I INAUGURATION On the first day of January at the hour of noon ALFRED E. SMITH was inaugurated as Governor of the State of New York. After his induction into office by the newly elected Secretary of State Governor Smith delivered his inaugural address. Inaugural Address Mr. SECRETARY OF STATE: It is under the most favorable circumstances, I feel, that I am entering upon the duties of my new office. By telegraph, by mail, and personally, showers of good wishes and promises of hearty cooperation have come to me from every direction. I take advantage thus publicly to give expression, in a small measure, to my gratitude for them. I thank Governor Whitman for his courtesy to me, and for making pleasant the change from his administration to mine. I also thank the Secretary of State for the painstaking care he has given to the preparation of all the ceremonies incidental to to-day's inauguration. Likewise do I thank all the men in the State departments and in the Legislature who have helped prepare the way for me. I am not a stranger to Albany, having lived here for twelve winters. My arrival in the Capital City was somewhat like a homecoming. :ཝཱ The State of New York, with the whole nation, rejoices at the great victory which America and her Allies have won. The people of New York welcome their sons who have gone forth to fight the battles of America. Those who come back in health and strength, it is our task to reinstate in the employments they had, or in positions equally as good. To those who return wounded and maimed, it is not only the duty, but the privilege, of the State to see that they are made well and to provide suitable employment for them. Not only must we have in our minds the sacrifices made by the armed forces of the country, but we must think also of the tasks imposed upon our men and women at home. All have given willingly the best that was in them and have sacrificed themselves to the utmost because they realized the greatness of the cause which they were supporting. While war presents its problems, taxing the brains and ingenuity of mankind, the reconstruction period following in the wake of war likewise presents problems of great moment to the people. They are as important as the problems of war. Not only elected officials, but all interested citizens, must turn their minds to the enactment of measures of taxation which will bear equally upon all classes of our people. The readjustment of costs, production and distribution of foodstuffs, of fuel, the question of wages and unemployment, problems of finance and banking, questions of sanitation, public health, the position of women in industry, education, and military training, need solution at our hands as peace measures. The lessons of the great war must not go unheeded. We must benefit by the war as a nation and as a State. It has taught us that more stringent and more universal laws are required for the protection of the health, comfort, welfare, and efficiency of all our people. Not a single drop of American blood should be shed in vain. While our boys, on the battlefields in a foreign land, commanded the admiration of the whole world in their struggle for the ideals of democracy, those ideals must likewise be realized at home. On all of these measures I will communicate to the Legislature at length when it convenes to-night. I am mindful of the burden of responsibilities which this office places upon my shoulders. I am looking for, and I expect to receive, the heartfelt cooperation of all the State officers and of the Legislature. I am happy in the knowledge that I enjoy intimate personal friendship with the leaders and a great many members of both branches of the Legislature. I know that they are disposed to help, and on this, the first day of the New Year, I want to declare publicly that I propose to work with them, irrespective of party affiliation. We have all been elected by the people of this State to give it the best government we can. I am ready to do my full share, and I ask your hearty cooperation. I desire to speak just a word of greeting to the people from all over the State who have journeyed to Albany for this inauguration. It is a matter of regret that they could not all find place in this chamber. I thank them for their generous expression of good wishes. With a firm resolve to make myself worthy of the great honor bestowed upon me by the people of this State, I ask that Divine Providence grant me the health, the strength, and the will to do the right as I am able to see it. |