Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-06-29

The inaugural address of Governor Jo-
seph Mackie Brown pledges his loyalty
to the constitution of the state and ap'
peals for united manhood in Georgia
Gentlemen of the General Assembly,
Ladies and Fellow Citizens:
| In obedience to the mandate of the
sovereign people, l appear before you for
the purpose of aking the oath which binds
me to the duties of chief executive of
this commonwealth.
Before taking this oath I pause a few
moments to invoke the blessing of AL
mighty God upon not only the state we
love so we'll, but also upon every human
creature whose life-lines are cast within
| her borders, and to voice a few words
of goodwill and of cheer to all.
| 1t is true that clouds of discord have
for time obscured the sky Of our peade,
that paralysis has stagnated the warm
blood of manly endeavor but emerging
| from the shadows into the radiance of the
rising sun, we know today as we have
ever believed that the heart of Georgia
still beats true to the music. of progress,
that the hand OF Georgia welding right
eous power will ever protect impartially
and completely all who with sincere souls
place themselves and their interests UNI
der her shield. ., -....
In this hour when our states sons have
assembled to do homage to her laws, let
us look not back upon the checkered past,
but face the future and its opportunities
with the will to do justice and to owen
together in amity.
I must here express the conviction that
our fathers, in framing the organic law
of our commonwealth, fixed the executive,
Legislative and judicial departments as the
balance wheels OF government. Interior
ence OF either with the others was forbid
den, and each within its circle was SUI
F.,k the
orderly exercise of the veto, was invested
with the power to stay hasty or il-consid-
cred legislation.
pledge my obedience to the constitu-
ton in its entirety. I shall undertake
to execute every duty it imposes upon
me- I shall not attempt to grasp any
power It directly or by inference denies
TO me.
Each citizen filling an office established
under the constitution is responsible for
the administration of its functions, and
no one in another department is author
ICED to interfere with the exercise or such
administrative powers.
Equality under the laws Is the COM
mon right of our citizenship, constitu-
tionalism is the password of the pa
triot, Justice Yields the sword which
strikes down the wrong which pro-
tects the pure and the voice of reason
we perforce must heed, for we cannot
liz 1ore the truth that reason coerces
while 1t coaxes. In obedience to the con-
stitution, we fulfill duty, we secure pleas
ure, for while that great instrument COM
mands II protects.
I will not today consume time in pro-
posing specific plans of procedure in our
governmental labors. You who are here
assembled know the problems which con
front us; and at an early day we will
counsel together, we will cooperate in
the endeavor to lessen the burdens Of the
people, and to restore economic condi-
tions which will enable all who work to
prosper.
In the meantime, II there have been
differences let us put them behind US; let
harmony guide our thoughts and accord
characterize our acts; let us bear in mind
that we are Georgians, and that the In
terest of each Georgian is the interest OF
all Georgians, and let us prove to the
world that wisdom constitu-
tion-obeying and honor-loving Georgia
holds forever sacred the guarantee that
under her aegis abide as regnant forces
justice, faith and truth.
ask you, therefore, to remember
that as great as our opportunities, SO
great are our obligations. that the laws
of our state are not enacted to confer
more power on those named as officials,
but to furnish and apply the machinery
whereby the officials can protect in
equality of rights all the, people, their
peers. And in the application of those
laws we cannot eliminate the personal
equation from the problem, for both the
officials and the private citizen are bound
to mutually responsive action in the pro-
lection of society. to the extent that in
all matters affecting the interest of the
public, the private citizen should hold his
word to be as weighty with fidelity to
fact as the official hold his oath. Let
us then, to safeguard that protection,
discard haste and impulse and with
faith in God and In ourselves promulgate
instead the propaganda of elaboration
and reciprocal rights. of conservatism
and common sense. And in promulgating
that propaganda we ever face the fact
that the people are the power, not the
handspring only, but the great rolling
river, clear with intelligence and master
full with might, shining with justice and
sweet with truth, controlled by no one
but controlling everyone.
"A UNITED MANHOOD"
My countrymen, love is not an empty
idea and fraternity not a dream. All
things peaceable are possible to those
whose will is to do the right. The glory
of Georgia can be found in united man
hood. II, then, In the exercise Of the