The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-12-22
TRIBUTES PAID
TO CLEVELAND
Paul Morton at New York Insurance
Meeting Praises The Former
President.
WAS A GRAND OLD PILOT"
Adlai Stevenson and Others also Join
in Landing Career of the Late
Sage of Princeton
WAS A GRAND OLD PILOT

NEW YORK, Dec. 4.-By word of
mouth and by pen many high tributes
to the worth of the late Grover Cleve
land as citizen and statesman were pa1d
at memorial exercises which formed
the first session of the second annual
meeting of the Association of Life In
surance Presidents in this city today.
Mr.. Cleveland's last field of public ac-
tivity was in connection with the work
of that organization, he having been
its chairman and general counsel from
the date of its formation until the time
of his death on June "a of this year
The presidents and other executive
officers of life-insurance companies
from all over the United States and
Canada and many insurance commits
sioners from the states and provinces
were present to do honor to the man
who had proved such bulwark of con-
fidence to the policyholders at a time
! when life insurance was under fire.
! Chief among those who spoke at the
memorial exercises were Paul Morton,
president of the Equitable Life Assur-
ance society and former secretary OF
| the navy under President Roosevelt,
and John H. Finley, Phi. D., president
of the College of the City of New York
Mr.. Mortons father, j. Sterling Nor
ton, served in President Cleveland's
cabinet, while Dr. Finley is preparing
the authorized memoirs of Mr. Cleve-
land. Letters of tribute from Adlai e.
Stevenson, vice-president during Mr..
| ClevelandS second administration, anu
from several of the surviving cabinet
officers of the late president formed an
| impressive part of the programme.
Charles A. Peabody, president of the
Mutual Life Insurance company OF
| New York, presided.
TRIBUTE BY PAUL MORTON.
In the course of his address Mr.. Nor
ton said: Mr.. Cleveland came into the
life-insurance situation late in life
some years after he had twice been the
victorious leader of his party and the
chief executive of this great nation.
At that time he was easily the first
! citizen of the country.
His advent first as trustee of the
Equitable and afterward as chairman
and general counsel of this association
met with the emphatic appreciation OF
the American public because every one
knew that in no way would Grover
Cleveland wink at any wrongdoing or
in any way be connected with malad-
ministration. He was a grand old
pilot taken on board a very important
ship that was in danger among the
rocks and at once all on board were
pacified and confidence fully restored.
las chairman of this association he
added character, dignity and probity to
our cause, and he accepted the position
more on account of it's being a great
public duty than for any other reason.
He became intensely interested in the
study of life insurance and it's benefits
and was greatly impressed with the
fact that it is one of the best institu-
lions of civilization.
Grover Cleveland was a most con-
scientious man. He never for one mo-
ment hesitated as to what was right
and what was wrong. His courage in
doing right was no less than his cour-
age in denouncing wrong. Mr.. Cleve-
land was a patriot-not a partisan.
His live of country was greater than
his love of party. If his own con-
science told him thing was right he
acted and took the consequences. He
never did things because they were
expedient. His creed was that honesty
was the best expediency in the long
run"
INCIDENTS REVEALING THE MAN
Mr.. Morton related an incident illus.
trating Mr.. Cleveland's regard for eco.
nomy even in comparatively small mat
tiers. In letter addressed to Mr.. Nor
ton on October 2, 1906, Mr.. Cleveland
wrote: Il believe you expect me tC
send statement to each of the Equit
able policyholders. Can the trustees
z send something in the same inclosur'
and thus save expense?"
An example OF the conscientlousnes
Of the late president and of his faith
fulness to his employers was con
tanned in another letter to Mr.. Morton
2 written on February 10, 1907, in whicl
: Mr.. Cleveland said: II want to go t,
: South Carolina for ten days or tw,
weeks as soon as possible after m.
Z return from Chicago. | can see m
3 way clear to do so unless the duties O
E my new position prevent. | would no
4 think of taking the trip for pleasure
but | am satisfied that a loahng outin
In a warmer climate just at this tim
would increase my usefulness in al
matters with which | am concerned
DO you think | can go without an
damage or embarrassment To the WOT