Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-05-07
SENATOR MORRILL,.
His Long and Honorable Career in
the Public SerYice-A Remarkable
Man.

the Public SerYice-A Remarkable
Man.
Justin Smith Morrill, of Vermont, in
| the estimation of many, comes as near to
| being Americas "Grand Old Man. as
any other man in public life to day. 1t
was barely fortnight ago that he cele-
brated his S5th birthday, Easter Sunday
being the anniversary this year. A
statesman full of years and hOnors,
strong in his age, and blessed with the
esteem of all the people and the respect
of all his colleagues, in these respects
Morrill, is to the United States what Bis
marck is to Germany and Gladstone is to
England. For forty years this man has
been laboring in the halls of Congress,
and to-day, in the beginning of his seth
year, he is as vigorous as at GO, and as
full of determination to accomplish his
projects. His term as Senator from the
State of Vermont will end in two years,
but it is the general expectation of all
that he will be again given the seat in
the upper house that he has now held for
Is years, longer term of continuous SER
vice than has ever fallen to the lot of any
other American Senator.
There is little variance between the
ages of the three statesmen. Bismarck
has just turned his SOth birthday. Mr.
Gladstone was born in December, 1S09
or five months before the Senator. But
Senator Morrill, is the only one of this re-
markable trio who is to-day in public SER,
vice. Both Bismarck and Gladstone
have retired, and there is little likelihood
that they will ever again assume public
functions. On the contrary Senator
Morrill,, in talking with a reporter for the
Star the other evening. at his charming
I | hnOon on Thomas
purpose of continuing, in the sessions of
Congress yet to come, the line of work
that he has laid down for himself, and
which he has made peculiarly his own
ever since he entered the Senate in 1867,
America cannot produce man whose
long and successful career has affected
him less than Senator Morrill, To ap-
proaCh him is to meet man of simple
habits and tastes, gentle as a woman,
modest as a girl about his own achieve
ments and talents. He breads nothing
so much as flattery and adulatiOn. To
him the world is a noisy place, and he re
tires from it as much as possible, eager
mainly for the quiet of his hOme-an
ideal home where all is peace and COM
fort. The house itself is characteristic
of the man, plain, unassuming dwell
ing of modest proportions, partly crowd
ed out of sight by its more modern and
ambitious neighbOrs, one of which has
rudely thrust, as it were, its elbow in the
face of the old residence, as though i'm
patient at its refusal to be replaced by a
more elegant editice. AS it stands to-
day, the house is. landmark in the
region of Thomas circle. When Senator
Morrill, bought the property, % years
ago, he felt, as he said the other night,
like an adventurous woodsman who was
pushing out beyond the frontier. But
being then so years of age, and fully ex-
pecting to spend the remainder of his
days in quiet private life, he chose for
his home this property, then suburban,
with but one house of any size near him.
His was then the most northern of the
city houses in that region.
The Morrill, home, plain outside, is
the perfection of comfort within. The
furnishings are handsome, but never
fashingly so. They bear rather the
stamp of those other days when folks
sought more than mere fashion in the
interior equipment of their houses. The
floors are covered with rugs ard carpets
so soft that not a football is ever heard.
The walls are hung with portraits in
staid old frames, here and there a land
scape by a master brush, dainty etch-
ing or two, a water color in a nook at
this hand, quaint color effect in another
corner. The whole atmosphere is that
of the great forest, quiet, reSttul, perfect.
The rooms are almost redOlent of the
sugar maple woods of far-away Vermont.
1t is a staunch Vermont household that
enjoys these comforts, true to the State
and TO every interest of her people.
One of the most remarkable features
of Senator Morrilrs extreme years is the
excellent health that he now enjoys. He
spends his time in a regular routine, ris
ing early and also retiring early. His
tastes at table are simple in the extreme.
Having always been a man of very alb
stemiOus habits, he has preserved a
strong constitution, which stands him in
good stead in these days when he has
passed tue mark of four score years. The
days are filled with little matters of bust
ness; there are callers TO receive, letters
to write to friends and constituents, calls
to make, and many other items that quite
fill the time of man of advanced years,
to whom minutes are not as long as they
were half a century ago. There is more
to do, of course, when Congress is in ses-
sion, for the Senator is one of the most
regular attendants at the Capitol of the
members in either branch. He is early
in his seat, and though he cannot now
endure the fatigue of night sittings, he
does not leave the capitol until the real
work of the day is over.
THE FAMILY CIRCLE.
The Washington winters agree remark
ably well with Mr.. Morrill,, and Washing
ton and Strafford now constitute almost
the whole of the Senator's itinerary. In
former years he and Mrs. Morrill, and
Miss Swan, Mrs. Morrills sister, often
went abroad, accompanied by the Sena-
tors only child, now a man of about So.
These tours are not now taken with such
frequency as before, as both the Senator
and Mrs. Morrill, have passed the point
when they can well stand the fatigues of
long travel.
These four constitute the household.
There have never been other children
than Mr.. James Morrill,, who is his
fathers secretary and general aid. He
was to have been educated for the prac-
tice of medicine, but preferred the law.
His fathers great age, however, renders
necessary the aid of one who is near to
him, and who is devoted to his service.
The Senator greeted his guest with
quiet hospitality. He is tall, far beyond
the average height of men, but his