The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-01-14
BINDS STATE
AND GOVERNOR
Governor FernaId's Oath Of o.
flee a Solemn Covenant
HIS MESSAGE TO LEGISLATURE

HIS MESSAGE TO LEGISLATURE
Great Completely of Problems In
Moral and Economic Fields to Be
SoIved-State Finances In Excellent
northumberland Of Re-
sources Demands Earnest Consider
ation-State Institutions In a Most
Satisfactory Condition
Augusta, Me-, Jan. In his
message to the legislature today Gov
ernor Fernald says:
The oath of office taken here today in
the presence of the people of Maine has
become a solemn covenant binding them
and me.
Behind US both, as a guide and a pro-
lection of that covenant, is the co1sttu-
ton of Maine, which both the legisa-
tive and the executive departments OF
this government have now sworn to OBJ
serve and to cherish. Under the provi-
Of this government were divided into
three distinct departments, legislative,
executive, and judicial, with the ex-
press declaration therein that no person
belonging to one department shall ex-
ercise the powers belonging to either of
the others Against any inscription of
preroeative, against overstepping the
dividing line between your duties and
mine, 1 hereby give you the pledge OF
my solemn purpose thereto, and with
the notification that L shall exact the
same obligation from you. And also
in order to emphasize the Importance of
this principle of good government, and
further to define the duties and powers
of the executive department under those
sections which relate to a distribution of
the same, may l call to your attention
the apt expressions of a few of the ear
lier chief executives of our state upon
this same important question, which
seem to me to serve us so fifty both
to counsel and admonish that l beg you
to hearken to them today as to the voice
of wisdom from out the past.
Standing here sfxty-eight years ago
today Governor Kent, distinguished alike
as a lawyer and an executive, said to
both branches of the Legislature: This
provision for the distribution of powers
between the distinct departments of the
government of Maine, and the definitions
strain me from attempting to dictate or
direct the subjects or the course of leg
iSlation, but the constitution of Maine
also makes it the duty of the governor
to give the legislature information as
to the condition of our state and to
recommend to its consideration such
measures as he may judge expedient, and
in fulfilling this direction 1 wish to be
regarded as performing duty strictly
enJoined upon me by my guide and d.
rectory in the discharge of my duty, and
l ask and desire for my views no other
weight of influence but such as they may
be entitled to upon full and sober con-
siderat ton. In my opinion, the great
characteristic feature of our government
is to be found in this careful
and jealous distribution of power and
this solemn and decisive admontion to
each department to keep strictly within
its own limit and to beware of infring-
ing upon or assuming the power right
fully belonging to another With an un-
doubling assurance that the rights pow
ers, and responsibilities conferred on the
executive will not upon your part be in
terfered with or assailed, l can assure
you that it will be my pleasure, as it
is my duty, to leave the legislature and
all other departments to the free, full,
and uninterrupted performance of the
duties enjoined upon them
Lot MorriIl's View.
Exactly fifty years ago, to a day, Gov
ernor Lot NJ. Morrill, also stood in this
place. and said: THE checks provided
not only in the two distinct branches
of the Legislature, but also in the par
tclnati0n of the executive Indicate with
what Jealous care these important func-
tions have been guarded"
Governor Enoch Lincoln in 1927 re-
ferred TO duties appropriate exclusively to
off L
farther than this and even declared that
Opinions formed and acted upon under
the influence of party dictat ton or under
that OF affiliated societies, whether poll
teal moral or fanat;ral are dangerous
TO our liberties and subversive of demo-
cratic principles" If these quotations
from the fathers of our state serve to
give us a clearer understanding of our
respective line of duties they have
served my purpose. Starting out. there.
tore, with this understanding that YOU do
your work and that | do mine, each in
helpfulness TO the other, let us consid-
er what are the duties that press upon
us. and the Importance of our consecra-
ton to high estimate of the same. |
do not Believe it is necessary for me to
suggest that these duties are solemn
and potential. You know, as well as I.
that the consequences of vicious haSty
and ill-advised legislation may be a blight
upon state for years and years to
come; while the fruits of wise and bene-
flcent laws make states happier and bet
ter. l beg of YOU, however, to consider
this phase of your duties seriously. If
there be any man here who looks upon
his oath of office taken before God and
man, as of small account let me beg
MIN TO revise his views If any man
there be who assumes his first duty to
be to his political party and his second
duty to his state, let me beg him to
desist. This is not the proper field for
an exploitation of party prejudices or of
personal and political ambitions. The
gravity of the duties here imposed calls
Tor a higher estibate of our service than
this, and constitutes an appeal to the
PATRIOTISM of every man, in such degree
that he will ungrudgingy sink himself
and his party, in a devotion to the service
OF the whole people.
l need not say that large issues con-
front us Rarely has a legislature faced
greater complex1ty of problems in both
moral and economic fields of legisla ton
than does yours. Your solution of some
OF them may determine the policy of
the state for years to come and be the
means of setting her face either towards
progress or decline 1t is not much legis-
lation, but wise legislation that we need
A fearless regard for the rights of the
people is required of each of US The
study Of these problems demands our
Who'll" time and requires that our SER
wee he IN the very spirit of the religion
OF our better natures. l believe, In all
soemnity, as I doubt not you do. that
the Lord has this nation and this state
In His holy keeping. and that He will
lead us by His kindly light as He has led