The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-11-02
TALKS AT
MORToN'S OLD HOME
Only Ex-Presidcnt Speaks al
Unwilling Of Statue at
Nebraska City.
GREED is Spelling US
Desire for Gold Is Leading American
Into Wrong Channels and He
Says They Should Emulate
j. Sterling Morton.

|. ullS SlllllS VI tlC vi ~ AoSS
j. Sterling Morton, former secretary of
agriculture, here last Saturday. A
large throng was present.
Cleveland said the tendency Of the
present American is to worship the gol-
den calf and that they would better
learn a lesson from the great and good
life of Morton and emulate his example.
Grover CleveIand's Speech.
Mr.. Cleveland said:
L have not come to the surviving family
of j. Sterling Morton. and to those VIII
were his intimate frie ends r; ana freg sqar
s~uperduous recital Of his virtues and men
tai endowments.
would fain interpret this monuments mes
sage to me, as it recalls my close compan-
ionship and cooperation, In the discharge
Of the highest public duty, with the man
we honor. / am here to give evidence con-
corning the things he revealed to me in
the igh of that companionshlp and COOP
civic righteousness, hts simple and sure
standards Of public morality, his stern
insistence on official honesty, his sturdy
adherence to opinions deliberately and
conscientiously adopted, his generous con-
cession to others of every result of their
efforts, and his passionate desire to serve
the best interests in his fellow country
men.
Stood for Economy at Washington.
He believed that waste in public expendi-
ture was sin. These beliefs were not in
49, Aiiiiit i@i ohiiIS icoAS@ - -
mildly stimulating to self-righteousness,
but We're active incentives to battle. The
n 1ra199sn atm HonId ne, Of n, Eoye bis eneai n eor
could the ridicule of those who had learned
to scott at official economy, or the threats
of those who per1idiously contrived to ap-
tpropriate public funds to private gain,
drive him to compromise with wrong.
our friend loved nature with constancy
led to a reyerent 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 Of trees as a Gus
tom OF general observance among our peo-
ing the praise Of the man who founded
Arbor day, and without peryerting its
beneficient design to the exploitation Of
his fame. It was done modestly and quiet
ly-in keeping with the disposition Of it's
promoter and his estimate of reasonable
| service.
The Lesson of His Life.
And yet none Of US should e. from this
place untouched by the lesson which this
statue teaches. Here we should learn that
character, interrupted by the contagion
or lsnoble things and unweakened by the
corroslon OF sordidness and money-mad-
ness, IS the cornerstone Of every truly use
achievement.
We shall do violence to the moral sense
WHICH God has vouchsafed to humanity If
amid the surroundings we close our minds
to the truth, that character represents the
real value of a man according to the I'M
alterable standard of fine gold; and that
1t differs UNNECESSARILY from reputation
shifting and untrue standards of mean
ambition or successful cupidity.
We Worship the Golden Calf.
we have fallen upon days when our peo-
PIE are more than ever turning away from
their old faith in the saving grace Of char
mI@oney.mak5n nyt idolss. Daily :"s and TR Rourly IN IN
characterless lives are seen In appalling
numbers, without chart or compass crowd
cd upon the rocks and shoals of faithless-
ness and breach of trust. How i'll have
these wrecked lives exchanged the safe
course and the harbor OF honor and use
Iuiness which character and rectitude
point out, for a wild and headlong rush
over unknown seas in a consuming search
for pelf.
Our Hope Is in Such Men.
IT. our people ever return again to their
trust IN character as a steadying force in
our restless enterprise and immense mate
RAJ growth, 1t will be when they take to
neart the Iull Significance of such a com
nelnoratlon as this. We memorialize a
man who not only earned the lasting hon-
or OF his countrynen, but whose life, in
all things worthy Of high endeayor was
aoundantly successful.
Description of Monument.
The fund with which the Morton
was erected was raised nv
the ArDor Day Memorial association.
Whlch was organized shortly after the
death OF Secretary Morton early in
1917. This association had as it's pres
ldent Ex-Governor Robert W. Furness:
ri. D.. Wilson OF Nebraska City was
made treasurer, and John Nordhouse
was elected secretary. Twenty-Five
vice presidents were named, all of
whom We're prominent Nebraska citi-
ZenS.
The central figure IN the
IS, or course, the statue of Mr.. Morton
himself, which stands upon a massive
yet graceful pedestal, in an attitude,
characterlstic of his strong life. His
rlght arm hangs easily at his side. and
in his left hand he holds lightly a pa
per, as though of recent reference: q
branch of a tree rests easily at his
feet, while a plowshare slightly in the
rear suggests the rugged pioneer days
or ms Ike. At the foot of the pedestal
stands a graceful wood sprite, her left
hand tendcrly protecting a Young
growing tree, thus symbolizing the
spirit Of the wise, public spirited ideal
expressed by Mr.. Morton's simple
formula, plant trees" A semi circular
stone bench stands at some distance
back of the pedestal, and forming a
frieZe around it are the words, Pioneer
Statesman, Scholar, Tree Planter"
The back Of the bench is further or
namented with two large medalions
in bronze, plainly visible to the right
and left of the statue as one stands
before it. These illustrate the one and
important epoch in Mr.. Morton's ca
reer. and the other his hearts desire.
namely, the treaty with the Pawnee
Indians, in which he prominently par
t~icipated, and a group of school chill
dTen planting trees. The lower part
Of the bench bears the inscription:
Erected by the Arbor Day Memorial
association, in memory of j. Sterling
Morton, 1903"
Upon the pedestal itself is Inscribed.
-. Sterling Morton, father Of Arbor.
day; plant trees"
The reverse of the PEDESTAL bears a
concise sketch Of Mr.. Morton's life and
public services. The spaciousness and
solidity of the base and foundation of
the monument are intended to har-
monte with the vastness and substan-
TALLY of the western country.
The platform around the
is about rs by so feet, and excepting
for the brick, which is used in the
platform. the entire is of
granite n bronze. 1t is located In
Morton park.