As we prepare for another national election this fall, let us, especially those voters who constitute the original First Congressional District of Maryland note, that it will be 50 years when the voters of that district first elected the late Rogers C. B. Morton to Congress.
Congressman Morton became a nationally known political figure, a statesman, and an outdoorsman who efficiently and effectively represented his constituents and his beloved Chesapeake Bay in the halls of Congress. He served in the United States Congress from January 13, 1963 until 1971. He was appointed Secretary of Interior in 1971, and as the 22nd Secretary of Commerce in 1975. He was named Chairman of the Republican National Committee in 1969 and served there until 1975. He and his brother, the late Senator Thurston B. Morton were the only brothers to ever serve as the Chairman of a national political party committee.
Congressman Morton, who had the middle initials “C B”, liked to say that those two initials stood for Chesapeake Bay, when in actuality, it reflected his ancestor, General George Rogers Clark, of Revolutionary War fame. But his constituents, from Crisfield to Elkton liked to believe that their congressman indeed represented the “Chesapeake Bay. The boats, packing sheds, farmers and small businesses that dotted the Congressional District of Congressman Morton in this unique corner of America, really had the feeling that their needs were represented – be they Republicans or Democrats.
Mr. Morton served a numbers years on the Board of Visitors and Governors of Washington College and was always interested in the future growth of this venerable institution. He would today be impressed and supportive of the new environmental studies programs being undertaken by Washington College. We were fortunate to have his counsel, advice, support and interest.
In the election for Congress in 1962, the incumbent Congressman Johnson was indicted in one of the initial Washington Savings and Loans scandals. However, Mr. Morton admonished his staff and supporters not to dwell on this issue. Morton won on his platform of economic and social issues that most affected the Eastern Shore.
Following the disclosure, in 1973 that he was suffering from prostate cancer, Mr. Morton withdraw from public and political life and returned to build bay boats for the remaining brief years of his life. He died, unfortunately at the relatively young age of 64 in April 1974. He is buried in the cemetery of Old Wye Church at Wye Mills, Maryland.
Rog Morton was a truly unique politician. Today as we witness gridlock and vacillation running amuck in our nation’s capitol, we would benefit greatly from experiencing the election to Congress, the ilk of Congressman Morton. Rather we see the exit of moderate, consensus builders which our nation is experiencing in the ‘12 general election.
To quote former President Theodore Roosevelt on the sudden death of his youngest son in April 1918, “he had his crowded hour; he died at the crest of life, in the glory of the dawn.”
And so it was of our late beloved Congressman, Rogers Morton. We shall not see his like come this way again soon.
Fletcher R. Hall is Chairman & CEO of F.R. Hall Associates, a government relations and corporate relations firm in Chestertown, Md. In 1962 .as a student at Washington College, he served on Congressman Morton’s original campaign staff, as his driver and traveling secretary.
Bob Lippson says
Oh that tousled white hair, those ham fisted hands: Rogers Morton was a memorable man. I am a marine biologist and was director of blue crab research at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons. I remember Cong. Morton, towering over me and quizzically asking me, “Bob, how are the crabs doing this year?” Later on, in 1971, I joined the NOAA Oxford Laboratory and in 1975 when Rogers Morton was appointed Sec. of Commerce he became my boss because NOAA is part of Commerce. He was a Republican, I am a Democrat, it didn’t make a bit of difference, I wish he was still around, we need leaders like Rogers C.B. Morton!
Robert D. Boyd says
My wife’s mother was his secretary on the eastern shore and we now live here as neighbors at his homestead, Presquile. The stories I could tell would be nothing but ‘name’ dropping and more boring than interesting. I dove hunted twice with he and his dove club. He came here to Little Presquile with his Park Ranger hat and he towered above me and was always so nice. His wife, Anne, was a gem also and just passed at 94 last year.
Truth be told Nixon asked him to be his running mate at the Republican convention in Maine. He said no as he didn’t want to be #2 so Nixon chose Spiro Agnew and the rest is history as Rog would have ended up President.