Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1904-01-20
Gov. VARDAMAN'S
INAUGURAL. ADDRESS.

49, "a AAAAAA-aAKNaH AANaH N4AAMAAMN
&Ivered the following inaugural ad.
dress:
Ny Friends and Fello1 Citizens:
Called upon by the sovereign suf.
fragists to assume the duties and per-
form the functions Of chief executive
Of this commonwealth-absolute in its
constituted authority-an fndestructi.
Bile integral element Of the general gov.
eminent embrace the opportunity az
forded by this occasion to make my
grateful acknowledgment to the good
people Of my beloved State for the gen.
erous faYon which they have been
pleased to show me. to confess a sin
cere consciousness Of my inability to
meet the demands OF the great trusts
committed TO my keeping. andto assure
hemthat so profoundly. am / impressed
with the magnitude of the task that
1 approach 1t with those anxious and
awful presentiments which the great
ness Of the charge and the weakness
Of my power so justly inspires
Mississippi is a great State. Her
history is rich with the spells Of
time"-of heroic deeds, profound
-AlAE A0AAE u AAE AAnA
est type Of Anglo-SaXon manhood,
whose genius for. law, devotion to prin-
ciple aud strict adherence to eonsti-
tutonal government, have made her
the protagonist-the guiding star-to
her sister commonwealth in some Of
the most vital matters of legislation
and constitutional reforms.
OF her material greatness, the half
has not been told. Her lands are fer
tile and fruitful-respondiag layishly
to tto sturdy stroke Of the honest hus-
banGu4an-superb forests, whose
woods are coveted by the world-un-
developed. mineral resources-water-
ways-railroads-a gateway on the
Gulf OF Mexico, through which the
ships of every nation may pass to
bear her treasures away and empty
them in the lap of the commercial
world; and a climate as genial and
health-giying as ever produced a stur-
dy and heroic race.
When l contemplate all Of these
great interests-the hopes and aspira-
tons of men-the happiness and well
fare of my fellow-countrymen-the
possibilities which sleep in the womb
Of time-the difficulties, complex
problems and pregnant issues which
confront this people, the solutions Of
which will test the permanency Of
their civilization-all committed and
related to the auspices Of this occa-
sion, / am overwhelmed with painful
misgivings at the thought, 'and hum
bic myself before the magnitude Of
the undertaking"
| should despair absolutely, we're /
not reminded by the presence of so
many patriotic men, incorruptible and
s%agacious statesmen, fresh from the
people, representing every profession
and class of her citizenship, imbued
with common hopes, interests and as
pirations, forming in their official ca
paoity the legislative coordinate
branch of the goveTnment-that in
every emergency, l may confidently
turn to them and hnd i1exhaustible
resources Of wisdom, Of virtue, of pa
triOtism and of zeal on which to rely,
under all circumstances.
To you, then, my c~ountrymen, who
have been selected by your fellow cit
iEens, intrusted and charged with the
serious functions of legislation, / shall
ever look for that encouragement, for
that wise and prudent counsel; shall
draw inspiration from your fearless
performance Of every duty, your patri-
otto devotion to the right at any cost,
and l shall expect that harmonious CO.
operation which Is an indispensable
prerequisite to the accomplishment Of
the great work to which the people Of
Mississippi have called as.
The campaign through which we
have just passed marks IN epoch In
the political history of Mississippi. AL
though 1t was an intestine eoniiict-a
contest within the Democratic party
(the general election held in Novem-
Der being in effect but q ratification
Of the result OF the primaries)-a par
u composed as 1t should be. exclusive
n Of white men, there was a great
deal Of bitterness and unnecessary
partisan raneOr engendered. The free
dom OF speech, while 1t may have been
somewhat abused, vas in no way
abridged. A full and ample discussion
Of all questions, both through the
press and on the hastings, was per
mitted, but. fortunately. as is always
the case in a free country, wherever
falsehood, vituperation and misrepre-
sentation were resorted to to win STRAIT
ogic advantage, wreak personal re-
venge, or for any other purpose, some
honest and fearless man was eVer
present, armed with the truth, to drive
back the hosts Of error, to put to
shame the calumniator and vaRquish
anamfaa of riuhf
The primary election law enacted
" the last legislature Afforded an OPP
Dortunity which was readily embraced
bY all white qualified electors TO par
doipate IN the government Of their
atate-to 80 to the polls aad with their
ballot register freemen's viii.
There Is no danger In falsehood-
Iaiso doctrines, conseienceless and r.
responsible error are harmless, the
poisonous tongue Of the sanctimon-
'ous, meroenary and s~ectarian par
iaan, the maohinations Of the artful
lomagogue, the cunning Of the diplo-
natic once seeker ell r absolutely
mpotent and i~nnocu0us, just 90 long
q truth Is untrammeled and the
Of all political power rests with
md Is vouchsafed by law Ia the hands
4 the white people Of Mississippi.
Too much authority and power can
lot be reposed In them.
Every citizen should understand