Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1902-04-29
DEA7Hg Of MR.. MORTON
Former Secretary Of Agriculture
Dies at Chicago. =
BEEN ILL SOME TIME
lie Died at the Home Of Ills Som after
Second streke Of ApopIexy-iIis
Remains win he Taken to
Nebraska for Interment.

Chicago. April 2s.--Hon. ]. Sterling
Morton. former secretary OF agricul-
ture. died at 4:so o'clock Sunday after
noon In Lake Forest. at the home OF
his son. Mark Morton.
A special train bearing the remains
OF Mr.. Morton and members OF his
family and friends will leave Lake For.
est at O'Clock tomorrow afternoon
for Nebraska City. where the inter-
ment viii take place. Death was due
10 cerebral thrombus.
Mr.. Morton began ailing several
months. ago. and In hopes a change
OF climate would restore his health he
went 10 the City OF Mexico. accom-
panied by his son. Paul Morton. vice
president OF the Santa Fe railroad. Mr.
Morton continued to grow worse In
the southern country. however. and six
weeks ago he returned to his old home
in Nebraska. He then came 20 Chi
cago. where Il was believed he would
have better medical attention. After
he arrived here he improved some
what and It was believed fer a lime
that he would entirely recover from
his ailment Last week he suffered n
stroke OF apoplexy from which he
never recovered. He suffered n sec
ond stroke Sunday. and as be had be-
come so weak from his long illness.
II proved fatal.
His three sons. John. Paul and Mark
Marion. were at his bedside when the
end came.
Julius Sterling Mornton was In Wash
ing for four years as secretary OF agrI-
culture In President Cleveland's sec
ond administration. He was a man OF
steNdfast convictions. answering hon.
esty and undoubted ability. BY ma
ture a controversatlonallst. Mr.. Nor
ton came 10 the cabinet with many
fixed ideas about the government SER
vice. He was a practical farmer and
ran his department along practical
lines. but nevertheless not without
many squabbles. He regarded the
distribution OF seeds as paternalistic,
and on that subject found himself in
opposition 20 congress. The ex-secre-
tary was the founder OF Arbor day.
April 22. which began 10 be observed
generally during his lncumbency as
head OF the department OF agriculture.
and Is now generally observed In all
the states. His constant motto was 10
plant trees" having Il stamped In
large letters under a picture OF a tree
on his stationery. He was an invet.
crate letter writer. He found keen en-
joyment In answering the communi-
cation from farmers. and IL was no
unusual occurrence for him 10 call
newspaper men into his Office 10 READ
the answers he was writing TO farmers.
often giving out portions OF them for
publication
The ex-secretary was exactly 20
years old. He was OF Scotch English
descent He was born In Jefferson
county. New York, but his parents
moved TO Michigan when he was very
young. He was graduate OF Union
college. New York Mr.. Morton was
connected editorIally for a time with
the Detroit Free Press and the Chi
cago Times. and then located AZ Belle
villef Neb.. in November. 1854. where.
In April following. he Issued the first
number OF the Nebraska City News.
He was elected 10 the territorial legls-
lature the same year. and reelected
In 1857. He was appointed secretary
OF the territory in 1888 TO MI the va.
cancy caused by the death OF Thomas
b. Cunning. and served until May. 1861.
part OF the time as acting governor.
He was elected 10 congress in 1860. but
was uHseated as the result OF a con-
test. He was four times nominated
by his party as governor OF Nebraska.
but was defeated each time. He was
a stalwart gold man." and had an
early falling out with VIM. ]. Bryan.
whose political aspirations he Wig
orously opposed. He was Identified OF. |
hcially with many agricultural and |
organization.
|