Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1905-11-16
RIBUTE TO MORTON.
Ex-President Cleveland EuIogizes His
Secretary of Agriculture.

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In the presence of 5000 persons, and
with elaborate ceremony, a statue of j.
Sterling Morton, Secretary of Agricul-
ture in the last Cleveland cabinet, and
founder of Arbor day, was unveiled at
Nebraska City, Neb. Principal of those
present at the ceremony were former
President Grover Cleveland, former Vice
President Adlai e. Stevenson, Gov.
Mickey, Hilary A. Herbert, David 4.
Francis and others associated with Mr..
Morton during his term of office. There
were six addresses, principal of which
was that of Mr.. Cleveland, which was a
touching eulogy of his former cabinet
officer and personal friend. Mr.. Cleve-
land said in part:
This is but to testify to his lofty civic
Righteousness, his simple and sure standards
of public morality, his stern inSistence on
official honesty, his sturdy adherence to
opinions deliberately and consclentlousiy
adopted, his generous concession to others
of every result of their efforts, and his pas
sionate desire to serve the best interests or
his fellow cOuntrymen.
He believed that the same care and good
faith eXacted by d trust undertaken for an
individual were due to the people from
those who assume official responsibilities,
and he believed that waste in public ex-
penditure was sin.
The noxious atmosphere Of governmental
extravaganza could not blind his eyes, nor
could the ridicule of those who had learned
to scott at official economy, Or the threats
of those who perfidiOuSly cOntrived to ap-
propriate public funds to private gain,
drive him to compromise with wrong.
Thus it was that our friends fine moral
perception and his love of rectitude shed
bright and unwayering light on the path OF
official obligation; and thus did his clear
n Of 61t- INN ivnn to
his efforts towards the highest usefulness
in public office
Our friend loved nature with constancy
and delight; and through nature he was led
to a reverent love of the maker of the uni
verse. He served the purposes of God on
earth and taught his fellow-countrymen to
realize their relationship to nature and the
father of all created things, when he es-
tablished the planting of trees as a custom
of general observance among our people.
No beautiful crest or elaborate coat Of
arms would so well illustrate his grand
simplicity or typify the spirit in which this
project had its rise and completion as its
symbolZat1On by a growing tree surmount-
ing the hOmely legend, PLANT trees
None of us should 60 from this Mace
untouched by the lesson which this statue
teaches. Here we should learn that char
acter, interrupted by the conta zion of ip-
noble things and unweakened by the corro-
sion Of sordidness and money madness. is
the corner stone of every truly useful life
ana Oh every genuinely noble achievement
We have fallen upon DAYS when our
people are more than ever turning away
from their old faith in the saving grace
OF character and focking TO the worship of
money making idols. Daily and hourly. in
the light of investigation and exposure.
characterless lives are seen in appalling
numbers, without chart or compass. crowd,
ed upon the rocks and shoals of faithIess-
ness and breach OF trust. How I'll have
these wrecked lives exchanged the safe
course and the harbor of honor and useful
ness which character and rectitude point
out for wild and headlong rush over nm
known seas In a consuming search for
pelf
II our people ever return again TO their
trust In character as a steadyfng force in
our restless enterprise and immense mate
rial growth 1t will be when they take to
heart the full significance Of such a com.
memoration as this. We memorialize a
man who not only earned the lasting honor
OF MS countrymen. but whose life In all
things worthy of high endeavor, was abund.
antly successful.