taught all people that the homo is the
ceiiter of the state ; that the domestic
virtues are the only sure foundations
of political virtues ; that honesty and
truthfulness and sobriety and self-
mastery must be taught and enforced ,
by precept and example , morning , noon
and night by the parent , in the home ;
and that no lesson in the school , and no
training by the schoolmaster alone , can
ever make good the good citizen. Ho
was always preaching the blessed gos
pel of home-building and hoine-loving.
And it was the source of the inspira
tion of Arbor Day. This early settler
in this land when it was new , looked
over a treeless state of scattered farms ,
a dull , weary , sorry land , and he asked
himself , how can its nakedness be
clothed with the beauty of abundant
foliage ? And the answer was "Plant
The legend of Arbor Lodge was adopt
ed by the state , and Arbor Day was
made a holiday , when the children of
the schools and the people of town and
country gather to the work of planting
trees. The custom has spread ; England
and France and Germany have caught
the idea , and very soon it will be a uni
versal festival ; not the prairies of Ne
braska only , but all the earth will be
clothed with the verdure of trees plant
ed on this great holiday.
In many other ways , Mr. Morton
touched the life of this people , but our
limits restrain our recounting them.
From Senator Chas. F. Manderson , Oma ha
It is vith a deep sense of the in
ability of language to express one's
full appreciation of manly character
and the living in consonance with
high ideals that I make this tribute
to J. Sterling Morton.
Thirty years of acquaintance with
him , which ripened in the later years
into an appreciative friendship ,
brought to me a satisfying knowledge
of a man with deep convictions ,
which , based as they were upon
morality , found in their possessor the
courage that fearlessly proclaimed
them and sought oy every honorable
means for their full fruition.
Being m public life when Mr. Mor
ton was Secretary of Agriculture ,
the opportunity came to me to ob
serve his methods. When convinced
that a course was best , nothing could
swerve him from its close and steady
pursuit. His reports were marked by
a deep insight into the Nation's
needs , and a fearless condemnation of
the potty ways by which many in
public life perpetuate their official
existence. He was the persistent foe
of governmental paternalism and in
terference with private rights by
federal power. No man I have ever
known hated sham in politics and
humbug in politicians with a more
intense hatred than Mr. Morton , and
his scarification of both , by voice
and pen , brought upon him the
vituperative condemnation of smaller
men who mixed envious jealousy
with their fear of him.
Ho spoke with power in public
speech , was a brilliant and attractive
conversationalist and wrote with the
exquisite polish of an Addisou and
the sarcastic power of a Dean Swift.
The political frauds and timid time-
servers who wore scoriated by his pen
will bear for many a day the welts
that came from his castigatious.
With all this manly force there was
a gentleness in him that found its
best expression by the domestic
hearth. His homo life was ideal ,
and whether to those of his own flesh
and blood or to the stranger within
his gates , his kind consideration and
eeiitle courtesv won all hearts. H e
exempliflbd the fact that the bravest
are the gentlest , the noblest are the
daring.
His life was a benefaction.
His memory shall endure with all
who love true manhood.
From President Theodore Roosevelt.
.1 knew him in public life , and as a
friend outside of public life ; and I val
ued him most highly for those qualities
of sturdy manhood , of courage , fearless
ness , broad-mindedness and absolute
integrity which we like to see in one
whom we regard as specially representa
tive of our nation.
Mr. Morton was prominent among
that limited number of men who cham
pion great movements ; to whom it is
given to associate their names with a
movement of marked benefit to the people
ple as a whole. More than any other
man , Secretary Morton will stand as
the representative of those far-sighted
enough to realize the great need of tree
culture.
From Richard Olney , Boston.
Mr. Morton was a man of the
highest character and of marked abil
ity. Without being in the technical
sense a scholar , he was well abreast
of the current thought of the time ,
had read much and widely , and ,
though all his life engaged in en
terprises requiring practical knowl
edge of men and aifairs , was by na
ture inclined to study first principles
and to treat them as all-sufficient
rules of conduct. Once his intellect
and conscience were satisfied as to
the course to } : e pursued , his loyalty
to his convictions know no bounds.
There resulted a rigidity , not to say
a "marked severity" of attitude
towards those of different views
which , while never disentitling him
to respect , was not well calculated to
make converts. But if the uncom
promising feature of the man's na
ture often seemed to gratuitously
arouse personal antagonisms , ho never
lacked for friends whom ho grappled
to him with hooks of steel. Had his A
nature boon loss downright and out
spoken , his talents might well have
secured for himjv.nyroffico in the gift
of the people. Ho" $ vas an orator of
great power , atuf as 'a writer was
always sure attention from the
vicor and originality with which he
expressed himself. His charm of
manner was unusual , his sense of
humor particularly- strong , and his
erect form aiM'almost military car
riage made him a .noticeable and im
pressive figure'on ' any public occasion
at which h6"appeared.
Taken all iii'all he was a model
American citizen ; an exemplar of the
highest qualities of manhood in both
rmhlio and -private life : oven whoso
"failings leaned to virtue's side ; "
whom it is a privilege to have per
sonally known ; and in whose death
not merely relatives and friends but
citizens of the country at large will
recognize the blow of a great ca
lamity.
From Judge H. P. Bennet , Denver.
We have been warm and abiding per
sonal friends for nearly a half century.
Little did either of us think last Sep
tember when we met and parted that it
would be the last on earth. He was
hale and hearty then and little did I
expect to survive him. The memory of
our last meeting and his generous hos
pitality will ever afford me much com
fort until I join him in the great
beyond.
From John 6. Gasmann , Alameda , Cal.
I wish to assure you that we who had
the pleasure of knowing your highly
esteemed father feel with you and for
you. And not only have you , the mem
bers of his family , cause for deep sorrow
row in your bereavement , but the com
munity where he was intimately known
and most highly esteemed , as well as
the state of Nebraska , and country at
large , join with yon in regret and sorrow
row that one so highly honored by all
has been taken away from loving hearts
from an appreciative community and
a grateful country.
God grant that the lessons he instilled
in your minds may always be remem
bered , and that the name which he
made so illustrious may bo ever kept
unsullied for all time to conie.
From Edward Atkinson , Boston.
I little thought I should outlive him.
He was a rare man indeed. Among my
friends whom I have made in political
life , William L. Wilson and your father
came closest to me as men for whom I
felt great personal affection.