The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-21

of Live Men,.
 HRESIDENT of the Equitable Assur- ance society. Mr. Morton repre- X sents the higher attainments In the world of progress at the present period. He is another of the men who have come out of the west to become heads of large financial institu- tions in the east. MT. Morton was born in Michigan. He is the son of the late J. Sterling Morton. for more than quar- ter of a century the leading democrat In Nebraska; so prominent was he in nation al affairs that President Cleveland se- lected him for his Secretary of Agricui- ture during his second administration. The son inherited much of the talent or his father After finishing his col legiate course, he was given a position ill the head offices of the Chicago & Burlington railway at Chicago. His first position was an humble one but he was not there long until he developed unusual ability in. comprehending the magnitude of railway management. He was soon advanced to higher position, finally be- 
 though the most of his time had been devoted to freight traffic. This demon- strated the fact that, was he was con- versant with the freight department, he at the same time absorbed the knowledge necessary to make him useful at the head of the passenger service. The advance ment of MT. Morton in the railway world
 1at afh ba if gh0nld
 have been, as he merited all he received. At the time of the reorganization of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe system, MT. Morton was invited to become one Of the vice presidents in charge of traffic
 He had no sooner taken this position than 1t seemed, as If by magic, the earnings of the system expanded by leaps and bounds. MT. Morton was considered
 at the time that he was active in rail-
 way management, as having one of the most resourceful minds among railway
 managers in the western country.
 In politics, MT Morton had always been
 A democrat, the same as his father, un- iii 1896. He possessed a mental equip
 ment. in the opinion of President Roose- welt, which fitted him for the position of Secretary of the Navy. He was asked to take a seat as member of President Roosevelts official family, which he will ingly accepted, no doubt making great financial sacrifice, as he had to resign his connection with the Santa Fe. His record as Secretary of the Navy is too well
 known to necessitate any extended notice here. MT. Morton's services were again called into use by the directors of the Equitable Assurance society, who made him president of that organization. When MT. Morton had retired as Secretary of the Navy it was the purpose to make
 him president of the entire transporta-
 tion system of the city of New York, which included the elevated, the surface and tine underground railway. Thomas F. Ryan was then a controlling force in this transportation system. anu through him the office of president was rendered MT Morton. At about this time, MT. Ryan also became the dominant factor in the Equitable Assurance society, fol- | towing the upheaval caused by a quar- rel between the president, James w. Alexander, and the Vice President James
 Hagen Hyde. MT. Ryan thought 1t best
 to have MT. Morton to become the pres ident of the Equitable, instead of taking
 charge of the transportation company.
 This was MT. Morton's introduction into the insurance world. The record he has made as the head of this institution has
 given him high place in financial cir cles. His administrator has met with the
 approval of everybody concerned, wheth-
 CT directors or policyholders. MT. Nor
 ton is entitled to be- classed with the
 progressive business men of the country.
 His career as a railway manager, his administration of the affairs as head of l the navy department, and his control ! of the largest insurance society in the 1 United States have been been of 90 high
 character that he is in a class quite to himself. .ss | In personal sense. MT. Morton Is an
 agreeable and pleasing man. His wants