The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-06-13

The EnviAble Position Dccupted oy
Dinxleyr Of Maine.

Dinxley, OF Maine.
Aspeciai article in the New York Tri5uae,
after saying something about the custom
airy demsanor Of the house of representa-
tives. proceeds 20 exemplny the model
legislator as follows: There Is . small
body Of men in the house on whom uncon-
sciously, perhaps, but not the less GER
tainly, the entire house depends Iney
are men who have been there . long
while and who are known 70 be thoroughly
familiar with the proceedings. Industry
Is their forte. They are always In their
seats. They never retire to the CLOAK
rooms They never wander about the cor
ridors- They rarely. if ever. go down 10
the restaurants. They seldom make set
speeches Their names never get INTO the
newspapers in sensational way. But In
the routine proceedings OF the house they
are Of more consequence than all the rest
OF the members put together. AT the very
head and front Of this little body Is 6oF.
Dlngley, of Maine. Mr.. Dingley Is nat
urai legislator. His mind is both analytical
and constructive. He has no opinions that
are not subject TO revision. He does not
know anything which he is not willing TO
know better. He gathers information In
stlnctively and retains II without enort.
1t Is not an exaggeratlon 10 say that
among contemporaneous pubic men IN
this country he is one of the most widely
informed and appropriated, and that ne
has no purpose Interior TO that Oh being
right. Ii follows that be is a singulariy
useful man 20 his fellow citizens:
Gov. DIngIey is g. years old and has been
in public life more than half OF that time-
He served in the legislature OF his own
state flve years and was speaker twice
He was twice governor OF Maine. ana ne
n - "a
lively. The people of Maine pursue
most intelligent policy with regard to
their public men. When they get good
man in Office they keep him there, gradu-
ally promoting. him and awaiting them
selves to the end of his life OF his accnmu-
lating experience and his growing capacity
for service. Senator Hale, for instance,
has been a servant Of the state OF Maine
tor twenty-seyen years, Senator Frye for
thirty-three. Mr.. Reed entered public
life In 1s64. and has been member OF
nine congresses. Mr.. Milliken has
been in congress twelve years con-
secutively. and so has Capt. Bouteile.
And the competency of every one OF these
men has increased with every additional
year of his service. In the case of Gov.
Dingley this 10 especially true. for he pos
sesses in especial fnliness the qualities that
enable him to turn experience TO good ac-
count The business OF the house IS,
after all, an inevitable routine. and Gov.
Dingiey is q master of routine and detail.
He knows the operations of the govern
ment in every bureau or department. He
knows the duties and responsibilities OF
almost every officer. He has watched the
growth of the country and has participated
in the construction of the governmental
machinery by which each new situation
has been dealt with.
There is no vinegar in his speech, no
malice in his purpose. He aims TO enable
the government of the United States to
carry out the purposes Tor which it was
constituted. and all his words and efforts
are directed to that. This is so thoroughly
understood of him that although ne is one
of the most frequent speakers, participant
ing constantly in the business of the house,
he is always listened to by friends and op-
ponents with a great measure OF respect.
He does not win noisy victories, but il is
the precise truth that his suggestions with
regard to the construction of bills are more
generally followed than those of any man
in the house. He does not lead his party
in political assaults, but he constantly leads
the house by CENTER methods in all sorts of
business legislation.