Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-28
on faIalInsuIshed dead. J. sterIns

MnTtOnE- H aa.-....
of ms'eafly life It is not necessary that
J should speak. Others will perhaps cover
tlat ground and draw lessons from H.
rood old Puritan stock and had that an
cestry Of. virtsr. intellect and energy
which distinguished practically all Of the
has bora sch frhfsge IN ali Subsequent
epochE our nauopal history The debt
Is a debt that cana0t be estimated. only
as We appreciate tina heritage OF sterling
charfttsI Astd unNeldins VII which has
man Nr. Morton was literally educated.
He made the most OF his opportunities and
added to his natural gifts the culture and
refinement which are the logical result OF
a love FOR books and an honest desire for
Improvement. with such an education and
with all hat could be desired In the way
% environment, II may seem strange that
Mr.. Morton should turn his face toward
me 5sr wes,' IA and zen we md that when
Wedding, h. and hig Youthful bride babe
adieu TO old Detroit and took up their long
Journey toward the Missouri river. they
seemed to real.ze that Nebraska needed
them and that'here was TO be their life
Bellevue the family home was located in
Nebraska city. where now Is the historic
Atbor Lodge, and there it remained until
their eternal rest.
Left Impress ON state.
But il is. Of MIR. MOTIONS public life ard
We desire TO espeeiafiy Sail Intention at this
timey AS. has; been said before he was htte 4
~ lqhsEited traits AND by. education for
the dlttes OF. leadership, For. a time he
was engnged1im Journalistic, pursuits, but
ne was psssipnateiy fond OF agriculture an I
horticulture. ,and he never divorced himself
from those Interests. He was a practical
iarmer. He made "A careful study of the
subject from the standpoint Of a Ne
braskan, surrounded by the conditions that
then existed In the territory, and his pains.
taxing research proved Of great value not
along similar lines with whom he came in
contact He was the kind OF a man who
Inquired 81 out by sheer force of mental
power. Those were the Gays when Ne
braska was trying to demonstrate It's ulti-
mate rights to statehood, and 1t was most
gtJrtupate that It had within its borders
such men as Mr.. Morton. As a member OF
the Territorial Horticultural society he dill
much in developing the two Fundamental
resources OF VIVA is now our state. and tn
efforts of himself and his compatriots along
these lines attracted settlers from the. east
and thus shortened the territorial days. Al
ways an ardent democrat. IL Ii but natural
that his abilities should have been early en-
listed In behalf OF his party. At the age of
% we find that President Buchanan APP
hat a little later he became acting gov
trnor through the resignation of Governor
Richardson. He was also twice a member
OF the Nebraska territorial legislature.
Whatever, position he filled he brought to
II a deN2tlon to duty and an honesty of
iA.HNHI "NNh ohhRNAAN eHN ANeRN1t u iAg
political opponents and greatly endeared
nim to those with whom he was politically
10 congress by a majority, on the face of
the returns, of II votes. A contest was in
st.tuted, which was finally decided in favor
Ot his opponent Throughout the contest
ne had the ardent support of the leaders on
the democratic side, one of whom said in
p tpeaking of him: Mr.. Speaker. my young
friend Is one of those .men who. can make
meaning. THOSE who knew Mr.. Morton
hest aDpraQiat ia. tho fact that he laFgplV
controlled what we call destiny simpi"
because he was able to real the signs u
The times and thus shape his own affEirs
sGnd interests in harmony with the oncom-
ing tide. Of events; He was several times
a., governor, but was defeated simply because
mis- party was .hopelessly in the minority.
Mr., Motions greatest political honor came
agriculture by President Cleveland. For
this position he was especially fitted and he
R PTSTEetd re 's sed once q bari TsS,sh OF PIT ntefieet
which made him one of the most popular
II the cabinet officers and added new luster
numerous other positions of honor and
rust which he acceptably filled. but which
1 viii not attempt to recall at this time.
Father. of ArbOr Day.
.; Possibly his best claim to fame lies in
r the fact that he was the author. of thai
sIopnlar f%esttsal which We term "AEeoE
lover Of trees, No one better appreciated
their value, both from a practical and ar
tistic standpoint, or better understood their
effect upon climatic conditions. He viewed
with alarm the denudlng of the forests In
itimbered countries and conceived the idea
OF counterecting that Influence and at the
SAINT. time making the ~prairies OF the west
more inbabitable by concentrating the
each year on the subject Of tree planting
AecoEdingly, on the Attn day OF January
.sI2, before a meeting, of the State Board
of Agriculture Of Nebraska, Mr.. Morton
introduced the resolution which created ant
named Arbor day, At that time Hon
state and he entered into the spirit Of tn,
resolution by proclaiming the 10th day O
April 81 that year as a day for genera
tree planting. The custom has been KEEP
up ever since, has grown more and mor'
popular and has been adopted by most o.
the states of the union. No more 1ttinl
monument will ever be reared to his mem
DRY, than the countless number of tree
which now stand as testimonials of hi
As a citizen and here is really the ties
% true greatness. Mr.. Morton was rep
resentative of the highest type. He stoo,
forsall that was best and truest in man
q hoqna and soorned a dishonorable act. IL
Was q man OF strong convictions and II
rent interest, either in private conversation
or IN. public. debate, could command a logi
thoughts We're clothed in. a beautiful set
.uns OF words and he was a past maste
% .~foreef9l phraseology. As a friend an
uetghbor he commanded unbounded respec
and confidence, and those who knew hir
best loved him most,
So Great Service to state.
To Nebraska his services have been in
'valuahle- He came to the territory at
time when great men were needed. Ne
breska was struggling to show whether o
not there was sufficient merit in It's prairie
to attract the serious attention of HON
builders. It's resources were undeyeloke
ana practically unknown. Then came M
80 Morton ,as an apostle of evolution. FroI
the nrst he had an abiding faith in Ne
braska's future. He saw the richness q
its soil, the wealth OF fits verdure, IN
favorable climatic, conditions and addresse
himself TO the task OF demonstrating I
others that here. was a land of plent,
only waiting to give gracious returns [
the enorts of the husbandman. Other
caught his zeal, they appreciated the fruit
OF his labors; immigration set In and Ne
braska emerged from the confines of III
Great American Desert and became
deservins claimant for the honors of stats
hood. Nor were his services confined I
nome alone AS representative OF tn
state he gave II prestige and fame all owe
the country and also In foreign lands.
The Influences of his home life were pt
husband and wife there was the close.
2 OF sympathy and union, and whe
she passed away, In 1881, the blow fell upo
ftn with almost crushing force. HoWeve
= was especially blessed I'm his four SON
aUtof whom grew to mans estate an
pSQnted by the Instructions OF their parent
endt their tnaertted genius. In that they a
dsSeloped into men Of Affairs of marke
Almighty one has gone out from anon
w. But though his lips are closed I'M N
sUehce OF death, his influence lives on an