Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-18
CLARKE STANDS
FOR OPEN DOOR
NEW EXECUTIVE WILL BE THE
SERVANT OF ALL PEOPLE
OF IOWA
DELIVERS ADDRESS
Governor Makes Inaugural Talk il
Which State Issues are Brought
to the Fore and Reforms
are Declared For

Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 49,
George w. Clarke, of Abel, took the
path Of Office as governor of Iowa
today and before large audience
composed of members of the iegisla.
ture and citizens, delivered his in
augural address. In part the gov
ernor said:
Members Of the Thirty-ffth Gen.
eral Assembly and Fellow Citizens:
acknowledge my very great indebt-
edness to the people of Iowa. The
obligation at this moment profoundly
impresses me. It is not with any
sense of triumph that I enter upon
the duties of the Office into which l
am this day indicted, but with a
deep sense of it's duties, the wide pos
Gbilities Of it's influence and my in
ability to approach the ideal of fit
ness and performance. If I can but
be the servant of all, if I can with
the help Of others contribute some
thing to the common good, if I can
assist in making Iowa more distin-
guished still among the states for the
disturbances and wisdom of her laws
and the cleanness of her political
life, that will be something.
am not unmindful of the circum-
stances Of my election. 1t is I'M
seemly to boast, but if it were not I
should have nothing of which to
boast want to extend to the gen.
temen who contested the election
with me my congratulations upon the
fact that they were such men as
could command the greater prefer
ence Of so many, many thousands of
our fellow citizens. Notwithstanding
this fact, l now venture to invoke
the good will and support of all Of
the people of the state. Perfection
of discernment and infallibility of
judgment are not the endowments of
any man, and, therefore, in dealing
with conflicting interests and opin-
ions I shall inevitably make mis-
takes. I expect to be held to a high
order Of accountability and that
do not shun, only let judgments be
just and proceed from unselfsh view
points. shall regard myself as the
servant Of all Of the people, without
regard to factionalism or political
or religious convictions. The gov
ernor's Office will be open to every
one-the rich man and the poor man,
the white man and the black man,
the man from the mahogany desk and
the man from the depths of the coal
mine, the woman in rich apparel and
the poor widow thinly and cheapy
clad.
A Workman's Compensation Act.
The commission authorized by the
LIT general assembly, after a thor
ough investigation and study Of the
subject, has reported bill for con-
sideration at this session. So far as
i have been able to discover wher-
lever the subject has had thorough
and dispassionate study the same
conclusion has been reached by both
employer and employee, and that is
that the industrial world today pre-
sents such entirely different condi-
tions from that Of, say. seventy-five
years ago, that the principles of law
then and since for the most part ap-
piled in Iowa with reference to in
dustrial accidents are entirely made
'quate, inapplicable, unjust and waste
full to both parties. In order that we
may enjoy the conveniences, COM
forts, even Injuries, brought to hu-
man conditions by the wonderfully
rapid development of modern indus
trialism, there is the annual inevi-
table sacrifice Of human life and the
great army of the MANNED. And this
sacrifice falls upon those least able
to bear it from a pecuniary stand
point. The lives of these people are
along dangerous, hazardous lines and
they are taking the risks for us all,
bearing the burdens that a common
good may be enjoyed by those who
assume no risks. Justice dictates,
the commonest feelings of humanity
demand and the sentiment of our
universal brotherhood cries out,
"Bear We one another's burdens" And
30 they ought to be laid upon US all
rs a part Of the cost of production.
The great growth Of collectivism
naturally suggests also
Public Utilities Bill.
The doctrine of laissez faire can
have application only in the long rul
at the expense Of the public welfare.
The state has the power to control
all public service corpora tions, but,
it seems to me, that it's i ,ervention
should only be to supervise and regu-
late in the interest Of the common
good. The local municipality should
govern and control so far as it can.
But there come times when it is not
equal to the situation. 1t is weaker
than the corporation. The smaller
cities especially often cannot cope
with the syndicate. It has not and
cannot obtain the experts and legal
y I