Page:The autobiography of a Pennsylvanian.djvu/293

 and William U. Hensel of Lancaster, the last named having among other qualities a pronounced taste for literature.

The State of Pennsylvania was a great commonwealth of over seven millions of people, twice as many as those presided over by Queen Elizabeth, William of Orange and George Washington. I approached the duties of governor with certain well-defined convictions to be regarded and certain lines of policy to be pursued. The governorship was a climax of a career attained, and not a stepping stone to something beyond. The efforts of men are always weakened when they have some other end in view apart from the object they are called upon to accomplish. A trustee or director, who builds with the trust funds upon his own lands is always in danger. Therefore, I determined to make no attempt to build up any party or force to be used for my own purposes and to make no money save what came from my salary. Many governors had had their eyes fixed so intently upon the United States Senate and the presidency that they overlooked their opportunities as governors. I determined to give my personal attention to the work, as far as it was possible, and to have my future and repute rise or fall in accord with what was accomplished or left undone. I entertained the common and erroneous belief that the incumbents of public office were in the main idle and untrustworthy and I determined that I would improve conditions so far as it was within my power to do it. The man who endeavors to convince the populace of his own virtues by proclaiming the wrongs which other people commit is an admitted charlatan. Improvement is accomplished only by taking the steps which are necessary to make conditions better, and these steps generally begin pretty near to home. It would have been very easy for me to have gained temporary repute by raising a clamor over the shortcomings of my predecessor. Such opportunities always exist. What I did was to say to him that I supposed he had some personal friends in station who were near to him Rh