AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A PENNSYLVANIAN
means and salary. There had been seven employees in the house. We cut them down to five. In the course of my term the feeding of these people cost me several thousands of dollars. At one time I asked the opinion of the attorney general upon the matter and he informed me that in his view the state was required to provide this sum. It appeared to me, however, to be a question of some uncertainty and, preferring to feel entirely clear in all financial transactions between the state and myself, I paid the bills and let the subject rest. Each successive governor, with the aid of his wife, had taken a hand in fixing the mansion, and my successor made extensive improvements, but nothing except repair was done to it during my term. In my view it was not worth the expenditure. The space between the Capitol and the Susquehanna River, now occupied by the gentry of the town, ought to be confiscated and thrown into a park and somewhere within the enclosure a home for the governor erected in keeping with the importance of his office.
The next day, January 20th, a cold, raw, bleak day with occasional falls of snow, the chief justice, the Honorable D. Newlin Fell, my old friend, administered to me the oath of office and I stood, with uncovered head, in the presence of an immense crowd and read my inaugural address. There was a great parade of the National Guard and clubs, at the head of which rode Marlin E. Olmsted, a leading lawyer and a member of Congress who just missed being the speaker. He was capable of filling, with credit, any public position. He did not have that quality which is called magnetism, but, what is more important, he possessed in abundance character and intelligence. Coming to Harrisburg as a clerk in one of the departments, he died unfortunately only too early, leaving a beautiful and attractive young wife and a vast estate. After an experience of four years of contact with them, in my opinion the strongest men in public work in the state were Marlin E. Olmsted, David T. Watson of Pittsburgh, Philander C. Knox of Pittsburgh
