Conservative *
the month of May in that year The
half-tone on page four is a reproduction
of that picture. Beyond the boy and the
apple tree one can discern the small pines
and the fences which bound them on the
north and west.
Wirt came Christmas time , 1900 , once
again to Arbor Lodge , and to show how
white pines and boys can grow and
change in five years their photograph
was taken once more , December 27th ,
1000. Below is the result.
Look on this picture and then upon
that of five years ago. Many of these
pines are up in the air eighteen to
twenty feet. In circumference they are
much better than isolated trees of the
same age and variety. The annual
perpendicular growth where these pines
stand thickest is from two to three feet.
Under their thickly interweaving bunghs
it is dark and damp. The darkness is a
knife which paralyzes and lops off the
under limbe leaving no scar. The
dampness is a nurse. Those who do not
believe in close planting for evergreens
particularly for white pines upon the
prairies should visit Arbor Lodge and ll'nv '
inspect the pinbtum. H MM
The Russet apple tree , where Wirt
Morton was at work , perished because
it was a root-graft , no doubt of old age
in 1897 , and was out down. In
the second photograph , the boy
stands nearly upon the stump of that
tree and within a few feet of where he
was at work in 1895. How swift the
growth of trees , and the fleeting of all
human things ! And how like trees are
mortal men in the strength and beauty
of useful life and how still and sombre
when prone in death !
THE CONSERVATIVE plants Truths everywhere , and Trees wherever they will grow. Truths live through eternity. Trees
live longer , in Time , than any other growing things.
THE WILLIAM L. WILSON MEMORIAL.
In view of the great public service ,
the broad patriotism , and the beautiful
traits of character which adorned the
life of the late William L. Wilson , his
friends throughout the Union have
determined to erect to his memory a
memorial worthy of his life and charac
ter. In determining the form that such
memorial should take , they have been
greatly influenced by the following
facts :
When Mr. Wilson was elected presi
dent of Washington and Lee University ,
in the year 1897 , he found that there
was no chair of economics in the uni
versity , and upon examination found
that there was no such distinct chair in
any southern university. His pnblio
life had shown him the importance of
inculcating in the minds of the young
. >
men of the country sound financial and
economic views So impressed was he
with this thought that out of his own
meagre salary he established and largely
supported a ohair of economics , the
funds of the university not permitting
of such expenditure. His friends have
therefore concluded that no more fitting
and enduring monument can be erected
to his memory than the endowment of
the ohair of economics which he himself
established , and for several years main
tained , in the university , to be known
as the William L. Wilson ohair of eco
nomics ; and that the memorial may be
worthy of the man in whose honor it is
erected , and that the services of the
highest scholarship may be secured in
carrying out his purpose , they have been
impressed with the propriety and im
portance of raising at least $100,000 for
this purpose. The undersigned com
mittee has been selected to take charge
of and prosecute the work to a com
pletion , and it earnestly appeals to the
friends of education throughout the
Union , as well as to Mr. Wilson's per
sonal friends and to those who honor
and exalt personal virtue and patriotism ,
to aid in effecting the desired result.
GROVER CLEVELAND , Chairman ;
ABRAM S. HEWITT ,
GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY ,
ISIDOR STRAUS ,
ROBERT FULTON CUTTING ,
JOHN G CARLISLE ,
JAMES O. CARTER ,
OSWALD GARRISON VILLARD ,
HORACE WHITE ,
HERBERT WELSH.
Fifteen thousand dollars have already
been subscribed to this fund. Those
interested in the project or who may
desire further information concerning it
are invited to correspond with Herbert
Welsh , secretary and treasurer , No.
1805 Arch Street , Philadelphia.
