Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-04-21

the world would it enter the head of a.
statesman to endoW the higher educa-
tion for such Il purpose; that only an
American Of unusually large mind and
generous heart could have conceived ard
elaborated and carried into act such A
project, ard that the far-sccing wisdom
of the plan and the magnificent results
which have already attended its execu-
tion constitute n title to the homage and
gratitude Of posterlty which any states
man Of any age or country might envy
Mr. Morrill,.
Lesson OF HIS LIFE.
The most significant lesson OF Mr.. Nor
rills life TO "a man looking forward to
any form of public service is that he Is
the truest representative OF the people
VINO represents the best elements OF tho
people. On the truth OF this proposition
hang al the best hopes Of popular govern
ment. This more than all else divides
public men into statesmen and demago-
cues. The man who believes in this prin-
c!pie and acts on II is, in so far, IL states
/ man. The man who doubts and yields to
mis- doubts is a demagogue. The people
can be fooled but they repent of their
folly and curse the man who fooled
them. But the man who never fools
them, never yields to them, tells them
the truth whether they like 1t or not.
insists that they are better and wiser
men than they profess to be. appeals from
the populace drunk or mad to the people
sober and sane, that man is not only
justified IN mis- own mind and BY the few
wise, he is in the long run the popular
favorite, the man universally respected
ana beloved and continued in office az
long az his faculties survive. tho wise and
good man, Of whom his constituency, his
state, his nation, are proud.
said a moment ago that hesitated to
acclam MI. Morrill, az one OF the nation 8
great nen. sid so partly because his
mudcsty would have rebuked mo for 70
pIalsinS him. and partly because the
phrase itself Is too cheap 10 be cpplied to
such a man. But now. avoiding any
language which he or anyone might re-
gard as fulsOme, estimating him II; his
real worth, calmly, judicially, and yet
with the warmth OF admiration and affec-
ton which friendship requires and justice
approves. shall we not. here ard now
clasp hands with the Muse of history and
sey-here was a man Of superb physical
pre- senCe, OF commanding FORM ana
gracious manner. endowed with superior
Intellectual gifts, gifts Of large discern
ment and keen penetration; capable both
of the wit which exposes weakness and
the humor which concilates opposition: a
man of vision, 81 vision which passes over
all provincial boundaries and peers into
widest national spaces and interests: a
man whose wisdom partakes of that calm
assurance Of right and victory which
eVokes and inspires confidence in other
mems breasts; a man whose integrity
unsehshness. devotion, no man ever
thought of questioning as no man would
think of questioning the consistency OF the
polar star; ere Is n man whom YER
mont will eveimorc honor as one of her
trucst and finest and noblcst products and
one whom she presents to the nation and
the world rs in senator Hoar's phrase:
'an American senator and an American
citizen than whom, SO far, We have none
better"
Thus far OF Mr.. Morrill, the citizen, the
public man, the statesman tLH, senator.
/ But the picture would not he complete.
or true to the NE, If we do not add, in
the simplest words-whch alone would be
Appropriated Justin Smith Morrill,. the
man, that he was held In high esteem,
by his neighbors. that he was n lover In
his homo that he was warm and genial