The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-01-19
Governor BRUMBAUCH'S
INAUGURAL ADDRESS

Following is the inaugural address of
Governor Martin G. Brumbaugh deliv-
cred to-day upon assuming his duties as
chief executive of Pennsylvania:
Fellow Citizens of Pennsylvania:
In assuming the duties of the Office
to which you have elected me, I am
humbled and steadied by the greatness
of the obligation imposed and the abid
ing conviction that can do my duty
only when aided and guided by the Di'
vine. In His name and for His people
| enter upon this new field of endeavor.
Fortunate, indeed, are we that our Com
monwealth is enjoying to-day the bless
ings of peace and the inheritance of
a worthy record through successive ad-
ministrations of its public affairs. To
add an additional chapter to an already
honorable record is my earnest desire.
To this end I solicit your active CO.
operation and your unselfish support.
This Commonwealth and the colony
from which it grew have record of
achievement so splendiu that we may
take an honest pride in maintaining its
traditions, in advancing its interests, in
publishing its virtues, in resenting its
assailants and in proclaiming our happy
lot that we are Pennsylvanians.
To Stand by Campaign Pledges
Throughout the campaign | stood
squarely upon my platform pledges, and
was elected because the people believed
] would use my utmost endeavor to Sc
cure legal enactments embodying these
declarations. | shall assuredly do so.
When 590,700 voters of this great Com
monwealth give us commission, they
have a right to demand its fulfillment.
A voice so potential is command to
the Legislature and the Executive
which, if wise, both shall surely heed.
If we give the people the laws they
have demanded and we have promised,
we shall perform a distinctly valuable
service to the Commonwealth. If we
fail to do this we must bear the conse
quences. pledge myself to an unselfish
service to the whole people of Penn
sylvania, and ask your aid and active
support both in securing good laws and
in enforcing those now on the statute
books.
There Are Too Many Laws
We have been over-lawed. We have
gone too far upon the theory that leg
islation is the cure of our sociai, eco
nomic and political ills. We have ac-
tually made legal criminals when, as
matter of duty, we should have address
ed ourselves to the vastly more worthy
task of educating our people into an
increasing love for liberty, respect for
law and devotion to our American civ
ilization. We should never make
law that in its operation will work
harm to the many and good only to the
selfish or potential few. 1t is the bust
ness of government to make it easy to
do right and difficult to do wrong. We
need few additional laws. We could
well afford to repeal many more than
we enact. / trust, therefore, that we
may all plan together to reduce enact
ments to minimum, to reject all laws
that do not hold the assurance of good
to the many and so to facilitate legis-
lation as to give to the people the few
vital enactments they need and deserve.
As speedily as may be, this we should
do, and when this is done the IIegisla-
ture should adjourn.
\ Duty of the Governor
For the moral and the economic wei
fare of our people we must all stand
surely and steadily. Our laws should
be not only regulators of procedure, but
educators of the public conscience. Our
great assets are not material, but spir-
itual. A government that enriches life
and widens a peoples vision will en-
dure. No other is worthy of the name.
If we address ourselves anew to this
holy experiment, We shall easily add
unto it all essential material good
| am not unmindful that the quality
of administration is the first concern
and duty of the Governor. This / shall
keep daily in mind. But I also submit
that it is vital to the welfare of the
people that the laws administered be of
the sort that will ensure to our people
peace, safety and happiness. - To Sc