Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1920-01-22
GOVERNOR RUSSELIS
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
Recommends SIS, 900, 900 Bond Issue To
Hard Surface State Roads,
i Favors Woman Suffrage
FayOrs the Continuance of the
Pardoning Board and Re-
commends Sales Sf
Three State Farms.
HIS ADDRESS IN FULL.

Gentlemen of the Mississi~"i Legisla-
. Profoundly grateful to the magnifl-
cent electorate in this state for the
great honor and responsibility placed
upon me at this time, and congratu-
latihg you from the bottom Of my
heart for the trust, confidence, ana
esteem the people have placed in you
in selecting you as the law-maSihg
body of this great commonwealth,
assure you that deem it great hon
or under the constitution to have this
opportunity to discuss with you, and
recommend to your consideration some
Of those measures which deem nee
essary and expedient, and to give you
certain information relative to the at
fairs of our state government.
The great Father of us all has IN
deed been kind to you ard to me-.
To YOU under our constitution and
laws has been allotted certain well de-
fined duties. To our splendid judiciary
another, and to myself still anothe
Each separslta a,id distinct, yet each
must coordinate and cooperate with
the other for the good Of us all. 1t
was a wonderful idea, worked out by
our fathers in the long ago, to so d.
vide the governmental functions into
three parts. The test of time has
proven the wisdom of their decision.
From the mountains to the valleys,
over all the face of the earth are scat
tered the bones of millions Of men
who have struggled for supremacy IN
the days gone by. Thousands OF fields
have been bathed in blood, forests de-
nuded, cities and towns and enter
prises, constructed by the skillful
hand of man, laid in waste because
men could not agree upon some plan
as how to live in peace with one an
other. We have log since learned
that might does not make right, but
notwithstanding this view the recent
titanic struggle in which almost the
whole world was involved shows that
certain great-nationalities disregarded
this we'll recognized principle.
Throughout the ages there has been
disposition on the part Of nations with
great powers to oppress those weaker
ones not so fortunate as themselves.
The great question to be solved by the
people of this day and time every
where is a proper adjustment of gov
ernment between nation and nation,
and, in any given territory to see that
those in power, by force of circum-
stance or wealth, do not oppress the
weak. The line of demarkation in
this age may usually be drawn be-
tween the wealthy class and the
poor. The purpose of all governments
should be to guarantee to every man,
rich, or poor, high or low, the same
opportunity to work out his existence.
In other words, the world needs sta
BILE government, based upon democracy
which when properly interpreted
means "equal rights to all, and special
privileges to none." A democracy
wherein every man is protected in
casting his ballot for the man or
measure he deems best. A govern
ment by the few is abhorrent to my
notions of what democracy means.
believe in government wherein the
ballot is regarded as sacred thing;
where every man is allowed to cast
the same without any dictation from
any source and according to the die
tates of his own conscience. If this is
not guaranteed to every man by every
government then the word "democra.
cy" is a misnomer and we should re-
turn to the brutal rule of allowing
the mighty and powerful, the select
few, if you please, to rule the world.
These observations are general hui
they apply to every community be
meath the shining sun. The creates
opportunity that ever confronted tht
people Of our commonwealth presents