Milford chronicle., 1930-03-21
JOSEPH E. HOLLAND
AND ALDEN r. BENSON

In the Sunday Star Of March 9, the
following letter appeared, which
is from John Price Hyatt, and is a
tribute to two fine men, a product
of Delaware. Mr.. Benson was a well
known Kent county citizen, while
Mr.. Holland was a typical son of
Sussex county.
Mr.. Hyatt's letter follows:
The death of Joseph E. Holland OF
Milford, brings vividly to my mind
the affection he had for the late AL
den R. Benson, of Dover, both OF
whom were members of the State
Highway Department. Although they
differed in politics, Mr.. Holland hav-
ing been as prominent in the Demo
cratic party as General Benson was
in the councils of the Republican
ranks, there was a bond between
them that was inseparable. They
were more than friends; one always
relied upon the other.
At the funeral of General Benson
several years ago, it so happened
that Mr.. Holland and I were alone
in the livingroom beside the casket,
just before the beginning of the SER
vices. Touching my arm and asking
me to draw a chair closer to him,
the man who has just followed his
friend in death, said:
"Did you know that man very
well"
Receiving an affirmative reply, to-
gether with a statement that he was
one of the best of men, Mr.. Holland,
with tears in his eyes, exclaimed
MAY tell you a story of our
friendship"
He then continued:-"When I was
appointed a member of the State
Highway Department, some persons
who regarded themselves as being
politicians warned me to watch
Benson When I asked why, I was
told that he was ward politician
and would do anything, cut any cor
ner, to achieve a political end. Sup
posing my informents knew whereof
they spoke, I decided to be on my
guard, and it was while in that
frame of mind that I entered the
Department"
Pointing to the casket, he went on
to say that he made up his mind not
to allow General Benson, nor any
one else, to "put anything over on
me for the benefit of the Republi-
can party" Here are Mr.. Hollands
own words:
'I waited and watched; waited
and watched Nothing was attempt
ed. Whatever General Benson pro-
posed was always in the interest of
our State, and not in the interest Of
politics. Eventually, as we met, he
handed me lines of verse that he had
composed. 1t was not long thereafter
that I began to realize that a man
who can write this way is not bad;
he must be good and straightfor-
ward.
"And so it developed. Instead Of
being tricky politician, with only
the aims of the Republican party in
sight, I found him to be a man Of
honor; a person whose word was
his bond and a valued advisor. I
learned to love him, as I know he
loved me. He was a friend of friends |
and the longer we were together, in
the State Highway Department and
out of it, the closer our friendship |
grew"
AS he and I sat in silence, he drew
a deep breath and with intense feel
ing said: Farewell, my good and
true friend; peace to your SOUL"
The scene, with only two men
present, was touching, and was a
tribute, on the part of Mr.. Holland,
more powerful than the words Of
any orator.
AS a Greek philosopher wrote:
Consider your honor, as a gentle
man, of more weight than an oath"
That is what Mr.. Holland thought of
and what Benson thought Of
him.
JOHN PRICE HYATT
March 8, 1880.