Omaha daily bee., 1905-10-29

great west he espoused with aTectionate
zeal every movement or interest that prom
ised it's development and prosperity, but
even this he did with such strict subordina-
ton to the commands OF conscience ana
with such courageous reliance upon the
strength that comes of clear conviction
that in advocating his beliefs on economic
and financial topics he did not hesitate TO
attack the opinions and preiudices Of those
with whom he had made his home There
was no bitterness Of heart in all this, but
there was the positive, rugged earnestness
of a strong determined man. quite content
to trust time and sober second thought Tor
his vindication.
Lover of Nature.
Our frend loved nature with constancy
and delight and through nature he was
led to a reverent love OF the Maker OF the
Universe. 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
! established the planting ofNrees as a Gus
| tom of general observance among our peo-
| pie. This work was done without trumpet
| ing the praise of the man who founded Ar
| Dor day and without perverting Its beneh-
cent design to the exploitation OF his fame.
| IL was done modestly and quietly-in keep
| ing with the disposition Of its promoter and
| his estimate of reasonable service. NO
| would so well illustrate his grand sim
plicity or typify the spirit in which this
/ project had its rise and completion as its
| symbolization by a growing tree surmount-
| ing the homely legend PLANT Trees"
! Though the erection Of this monument
6sye had ITS 6sy IN See eSTno
escape the feeling that Il would tell but
| little of the story of the life and career Of
| imperishably inscribed upon II the words.
| Pioneer, Statesman, Scholar as well as
been here buiided and Inscribed. those who
| knew him best and loved him most cannot
| see in this dull, cold effigy any presentment
| of the tenderness and unceasing affection OF
/ the father and brother, and the cheerful
ness and mirth which in his hours Of re-
taxation he brought to his home and fire.
| side, nor the open-heartedness and con-
| tagious good humor which he gave TO inti-
mate. companionship. The, monument that
| is built on the hallowed ground of memory.
And yet none of us should go from this
place untouched by the lesson which this
statue teaches. Here should learn that
character interrupted by the contagton OF
ignoble things and unweakened by the cor
| roson of sorddness and money madness, Is
| the cornerstone Of every truly useful life
and OF every genuinely noble achievement.
We shall do violence to the moral sense
which God has vouchsafed to humanity II,
amid these surroundings, we close our
sents the real value of a man according to
the unalterable standard of fine gold and
that 1t differs UNNECESSARILY from reputa-
ton, which measures a mans worth by the
shifting and untrue standards of mean am
bition or successful cupidlty. We have fall
len upon days when our people are more
than ever turning away frvrn their old
faith in the saving grace OF character and
1ockinE TO the worship of money-making
idols. Daily and hourly, in the licht OF in
vestigation and exposure. cf'<racterless
lives are seen in appalling numbers with
out caa ad Shoals S6 M and Breach
of trust How i'll have these wrecked lives
exchanged the safe course and the harbor
and rectitude point out. for a wild and
headlong rush over unknown seas In con-
Stunning search for pelf.
Rounded Out Successful Life.
49,
trust in character as a steadying force in
our restless enterprise and immense ma
terial growth, it will be when they take to
heart the full significance of such a COM
memoration as this. We memorabilia
man who not only earned the lasting honor
of his countrymen, but whose life in all
things worthy of high endeavor, was album
dainty successful. AS pioneer who labored
| to improve the new country of his home, he
| lived to see 1t blossom as the rose; as
scholar he cultivated his own mental
powers and acquired knowledge in order
| fit others; as statesman he left the i'm
press of high aspiration upon our citizen
| ship and of usefulness and fidelity upon our
| public life and as the father Of tree plant
| ing he gained the grateful remembrance of
| the old and young of the present genera
| ton and that of generations yet unborn.
! All these things he wrought out through
| the power Of a strongi wholesome, patriotic
Let those Of us who were his fellow citi-
| zens and knew his life. heed his example to
! the end that our work may be more unset
1
| and the betterment OF our fellow men,. Let
| his sons. In whom was centered all his
| worldly pride, remember that tb" only sue
| cess that is satisfying and honorable is that
| achieved in their fathers spirit and high re-
| solve.
| IL is fitting that this monument should re-
| call memories that must not die. is well
that 1t should arouse the living to noble
| endeavor, But to the dead II avails not He
has reared his own monument more dur
able than brass or stone"
| Herbert Praises Colleague.
Mr.. Herbert, the Alabama member Of
the last Cleveland cabinet, spoke of the
cordial relations existing between north
and south, the influence Of the men who
had helped heal the breach and said none
was more Jealous for reunited country
| than the late lamented Morton. In this
connection he paid high tribute to the late
| President Mckinley and President Roose-
| welt, referring especially to the speeches
the president has just made on his visit to
the south.
The memory OF him in whose honor you
| unveil this statue today has nothing to fear
| from his intimates at Washington, for they
| who were closest to him there not only
loved him best, but honored him most.
| Sterling Morton, when he was selected for
a place in Mr., Cleveland's cabinet had not
| filled any Office In which he could accom-
! plish a national reputation; he had no ex-
| understood that he was chosen because of
his known abilities and infeXible integrity.
Never in any instance did he pander TO
| public opinion. however widespread IL might
/ be- by tOlerating a measure that appeared
| TO him contrary to sound public policy He
| presided over a recently established depart
! ment that was rapidly growing into popu-
larity. That popularity, as appeared from
| their votes and speeches, was, in the opin-
ion Of congressman. largely based upon the
/ wide distribution of garden seed among
| farmers. Farmers were peculiarly the con-
stituents OF the secretary of agriculture
| This secretary was himself a farmer and
| II there was any class to which his warm
| heart went out more naturally than to any
| other II was the tulers of the soil. Never
| theless he recommended TO congress that
the distribution OF garden seeds be largely
discontinued. Some of the congressman
who could not answer his arguments other
wise called him crank. IL TO be absolutely
honest in public life constitutes a crank
then Sterling Morton was a crank.
/ never knew a better or a purer man.
Sitting near him for four years around the
council table of the president, where mat
tiers of great moment were continually
being discussed never did ] hear from him
an opinion upon any question, foreign or
domestic, that was not direct and to the
point and worthy of great consideration;
and neither there nor elsewhere did ever
discover in him spark OF jealousy or envy
THE SECRET OF YOUTH