The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-02
HUGHES IS INAUGURATED Makes a Non-Partisan
 Speech. PAYS TRIBUTE TO HIGGINS Democratic Colleagues at Same
 Time Enter Office. Both Great Parties Are Holding Cau- cuses Preparatory to The
 I3Oth Session of Leg
 islature.

Albany, N. T., Jan. 1.--Charles Evans
 Hughes today took the oath of office as governor of the state of New York and with his Democratic colleagues,
 began his two years term.
 The retiring governor, Frank w.
 Higgins. surrendered the reins to his successor and left late this afternoon
 for his home a private citizen for the | first time since 1893 when he was | first elected senator.
 | In his inaugural address accepting | the office, Gov. Hughes paid marked tribute to Governor Higgins commend | ing his public services and conscien- l tious devotion to the interests of the l state.
 Following the ceremonies, the new governor held a reception in the execu- | tive chamber and this afternoon he
 and Mrs. Hughes received cordial
 welcome from a very large number or people from Albany and elsewhere, In 1 the usual public reception.
 The l30th annual session of the New | York state legislature will convene to- | morrow. Caucuses of the Repuplican | and Democratic members of both houses were held today to select can didates for the several elective offices l In both the houses.
 Governor Hughes, after few words | of compliment to the administration Of Governor Higgins. addressed himself to | his fellow citizens" saying in part; l We have reason to congratulate ourselves that coincident with our pros perity, there is an emphatic assertion | of popular rights and keen resent ment of public wrongs. There Is no panacea in executive action for all the | ills of society which spring from the | frailties and defects of the human na- | ture of It's members. But this fur nishes no excuse for complisent inac- | tivity and no reason for the toleration of wrongs made possible by defective
 or inadequate legislation or by admin
 istrative partiality or inefhciency. 1 whether or not we have laws enough, we certainly have enough or i'll considered legislation and the quss- l ton is not as to the quantity, but as to the quality of our present and our proposed enactments.
 Slowly but surely the people have
 narrowed the opportunities for selnsr
 aggression and the demand of this hour and of all hours, Is not allegiance
 to phrases. but sympathy with every
 aspiration for the betterment or con
 ditions and sincere and patient enori
 to understand every need and to as
 certain in the light of experience the
 means best adapted to meet It. "It Is the capacity for such close ex-
 animation without heat or disqualifyinG
 preIudice which distinguishes the con | structive effort from vain endeavors to | change human nature by changing the | forms of government.
 l Tt must freely be recognized thai many of the evils of which we com
 plain have their source in tho law it.
 self. in privileges carelessly granted | in opportunities for private -aggrand' izement at the expense of the people recklessly created in failure to safe ' guard our public interests by providing means for just regulation of those en- terprinss which depend on the use of
 public franchises. Wherever the law
 gives unjust advantage. wherever II fails by suitable prohibition or regu- Iation to protect the interests of the people; wherever the power derived | from the State Is turned against the State, there Is not only room but urs' ent necessity for the assertion of the | authority of the State to enforce the common right
 We are a government of laws ana
 not of men. We subordinate individual caprice to define duty. The essentials of our liberties are expressed In con
 stitutional enactments removed from l inc risk of temporary agaitation But
 the security of our government despite
 its constitutional guarantees Is found