutely impossible for q
republic long to endure if it becomes
either corrupt or cowardly; if it's pub
lie men, no less than its private men.
lose the Indispensable virtue of hon
esty; if its leaders of thought become
visionary doctrinaires, or if it shows n
lack of courage in dealing with the
many grave problems which it must
surely face, both at homo and abroad,
as it strives to work out the destiny
meet for mighty nation.
1T is only through the party system
that free governments are now success
fully carried on, and yet we must keep
ever wildly before us that the useful
ness of a party is strictly limited by
its usefulness to the state, and that in
the long run, he serves his party best
who most helps to make it instantly
responsive to every need of the peo-
pie and to the highest demands of that
spirit which tends to drive us onward
and upward
In essence, this means high ideal
and common sense. The world is not
made by dreamers but by workers, men
who go through dirt if duty requires it
and care more for the result than for
the method. What splendid opportuni-
ties for usefulness and distinction ara
now opening in this country for men
who, like Theodore Roosevelt, have
such homely qualities as common
sense, honesty and COURAGE"