The Tupelo journal., 1904-01-22

delivered the following inaugural ad-
dress:
M Friends and FellOW 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 indestructi.
BILE integral element of the general gov
eminent embrace the opportunity at
forded by this occasion to make my
grateful acknowledgment to the good
people OF my beloved State for the gen
erous favors which they have been
pleased to show me-. to confess a sim
cere consciousness of my inability to
meet the demands of the great trusts
committed to my keeping, and to assure
them that so profoundly am | impressed
with the magnitude of the task that
| approach it with those anxious and
awful presentiments which the great
ness of the charge and the weakness
of my power 81 justly inspires"
Mississippi is a great State. Her
history is rich with the spoils OF
time"-of heroic deeds, profound
LOIlS VI tAS nlSH-
est type of A~nglo-Saxon manhood,
whose genius for law, devotion to prin-
ciple and strict adherence to consti-
tutional 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-respondilg layishly
to the sturdy stroke of the honest hus-
bandman-superb forests, whose
woods are coveted by the world-un-
developed mineral resOurces-water-
Observation-Disclosures 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-giving as ever produced a stur-
dy and heroic race.
When | contemplate all of these
great interests-the hopes and aspira-
lions of men-the happiness and wei
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 civilizatioa-all committed and
related to the auspices OF this occa-
sion, | am overwhelmed with painful
misgivings at the thought, and hum
BILE myself before the magnitude of
the undertaking.
| should despair absolutely, were l
not reminded by the presence of so
many patriotic men, incorruptible and
sagacious statesmen, fresh from the
people, representing every profession
and class of her citizenship, imbued
with common hopes, interests n as
pirations, forming in their official ca
pacity the Legislative coordinate
branch of the government-that in
every emergency, | may confidently
turn to them and find i1exhaustible
resources Of wisdom, of virtue, OF pa
triotism and of zeal on which to rely,
under all circumstances.
To you, then, my countrymen, who
have been selected by your fellow cit
liens, intrusted and charged with the
serious functions of legislation, | shall
SNCl looh Iol thoS ShSooi "
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 | shall expect that harmonious CO.
operation which is al indispensable
prerequisite to the accomplishment of
the great work to which the people of
Mississippi have called us.
The campaign through which w
have just passed marks an epoch in
the political history of Mississippi. AL
though it was an intestine conf1ict-a
contest within the Democratic party
(the general election held in Novem-
Der being in effect but a ratification
of the result of the primaries)-a par
ty composed as it should be, exclusive
ly of white men, there was a great
deal of bitterness and Unnecessary
partisan rancor engendered. The free
dom of speech, while it may have been
somewhat abused, was in no way
abridged. A full and ample discussion
of all questions, both through the
press and on the hustings, 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
egic 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 vanquish
the enemies of right.
The primary election law enacted
by the last legislature afforded an OPP
p%ortunity which was readily embraced
by all white qualified electors to par
ticipate in the government of their
State-to 60 to the polls and with their
ballot register freemen's will.
There is no danger in falsehood-
false doctrines, constituencies n ir-
responsible error are harmless, the
poisonous tongue of the sanctimon-
ious, mercenary and sectarian par
tisan, the Vaccinations of the artful
demagOgue, the cunning of the diplo-
matte Office seeker, all are absolutely
impotent and ~innocuous, just SO long
as truth is untrammeled and the
source of all political power rests with
and is v~ouchsafed by law in the hands
of the white people of Mississippi.
Too much authority and power can
not be reposed in them.
Every citizen should understand
that with his ballot the laws Of the
land are written-that the government
is just as good as he is, and that in
the proportion that he is wise and
just in the exercise of the supreme
function of citizenship, so will the