Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-12-30
Mr.. MOrrill's Career.

IOEt W NhtN
of the Important Legislation which
lie shaped.
The Hon. Justin S. Morrill,, the senior
senator from Vermont, died at rs o'clock
Wednesday morning at his residence in
Washington, ID. c., in the S0th year of his
age, after an illness of less than week
lie had been in an unconscious state since
Tuesday morning. He passed away peace
fully, evidently not suffering pain. Miss
Louise Swan, his sister-in-law, James Nor
rll, his son, George NJ. Taylor, formerly
of Brattleboro, who was the Senator's pri-
vate secretary, Mrs. Baxter and a ply
sican were with him most of the time dur
ing his last hours. The Senator was not
able to leave his house last week Wednes-
day, but he would not consent to having a
physician called until the afternoon on the
following day. The physician said that
the Senator was suffering from grip, but
his condition was not considered alarming
until Christmas night, when pneumonia
developed, and from that time to the end
he sank steadily.
Justin Smith Morrill, was born in Straf-
ford, April IA, 1870 the son of Nathaniel
and Mary (HunD Morrill,. He received
his early education in the public schools of
his native town and at Thetford and Ran
dolph academies. At the age of IL he en-
tered local store as clerk and in 1928 en-
tered the employ of merchant in Port
land, Me.
In 1881 he returned to Strafford and be-
came the partner of Judge Jedediah Har-
ris, Strafford merchant, the partnership
continuing until the latter's death in 1855,
although Mr.. Morrilrs active connection
with the firm ceased in 1S4S, when he de-
voted himself to agriculture.
In 1854 the late Andrew Tracy of Wood
stock, representative of the Second congress
sional district, declined to be a candidate
for r, election. Mr.. Morrill,, though not
prominent politically in the state, was
nominated for the office and elected, taking
his seat in the 34th Congress in December,
1855. He had been elected as an anti
slavery Whig, but the Wing party was
then in the throes of dissolution, and when
he appeared in Washington it was as
representative of the new Republican
party, in the organization of which in Yer
mont he had taken part and of whose
principles he became the earnest advocate.
He carried through the House the first
bill against Mormon polygamy. He intro
duced the first bill to grant public lands
for agricultural scientific and industrial
colleges, which was vetoed by President
Buchanan. In 1862 Mr.. Morrill, again in
troduced such bill, which under his man
agement became law.
Mr.. Morrill, was five times reelected to
the House and in the 39th Congress was
chairman of the committee of ways and
means and was one of the most influential
members. Among the important speeches
made by him during the critical period be-
fore the civil war was one in support of a
report, also made by him, in opposition to
the admission of Kansas with pro-slavery
constitution. During the war he had
charge of all tariff and tax bills in the
House of Representatives, and the "Mor-
rill tariff of 1861 and the internal reve-
nue. tax system of 1862 were two import
ant measures whcih he fostered.
In 1866 Mr.. Morrill, was elected to the
United States Senate, where he has since
served. He succeeded Luke p. Poland as
senator.
Mr.. Morrill, was an ndefatigable worker,
and while not an orator, he spoke grace
lull1 anu WAS always llSItIleu
to attentively. His great age and high po-
sition caused him to be universally esteem
ed by the other members of the Senate.
He was the Oldest member of the Senate
and senior member in point of service.
With the single exception of Galusha
Grow of the House of Representatives he
was the only man in Congress whose con-
gressional career began prior to the begin
ninO nf the civil ua and ha had ha hon
or over Mr.. Grow in that his congressional
service had been continuous, covering, in
the Senate and House combined, almost
A years.
Mr.. Morrill, was married in 1851 to Ruth,
daughter of DIR. Caleb Swan of Easton,
Mass. Mrs. Morrill, died in Washington
last May.
Mr.. Morrill, has been for 30 years men,
Der of the board of trustees of the Uni
versity of Vermont and State Agricultural
college and one of the regents of the
Smithsonian institution.
On entering the Senate Mr.. Morrill, con
tinued to give his attention largely to finan-
cial and commercial questions and during
the greater part Of his term of service he
was identified as member of the commit
tee on finance. He became chairman OF
of this committee in 1877, succeeding Sen
ator Sherman when the latter entered the
cabinet of President Hayes, and he held
the position continuously after that date
except during the 10th and sd Congresses
when the Democratic party controlled the
Senate, and during those intervals he con.
tinued at the head of the Republican rep
resentation on the committee. In recent
years he delegated the greater share Of
committee work to the younger members
of the committee, but there had been but
few times when he was not a regular at
tendant upon the committee meetings, anC
many instances are related of his surpris
ing activity in directing the affairs of the
country up to the last.
He had at his fingers ends a wealth O.
information concerning the tariff and finan
cial questions, which were always usefu
on the elucidation of problems then unde
consideration. During his long career Mr.
/ Morrill, OaUa his attantiOn to manu o,,ae