Gov. Frank Morrison accepts a cake from Baker Walt Sehnert, to Commemorate National Retail Bakers Week, 1963. (Courtesy photo) [Click to enlarge]

Shortly before Frank Morrison passed away in 2004 I wrote a story about Nebraska's Carl Curtis and his part in bringing the concept of the IRA to law. In that story I recalled the Juvenile Diabetes fundraiser that I had attended in Lincoln, at which Carl Curtis and Frank Morrison were seated, side by side, at the speakers' table, and during the meal they had talked and laughed like two old friends -- not at all like politicians who had run against each other for office in campaigns, which at times at been quite heated.

Frank had read the story and called to underscore the fact that he and Sen. Curtis had indeed been close friends for many years, regardless of political differences. Frank then began to reflect on his many years in the public spotlight. "You know, Walt," he said, "Carl and I really were very close in what we believed. The only real difference we really had was on what the size of the federal government should be." (I didn't interject my personal view -- that the correct size of the federal government was a pretty big difference of opinion.)

Until 1955, in Stockville and later McCook, Frank had been quite content to practice law. His practice, first with Frank Butler (of Cambridge), and later with Bill Lyons and Clyde Starrett, was successful, and he and his wife, Maxine, had enjoyed their friends and the community life in McCook -- and politics. Frank was thoroughly bitten by the politics bug. For any election, local, state, national, or Rotary International, he was either running for office or helping in someone else's campaign. Frank said that he had always been more interested in national politics than state and local politics. "Carl was responsible (in several elections) in keeping me from facing those issues in Washington."

In 1955, the Morrisons moved to Lincoln, where Frank entered into an immediately successful law practice with John "Dugie" Doyle. The Morrison children settled naturally into the Lincoln school system Biff at the U., Jon at Lincoln High, and Jean at Irving Jr. High. And Frank became involved in politics again, when the candidate for Lt.Governor died and Frank filled in as the running mate of Frank Sorrell. They lost.

In 1957, Nebraska's premier political maverick, Terry Carpenter, sometimes Republican, sometimes Democrat, asked Morrison to run for governor (and guaranteed him victory) -- to complete Terry's vendetta to oust incumbent Victor Anderson. Frank turned him down. (Carpenter then turned to Ralph Brooks of McCook, who did succeed in being elected governor of Nebraska.)

In 1960, Morrison's friend, J.J. (Jim) Exon, persuaded him to make the run for governor, when Ralph Brooks decided to run for the Senate. He succeeded and served three 2-year terms (1961-1967) in Nebraska's highest office. But Frank Morrison never did forget his aspiration to serve his country on the national scene.

He ran (unsuccessfully) for a seat in the House of Representatives twice, in 1948 and 1954, against Carl Curtis, and for the Senate in 1958 and 1970, against Roman Hruska, and 1966, against Carl Curtis.

In the fall of 1966, in the very midst of the Senate race against Carl Curtis, President Lyndon Johnson flew into Omaha to speak at a ceremony marking the historical Missouri River shipments of wheat destined for India. Johnson took the occasion to meet privately with Morrison concerning candidates to fill an appointment of judge to the United States 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. Johnson asked Morrison's opinion about several of the candidates in the Omaha area, yet both men were well aware that the appointment could be Morrison's for the asking. Morrison was completing his third term as governor, but felt that he might prevail in his race with Curtis for the Senate and asked President Johnson to delay his decision until after the election.

Apparently, Johnson, who could be impatient, was offended with Frank's indecision and rather brusquely terminated the meeting. In just a few days Johnson's Press Secretary phoned Frank that the President had appointed Don Lay, of Omaha to fill the vacancy.

In thinking about the event later, Morrison said that he was amazed that he had not taken the Judges post on the Circuit Court of Appeals -- the 2nd highest Court in the land. The post would have given him lifetime financial independence, and would have given him an opportunity to help reform the criminal justice system. An opportunity lost!

A couple of months later, in January 1967 Morrison felt that he might have had another chance of obtaining a position as Judge. He was returning from New Orleans, where he had attended the Nebraska vs. Alabama football game in the Sugar Bowl. Flying in the vicinity of Austin, Texas, he asked the pilot to land so that he might have a little chat with his old friend, Texas Governor John Connally.

Upon his arrival at the governor's mansion, Connally informed Morrison that President Johnson was in town and wished to have lunch with the two Governors at his Condo, which he kept at the Austin Federal Building. Connally further said that he wished to discuss Federal Appointments with the two -- he specifically mentioned Attorney General.

Sure enough, when Johnson was with the two men he asked Morrison if he might be interested in a Federal position, since he had passed on the position with the Circuit Court of Appeals. This time Morrison was decisive. He said that he would, indeed, be interested in a Federal Appointment --he would like be appointed to the Supreme Court. If Johnson was put off by Morrison's firmness, he never knew. Johnson merely smiled, saying that an appointment to the Supreme Court was something he was saving for John Connally. There was no further discussion about any other Federal Appointments.

Frank Morrison felt that after he left his third term as governor there would be many opportunities awaiting him -- that he could "write his own ticket." What he found was that leaving his post of relative power left him the forgotten man in politics. He was not bitter about this. He accepted it as a political fact of life and resumed the practice of law with his son, Biff, in Nebraska and Montana.

He became the driving force behind the movement to construct The Arch across Interstate Highway 80 at Kearney. And as we know, Frank Morrison, after his retirement to McCook became the embodiment of what a Elder Statesman is supposed to be. He gave his opinions freely on any and all subjects, and was widely quoted.

Frank was a wonderful storyteller and delighted audiences at numerous Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festivals, telling tales about his contemporary politicians and lawyers, which very often made Frank Morrison the butt of the joke.

For instance: Frank loved to tell about the time he ran for the McCook School Board. He received an endorsement from both the Republicans and the Democrats -- and was defeated by a write-in candidate! In retirement he was much loved and respected by Democrats and Republicans alike, and folks who really didn't care that much for politics. We miss him.

Source: My Journey Through the 20th Century, by Frank Morrison