Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-05-07

except, as he said later, when he tried to
read some of his own handwriting, that
the right eye is a little weak in the up
per half. Yet with the remaining three
fourths of his sight he does great deal
of reading for a man of his years. HIS
hearing is as acute as ever. The report
er tested this point once or twice by let
ting his questioning voice fall below the
ordinary tone, but never once did the
Senator ask for a repetition, but each
time responded promptly.
1t is a little short of marvellous that
the Senator should to-day write such an
excellent hand as that which he produces.
There was never any surpluSage about
Mr. Morrill, or his work, as his friends
he has no enemies-declare. 1t would
seem impossible for man of his years to
attend to his correspondence by hand as
faithfully as he does, yet he insists upon
answering personal notes by manuscript
replies, believing that the typewriter is
not a polite engine of communication.
| He is kept very busy just now with his
letters, for he has received scores OF
notes and kilograms since the l4th of
this month cougratulating him upon the
arrival of his eighty-fifth birthday.
On that day the house was filled with
| flowers, the gifts of friends, until it
looked like a conservatory. Guests came
| in a constant stream. too, to shake the
hand of this grand old man, who has
passed through nearly century of exist
| ence, and has never had a stain on his
| good name, a reprOach cast at his char
acter, or a suggestion made of harboring
other than the highest and most patri-
| otic motives in all that he has done in his
| public service. There is no one man in
| public life to-day who is as free from the
stain of calumny as Senator Morrill,. The
| tongue of scandal is paralyzed in his
| presence.
81 have been asked many and many
time" said the Senator, as he led the
| guest to the library, "for statement of
my life and career, but have always de-
clined to give my biography at length.
1t is distasteful to me and to my family"
Notwithstanding this demur, the Sena-
| tor at last started to talk about his early
! life, and for over an hour he spoke in
most charming manner of his life, mod
estly skipping all references to his sue
cesses and evidently endeavOung to give
a mere skeleton sketch of his career
| Such a career, though, needs tremend-
Gus frame, and this was not complete
without the frequent suggestions OF MISS
| Swan, the Senator's sister-ln- law, VINO IS
a considerable factor in the household
and a staunch admirer of the aged states
man. 1t is a noteworthy fact That Sena-
tor Morrill,, in his modest view of the
value of his own services. has achieved
the distinction of covering the longest
public career with the shortest blogra-
ply in the Congressional Directory
that interesting volume of self-told tales.
A MODEST BIOGRAPHY.
81 started in business for myself" said
Senator Morrill,, with a capital of $50,
saved from my salary as clerk in the dlt-
| ferent mercantile establishments IN
which | had worked in StratfOrd and In
| Portland. Business was good with me
and l established branch stores and was
what l considered fairly prosperous.
made StraffOrd my home, and in lS4S
came to the conclusion that had made
enough; that it was time for me to retire
from active life and get married.
81 wanted to pass the rest of my days
in quiet, and | determined to buy farm
in Strafford and there settle down. This
plan carried out, and for seven years :
lived there as farmer, having married
at the age of 40. / was offered the posi-
ton as cashier of bank, but declined.
| also had good chance to buy out
large Boston mercantile establishment,
but preferred my quiet life. But it was
not to be that | should be permitted to
rest thus. In 1915 some of my friends
came to me and said that if l ever want
ed to go to Congress that was the oppor-
tunity. replied that if my town and
county were solid for me | should enter
the canvass for the nomination.; other
wise l should not propose myself as
candidate. did not want any struggle.
"The result was that at meeting OF
/ bn oft I,n hal nt
court house they agreed to stand by me,
and | went into the convention, and l
was nominated with practical unanimity.
| was candidate on the regular Wing
ticket, but a man who was liberal, took
away many votes from the regular RANKS
of the party, and | squeezed through by
the very narrow margin of 100 votes.
Two years later was renOminated with
out opposition and secured majority of
between 5000 and 10000. Since that day,
l am happy to say, l have never been
without the practically solid support OF
my district and my State. | served in
the House through the war, and did a
good deal of work, mainly upon the tar
i'ff and kindred matters
THE resignation of the members who
joined the South left the ways and means
committee with many vacancies, and |
| W 40 NllC lhuhluS lNOpAlDIlStbLls DpSSASA
Grow told me that could have the post.
He added, however, that this State, being
greatly interested in tariff matters, would
be highly gratiied if Mr.. Thaddeus Ste
vens, then in the prime of his career,
very great man indeed, could be given
the chairmanship. l readily assented,
not caring for the great responsibilities
of the craftsmanship. .n
"But was made chairman of the sub
committee in charge of the tariff bill
that was in 1S60-with Winter Davis of
Maryland and William A. Howard of
Michigan as my colleagues. They were
both fine, lOvable men, and we worked
together harmOniOusly. had good
deal of aid, too, from the chairman, and
also from George IL. PendleJon of, Ohio,
who, though Democrat, gave me some
of my most valuable advice in the prep
aration of such legal measures as the IN
come tax law and the tax on bequests
and legacies. recall that he said to me,
after he had worked with me over the le
gal points of one of these bills: There
Morrill, have helped you get that billin
shape. Now l shall take great pleasure
CONTINUED on 4th page.