San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-07-03
WHO is LEVI p. MORTON?

This question so contemporary
asked by the democratic press one
week ago,is being answered in man
| ner most unsatisfactory to the ques-
TONERS. That the republican party
made no mistake in selecting the
vice-presidential candidate becomes
| more and more apparent as each
day passes over the heads of these
hasty critics. The personal facts con-
corning Mr.. Morton, were given In
yesterdays LIGHT, and some brief al
fusion made to his public career. A
perusal of this, and other informa-
ton, brings out a few facts that will
have an immense influence at home,
in New York, where all the facts are
known, during the present campaign.
1t may be well to emphasize some of
these and direct special attention to
them.
Levi p. Morton is an American
among Americans. He is of the old
New England stock, and his ancestors
were among those who founded the
government after having aided in
building a new empire in this west
ern world. The family have been in
this country for more than 260 years,
and all Mr.. Morton's tastes, habits,
sentiments and feelings are essential
ly and peculiarly and distinctively
Am erican.
He is man self made, intellect
ually and financially, and in both has
approved himself as possessing great
abilities. His vast wealth has been
secured in the pursuit of legitimate
industries, in mercantile and bank
ing business. This wealth he has
freely used for the public good. No
man was more ready to respond to the
calls of the government with financial
aid during the stormy period of 1876,
when the credit of this country trem-
bled in the balance than was Levi p.
Morton. His large hearted hberality
was shown, also, in 1879 during the
distressing famine in Ireland. Morton
was then in congress and that body
had placed a ship at the disposal of
whoever would fit it out for the relief
of Ireland. A month having elapsed
and nothing having been done. Mr..
Morton wrote to Bennett, of the Her
aid, who had given 100000 for Irish
relief, offering to be one of three to fill
the ship with provisions. Mr.. Morton's
name was withheld at his own re-
quest, but the relief was sent all the
same.
He is as honest as he is liberal. In
his early career as merchant he met
L. ,se,i,,
with his creditors paid them 20 cents
on the dollar. Some years later he
recovered all his losses and made
money. He surprised his former
creditors, who had received their legal
settlement, by an invitation to din
ner, and each was still more surprised
to find under his plate a check for the
full amount of the remaining indeb-
tedness with interest from the time
of his failure.
Mr.. Morton is man of broad intel
lectuality, as his personal friends
know and as the honOrs conferred by
Dartmouth and Middlebury colleges
abundantly confirmed.
His early years having been eXclu-
sively devoted to business, Mr.. Nor
ton did not enter political life until
somewhat advanced in years. He was
a candidate for congressional hOnors
in 1876 at 81 years Of age, in the cam
paign in which Tilden swept New
York, and was defeated, but he re-
duced the usual democratic ma Ority
and two years later was elected from
the same district, the eleventh New
York. Reelected in 1880 he shortly
afterward resigned his seat to accept
the post of minister to France under
Garfield, preferring that honor to the
secretaryship of the navy, both of
which had been offered him. While
in France he conferred distinction
upon the administration under which
he served. He was its representative
| in the Paris international electrical
exposition, and in the submarine ca
| BILE convention. 1t was directly owing
| to his efforts that the restrictions on
| impOrtatiOns of American pork into
France were removed. 1t was through
| the London branch of his banking
house that the Geneva and Halifax
awards were made, and through this
and his work as minister to France
during four years he is both we'll and
| favorably known abroad. Since re-
turning from Europe He HAS IWlCe
| been a candidate for a seat in the Uni
ted States senate, but has not been
successful. He was offered the vice
presidential nomination which fell to
Arthur in 1880, but declined to have
his name pushed before the cOnven-
| ton.
He will poll an immense Irish vote
in New York where his liberality and
transformations charity are so well
known. He is a man of liberal Gull