Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1909-10-07
FAREWELL ADDRESS.
Delivered by Gov. Taylor on his Re-
tirement from Office.


mortal coil of politics and fly away
to the haven of my native mountains.
where l may think and dream in
peace. safe from the sickening sting
of unjust criticism; safe from the Ia
Ions of some old political vulture;
safe from the Shiny kiss and keen
dagger OF ingratitude. do not
mean to say that all politicians are
vultures, or that they are all hypo-
critics or assassins; for the great ma
jority OF our public men are upright
and honest, and worthy Of the conf
dence reposed in them by the people;
yet there are black wings in the pc
litical armament. and reptiles crawl
and hiss in every capitol. But,
thank God, the live thunders of eter-
nal truth always clear the atmos-
phere, and the heel of justice will
surely bruise the serpant's head.
do not retire from this Office with
ranking of disappointment and cha
grin in my bosom, but rather as one
who retires from labor to rest, from
war to peace, from trouble to hap
piness. ! do not retire, the SOM
nabutist of a shattered dream but
with all the buds of hope bursting
into bloom, and all the bowers of the
future ringing with melody. / am
contented with my lot in life. Three
times have worn the laurel wreath
of honor, twined by the people of my
native state, and that is glory enough
for me.
while / believe that the good in
politics outweigh the bad, yet how
thorny is the path, and how unhappy
the pilgrimage to him who dares to
do his duty. There are no flowers,
except few boquets snatched from
the graves of fallen foes; there is
no happiness except the transient
thrill of cruel triumph, which passes
like shadow across the heart.
Every honest man who runs for
Office is a candidate for trouble, for
the fruits of political victory turn
to ashes on the lips. To me there
is nothing in this world so pathetic
as a candidate. He is like a mari
ner without compass, drifting on
the tempest-tossed waves of uncer-
tainty, between the smiling cliffs
of hope and the frowning crags of
fear. He is a walking petition and a
living prayer; he is the pack-horse
of public sentiment; he is the drome-
dairy of politics.
And even if he reaches the goal
of his ambition. he win soon feel the
beak of the vulture in his heart and
the fang of the serpant in his soul.
81 am no longer "a candidate.
Never again will I be inaugurated
into public office The ark of my
humble career now rests on the
Ararat of private life, and ! stand on
its peaceful summit and look down
on the receding food of politics. The
dove of my destiny has brought me
an olive branch from happier fields,
and I go hence to labor and to love.
I take with me a heart full of graft
tude and a soul full of precious
memories gratitude to the people
for their unwavering confidence in
me-precious memories of my
friends, who have been kind and
true. The record / have made is an
open book to all I am willing to
live by that record. I am willing to
die by it, For whatever mistakes
may have committed, I have kept
steadily in view the honor of the
State and the happiness of the peo-
pie.
"As l have already presented my
views on public questions in my re-
cent message to the General Assemb-
ly, 1 deem it unnecessary to further
discuss them on this happy occasion
happy to our new Governor, hap
by to me, happy to us all 1t only
remains for me to bid you all an af-
fectionate and final farewell, and to
express the prayer that the Christ
who died for love and mercy's sake
will guide our Chief Executive, and
all who shall follow him, in the paths
of peace and love and baptize them
with the spirit of mercy. Farewell,
farewell"
Turning to Mr.. McMillin, Gov Tay-
lor said: And now, Benton McMil-
lin, you have given your hand and
heart to Tennessee. 1 pronounce
you man and wife, and may the Lord
have mercy on your souls"
A False Theory