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"But we have especially in our keeping the honor and good faith of a great State, and we should see to it that no suspicion attaches, through any act of ours, to the fair fame of the Commonwealth. The State should not only be strictly just, but scrupulously fair, and in its relations to the citizen every legal and moral obligation should be recognized. This can only be done by legislating without vindictiveness or prejudice, and with a firm determination to deal justly and fairly with those from whom we exact obedience."

He rejected the advice given in many quarters to permit the bill to become a law without his signature, and put himself upon high ground by saying in his message, "I am convinced, that in all cases the share which falls upon the Executive regarding the legislation of the State, should be in no manner evaded, but fairly met by the expression of his carefully guarded and unbiased judgment."

This courage challenged admiration even from those who did not agree with his position and who differed from him in political opinion. The result was to give him popularity with people of his State, because they were convinced that whatever he did, whatever position he took, their safety and their interests would be consulted.

The same independent position was assumed in dealing with bills reorganizing the Fire Department in Buffalo, a measure which would have con

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ferred a supposed advantage upon his own party. Other bills affecting the city of New York and having back of them considerable support in public sentiment, were subjected to the same relentless examination and rejected when it appeared to the Governor that they did not accord with the interests of the people of his State.

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During his first year as Governor it fell to his lot to make a large number of appointments to fill vacancies in public offices. He undertook to apply to this duty the same principles which governed his conduct in dealing with questions more strictly financial or business in their scope. He heed to the demands of his party, recognizing in general that it is neither possible nor desirable to separate important or responsible places from accountability to the sentiment dominant among the people of a given locality. But this devotion to his own party was always accom panied by the most exacting demands of fitness, capacity and character in the applicant. Wherever it was possible to do so he recognized the system of merit by which men having special fitness or experience in given lines were promoted. He made the assistant in the Insurance Department its chief; he appointed a builder of character as Commissioner of the Capitol, and made a business man, whose qualifications he knew, Superintendent of the same building. The Superintendency of Public Works, a place which

had often been filled by mere partisans with little regard to fitness, was given to a man whose long experience in the management of the canals had made him practical and thorough. The Railroad Commission, the appointment of the original members of which was imposed upon Mr. Cleveland during his first year's service as Governor, was selected with such judgment that the choice gave general party and public satisfaction. justified his confidence and that of the people of the State by doing its work so faithfully and well that there has probably been less irritation or illfeeling between the people and the railroads in New York than in any other State in the Union.

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For several years the labor question had been gradually coming to the front in New York as one of the most important to be dealt with by political parties, Legislatures, and executive officers. The peculiar character of the working people of New York city had had much to do with giving the question importance. In addition to maintaining its supremacy as the first commer cial city of the Western world, it had recently become the largest centre for manufacturing industries. This had the effect of introducing a population which for variety in origin, ideas, and interests could be found nowhere else. Many impracticable measures were proposed from time to time by the accepted representatives of the labor interests, together with others which were

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