Evening journal., 1911-02-07
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Son Who Stood Sponsor
for His Father
ny "HoIland"

Early in the winter of 1898. J. Ser
ling Morton Of Nebraska, who founded
at Nebraska City the first newspaper
TO be published in the State, who was
once acting Governor of the territory
of Nebraska, and Democratic candidate
for Governor after the territory had
been admitted to the Union, received
from a close personal friend of Presi-
dent-elect Grover Cleveland a letter
in which it was said that Mr.. Cleve-
land would be glad to see Mr.. Morton
at the temporary home occupied by Mr..
Cleveland at Lakewood, New Jersey.
There appeared to be no other expla-
nation for this invitation than that Mr..
Cleveland had in mind the offering
of some office to Mr.. Morton. The COM
munication perplexed Mr.. Morton a
little. lie had not been numbered
among Mr.. Clevlaned's western friends
in 1884. Moreover, he had devoted
himself exclusively to agriculture for
about thirteen years. However, Mr..
Morton felt that it would be courtesy
for him TO accept the invitation and
so notified his correspondent
On his way East, Mr.. Morton met the
late Paul Morton, his son, then prom
inently known in the railroad and feul
worlds
Paul" said the father. you know
7 am very rusty about politics. ! never
had much experience in 1t except the
little ] gained when ] was In Nebraska
Legislature and a candidate for Gov
ernor. feel that ! would hardly know
how to bear myself II / should be
brought into personal touch with the
Eastern politicians when l call upon
Mr.. Cleveland. | would be much easier
in my mind If you would accompany
me East"
Paul Morton had an intuitive belief
that Mr.. Cleveland wanted to offer his
father the post of Secretary OF Agri-
culture, and because he was extremely
anxious that such an honor should
come TO his father he consented TO
drop business and accompany him
East.
Together father and son--b scause the
former insisted--on the appointed day
went TO the cottage at Lakewood which
had become Familiarity known as the
| little White House. so-called because
Mr.. Cleveland was making there all of
his arrangements for his return to the
office of President. Mr.. Cleveland was
I tOOhAilh AOA aAu " Hlo1tAhe1 Aht ApAhDA
alone, but when he beheld the senior
Morton's embarrassment at their ex-
change of greetings, he quickly un-
derstood the situation, and as though
everything was just as he had ex-
pected, he began to speak of Mr.. Nor
tons high authority as a farmer and
of the valuable work he had done in
that field In Nebraska.
In the first pause, the elder Morton,
not trusting himself to reply, looked
timidly towards his son, who instantly
took UP the thread Of the conversation,
giving the proper answer. After that
the president-elect, though speaking
to the father, looked steadily
at the son. He realized that the
younger man was standing sponsor for
the older.
At last Mr.. Cleveland rendered the
Secretaryship Of Agriculture to Mr..
Morton substantially I'm these words:
"AIr Morton, this interview has de-
! termined me to ask you TO accept a
place in my cabinet as Secretary OF
Agriculture, and I shall be very glad
| If you will accep it,
BY this time Mr. Morton's embar-
rassment had well nigh overwhelm-
ed him, and he felt himself in no con-
dition to trust to his own judgment.
Again, he looked In the direction OF