The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-01-14
GOV. FRANK B. WILLIS
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
Declares Chief Executive Of State Should
Not Assume Role Of Dictator.
DIVISION OF GOVERNMENTAL FUNCTIONS
New Head Of Ohio Says That the
Making Of the Laws and the Exc
cution Of Them Should Not
Be in the Same Hands.'


Columbus.-Gov. Frank B. Willis, in
bis inaugural address, declares that
the governor of a state should not as.
sumo the role of dictator, and that
the making of the laws and the exc
cution of them should not be in the
same hands" His address follows:
To the People of Ohio:
The Inauguration of officials with its
attendant ceremonies, however simple
or imposing, is by no means an ex-
preston by the people of their per-
sonal interest in the individuals tenn
porarily entrusted with authority, nor
yet is 1t partisan occasion for ex-
preston of glOrifcation over political
victory or criticism of a vanQuished
foe. 1t is rather an occasion in which
all the peple, regardless of party diff
ferences, receive the pledge of loyal
and devoted service from those in
whose hands a portion of the peoples
power has been placed for brief
term and who in turn by their pres
themselves to uphold the hands of
their. chosen officials in all honest ef-
forts to secure obedience to the laws
and to promote the public welfare.
1t is said that in certain of the Swiss
cantons a part of the ceremonies at
tendant upon the induction into office
of the chief magistrate is the admin
tsterfng to the assembled people of a
solemn oath to obey the laws by him
who as chief magistrate of the canton
has just taken the oath to enforce the
laws. In this commonwealth we deem
it unnecessary to pledge the people
to obey their own laws and sustain
their own government because such
fealty is implied even though not ex-
pressed by solemn ceremony. In such
state as ours where the people them
selves are the source of all power and
where the opinion is general and we'll
grounded that the best government is
the one closest to the people, with the
constitutional safeguards and limita-
tions found to be necessary by the ex-
perience of the ages, the sense of re-
spect for the law and obedience to it's
precepts is high and must not be of.
Tended. The chief duty of the execu-
tive is to see that the laws are faith
fully executed. This duty will be
performed unfinchingly to the end
that the dignity of the state may be
upheld and it's citizens protected by
the uniform enforcement of its laws
throughout the commonwealth.
Responsibility Rests an All.
1t is we'll that this sense of respon-
EibiIity should rest upon all of us
citizens as well as lawmakers, judges
and executive officials. In benevo-
lent despotism the obligation of the
subject is slight; it is his to obey, not
to question. Centralized authority
makes the laws for him, appoints his
officials, levies his taxes and spends
his revenues for him. His sense OF re-
SpCnsibility grows constantly less and
therefore his worth as a citizen is by
so much diminished. 1t is Lot impos-
Bible that in benevolent aitocracy a
higher degree OF mere routine eff
cheney would be only temporary. 1t is
the lesson Of thousand years of toll
and battle and struggle for free gov
ernment that this temporary efficiency
gives way to slothfulness, needless
multiplication of offices. political ca.
balls and eXtravagant expenditures.
Efficiency is desirable in government
and it can be attained without autoc-
racy; to deny this is 20 indict free
government of incapacity ard to assert
that government by the people is a
myth. Efficiency is important, SELL
government is vital The remedy for
any possible weakness of government
by the people is the cultivation of a
spirit of sleepless vigilance not only
as matter of sentiment but as q mat
ter of selfinterest and patriotic devo-
tion to duty. Every possible advantage
of efficiency in a centralized govern
ment would be more than overbal-
anced by the inevitable weakening of
national character through non-exer-
else and consequent atrophy of the
power of self-government
There may have been instances
where slaves were better fed or more |
skilled than free men, but upon these
facts no sensible person can predicate
an argument for slavery. Freedom and
the strength of civic character which |
come only from the exercise of self |
are paramount to eff |
cheney. Evils in government can be |
corrected, reforms instituted, sanely |
legislation formulated and
economical and efficient administra-
ton established without excessive con.
of power or denial to To-
cal communities of their historic and
constitutional rights of self-govern-
ment.
The fathers wisely provided for a
division of governmental functions
into legislative, judicial and executive.
If the struggle for free government.
centuries old and worldwide, has
made any one proposition absolutely
clear 1t is that the making of the laws
and the execution of them should not
be in the same hands. Neither should
he legislative or executive depart
nents undertake to control the judi
,iary; each should be free to perform
is functions prescribed by the consti.
ution, Gninfuenced by fear and un-
by dictation. On this inter.
,sting theme Washington said: A
Won't Repair Bridge.