16 Conservative *
state of Nebraska made Mr. Morton
famous before he was given the ap
pointment to President Cleveland's
cabinet , in which lie made a notable
record. He was a man of wide attain
ments and was successful as an editor , a
lawyer and a statesman.
Post. Farmer and financier , journal
ist , astute politician and lover of trees ,
his interest , his activity and his achieve
ments included all those elements of
public and private service in citizen
ship which are embraced in our time-
honored ideals of the sovereign citizen.
Inter-Ocean. He had convictions and
he stood by them. When grown men
and women would not listen to him he
appealed to the children. His truest
fame was won in his successful effort to
induce men to diversify and improve
prairie regions with woodland growth.
Chronicle. The originator of Arbor
Day , for which ho is best known in
many localities beyond his own state ,
his active and philosophical brain was
prolific at all times of ideas and sug
gestions calculated to benefit his fel-
lowmen. His death is a genuine loss
not only to Nebraska but to the entire
country. Men of his type are not com
mon in any age , but they are needed to
day in America more than at any pre-
vious time in its history.
Record-Herald. Mr. Morton was a
sturdy and vigorous personality , tena
cious in his adherence to what he be
lieved to be correct principles , unyield
ing in his advocacy of the things that
made for honesty and sanity in public
affairs. He was a typical educated
farmer of wide and liberal culture , who
loved the soil and his books. He was
recognized as one of the highest author
ities on finance and the higher politics.
American. Personally he was a well-
mannered and likable man , popular
among his equals and well liked by his
subordinates. He was good-humored
and kindly.
Tribune. His first thought was for
his country ; his last thought was for
himself. The qualities which character
ized him sturdy integrity , convictions
i of right and justice , personal independ
ence , unflagging industry , manly honor
and love of country are not so fre
quently met with among public men
that young men can afford to neglect a
study of his life.
Live Stock World. He was father of
the idea of Arbor Day , and the good his
work and words have done and will do
in clothing our prairies and hillsides in
youthful and beautiful trees , would be
hard to overestimate.
Unity. Let there be one tree set out
in the most desirable and fertile corner :
let it be a long-lived tree ; let it receive
special care and let it be known as the
"Morton Tree of 1902 , " his death year.
Let the story of it be passed from one
generation of school children to another ,
and on each Arbor Day , under its
spreading branches , let the story of J.
Sterling Morton , the great tree-planter ,
be gratefully told.
American Lumberman. A man of
clean life , of active mind , of warm
sympathy , a man whose activities were
not limited by his own interests or en
vironment , but which went out to all
the people. He was a remarkable ex
ample of disinterested patriotism.
North Western Christian Advocate.
Secretary Morton's administration was
characterized by devotion to the in
terests of farmers , and is especially
i v
I *
notable for the interest taken by him in
the cultivation of forest trees.
BLOOMINQTON.
Pantograph. Ho was one of the most
practical and progressive men of the
West. As an official of the government ,
his record was honest and straightfor
ward , and the department has had few
men who have given more devoted and
intelligent attention to its duties.
Bulletin. Those are wonderful mon
uments which J. Sterling Morton has as
memorials of his abiding faith in the
great West. No grander shaft was ever
erected than the living trees which dot
what was once seared prairies.
EDWARDSVILLE.
Intelligencer. All his life he has been
a farmer and a leader in the upbuilding
of every line of agriculture. It was he
who originated Arbor Day , which has
become an annual festival.
JOLIET.
Republican. He will be best remem
bered by the people of the nation as the
founder of Arbor Day , which was ap
pointed upon his natal day. His con
stant motto was , Plant Trees.
SPKINGFIELD.
News. Morton was one of the demo
cratic leaders of the country , who has
left a splendid record behind him.
Register. His contribution to the wel
fare and happiness of mankind was not
limited to his own generation , but will
continue to grow , blossom and bear
fruit throughout the generations yet to
come.
KANKAKEE.
Times. In the death of J. Sterling
Morton the nation loses its most prom
inent farmer and horticulturist.
OARLINVILLE.
Democrat. He was a man of stead
fast convictions , unswerving honesty
and undoubted ability.
HENRY.
Republican. As an official of the
government his record was honest and
straightforward. He illustrated the
patriotism and sense of duty which are
stronger than party ties , with the true
American.
CICERO.
Advocate. As the founder of Arbor
Day ; as a citizen who was loyal to his
country above his party ; as a man who
respected his honor and loved his home
above partisanship or wealth , J. Ster
ling Morton was honored in life , and in
death his name will long be cherished.
Our Morton Park may well be proud of
the name.
PEORIA.
Herald-Transcript. He was a refined
and cultivated gentleman , but at the
same time he was an intensely practical
farmer. His death is a severe loss to
the state and to the entire nation. He
was a man of a type which is unfortu
nately disappearing from the political
world.
HILLSBORO.
News. He was a man of steady con
victions , unswerving honesty and un
doubted ability.
NEW YORK.
NEW YORK.
Evening Post. His life has been full of
conscientious and useful service to his
day and generation , and remains a fine
example to the young.
Journal of Commerce. He was a
clear , simple , straightforward and per
fectly frank representative of popular
government , who was ready to spend a
lifetime in convincing people that they
were wrong. People who agreed with
him were invited to vote for him , but lie
never would shade his opinions to win
any man's vote. For forty years he
was a real force for good government.
Mail and Express. Mr. Morton was
the originator of Arbor Day , and thou
sands of trees now thriving on the once
woodless prairies of the West are his
living monuments.
BUFFALO.
Times. It may be regarded as a melan
choly coincidence that the death of
Julius Sterling Morton should have oc
curred in the very week marking the
annual celebration of Arbor Day , for
Mr. Morton's best claim to fame was as
the originator of that day.
News. He had fixed ideas and could
maintain them with determination and
intelligent argument when called upon
to dp so. The farmers had always a
willing listener and a judicious and
brave adviser in J. Sterling Morton.
Commercial. The late J. Sterling
Morton , of Nebraska , who was secretary
of agriculture during the second ad
ministration of Qrover Cleveland , has
a claim to remembrance that will not
be overlooked.
ALBANY.
Times-Union. The death of J. Ster
ling Morton takes away as rugged ,
well-poised and public-spirited an Amer
ican as recent days have seen.
Argus. The late ex-Secretary Morton ,
of Nebraska , was a man of strong char
acter and no slight ability. As secre
tary of agriculture in President Cleve
land's last cabinet , he impressed him
self upon the country. He was proud
of the title of Father of Arbor Day.
UTICA.
Dispatch. J. Sterling Morton was a
man of wide and practical knowledge
who exerted considerable influence in
politics.
SYRACUSE.
Standard. It would be a good thing
if there were a great many more like
Morton.
MlDDLETOWN.
Press. He was the originator of
Arbor Day , and in connection with that
useful anniversary he deserves to be
most gratefully remembered.
ROME.
Sentinel. Secretary Morton was a
practical farmer , and therefore he was
a valuable cabinet officer for the coun
try , though he was not valuable to the
politicians , who sought to use him for
their private ends. He was a man of
learning and character.
ADAMS.
Journal. He always maintained an
interest in the home of his birth , visit
ing Adams when he was a member of
Grover Cleveland's cabinet , and of
course making a most favorable im
pression on those he met.
TROY.
Times. The American people will
hold in kindly regard the memory of J.
Sterling Morton , for he has done his
country service which entitles him to
such remembrance.
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