The Savannah morning news., 1902-04-28
]. S. MORTON DEAD
WAS CLEVELAND's SECRETARY OF
AGRICULTURE.
ORIGINATOR OF ARBoR DAY.
SUCCESSFUL FARMER AND NEWS
PAPER MAN.

Caught Cold While Speaking mt
stock Show in Chicago i'm NOvem-
ber-This Ran Into Grip and After
Relapse He Went to Mexico,
Where Bronchial Troubles DeveI-
Opcd-Ran His Department on
Practical Lines and Opposed Gov
eminent Distribution of Seeds as
Pnternal-His Constant Motto Was
plant Trees"
Chicago, April 27.-Hon. j. Sterling
Morton, former Secretary of Agricul-
ture, died at 4:S0 o'clock this afternoon
at the home of his son. Mark Morton,
at Lake Forest, Ills.
For several weeks Mr.. Morton had
been gradually failing. The nature of
his Illness had not been determined and
a week ago he was brought from his
home at Nebraska City, Neb., to Lake
Forest for medical attendance. The
change brought no improvement and
he failed graually until death came.
The arrangements for the funeral are
yet incomplete, but it has been deter
mined that services will be held at
Lake Forest at o'clock Tuesday af-
ternoon, after which the remains will
be removed to Mr. Morton's country
home at Arbor Lodge, near Nebraska
City, where services will be held on
Wednesday afternoon.
Was in CIeveIand's Cabinet.
Washington, April 27.-Julius ster-
ling Morton was in Washington for
four years as Secretary of Agriculture
in President Clevelands second adj
ministration. He was a man of stead
fast, convictions, answering honesty
and undoubted ability. BY nature a
controversialist, Mr.. Morton came to
the cabinet with many fixed ideas about
the government service. He was a
practical farmer and ran his depart
ment along practical lines, but never
theless not without many squabbles.
He regarded the distribution of seeds
as paternalstic, and on that subject
found himself in opposition to Con-
gress.
The ex-secretary was the author of
Arbor day April 22 which began to
be observed generally during his in
cumbency as head of the Department
of Agriculture, and is now generally
observed in ali the states. His con-
slant motto was to plant trees" hav-
ing 1t stamped in large letters under a
picture OF a tree on his stationery.
FIe was an inveterate. letter writer. He
found keen enjoyment in answering
the communications from farmers, and
ii was no unusual occurrence for him
to call newspaper men into his office
to read the answer he was writing to
farmers, often giving out portions of
them for publication.
Died on SEVENTEEN Birthday.
The ex-Secretary was exactly 20
years old, to-day having been the an
niversary'of his birthday He was born
in Jefferson county, New York, but his
parents moved to Michigan when he
was very young. He was a graduate
of Union College, New York.
Mr.. Morton was connected editorial
ly for time with the Detroit Free
Press and the Chicago Times, and then
located at Bellevue, Neb., in Novem-
Der, 1854. where in April following ne
issued the first number of the Nebraska
City News. He was elected to the ter
ritorial Legislature the same year and
was appointed secretary of the terri
tory in 1858. He was elected to Con-
gress in 1860. but was unseated as the
result of contest. He was four times
nominated by his party for Governor
of Nebraska, but was defeated each
time. He was a stalwart gold man,
and had an early falling out with Will
liam ]. Bryan, whose political aspira-
tions he vigorously opposed.
How His Illness Begun.
Nebraska City, Neb.. April 27.-The
illness of ex-Secretary Morton dates
from last November. when he con-
tracted a severe cold while speaking at
the stock show in Chicago. The cold
ran into an attack of the grip and
Mr.. Morton was in hospital for some
time. When he was able to do so. he
returned to his home in this city,
where he suffered a relapse. After
partial recovery he left in March for
the City of Mexico, expecting to regain
his health. During his stay in the
Southern country a disease of the
bronchial arteries developed and he re-
turned North. He suffered severely
on the return journey and reached his
home with his general health much
impaired Three weeks ago Mr., Nor
ton returned to Chicago with the hope
of securing the service of a specialist
The condition of his throat again be-
came aggravated and a week ago he
suffered an attack of apoplexy.
From this attack he rallied but lit
tie. His immediate death, according to
Dr. CHM. his local physician, was due
to an Inflammation of the bronchial
arteries.