The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-01
LEBECk & CORN.
NELSON DINGLEY, JR.
Something About the New Republican
Leader on the Floor OF tho National
House Of Representatives.
In Philadelphia Record.

Mcfarland, in Philadelphia Record.
Nelson Dingley, jr., commonly called
Governor Dinglcy, because he was gov
ernor of Maine twenty years ago, Is
recognized in Washington as the ablest
man in the house after Speaker Reed
and as having more information about
public questions and the facts behind
them, especially those of finance, in
cluding the tariff, than the speaker
himself.
Those New York newspapers which
send exploring parties of young men
down here to discover congress every
two years do not seem to understand
Governor Dingley's position in the
house much better than they do some
other things in Washington. One of
them published the other day q photo
graph of Representative Serene T..
Payne. Of New York. and labeled it
1.-The Financier of the Republican Par
ty." but I suppose he never heard of
Senator Sherman, much less of Cover
nor Dingley. However everybody who
knows congress knows that Governor
Dingley has no superior as a financier
In either branch unless it be John Sher-
man.
The Most Modest OF Men
Governor Dingley is one of the most
modest Of men. This modesty of his
is one of the reasons why he is not as
well appreciated by the country gen.
orally as by his colleagues in congress
and his neighbors in New England. He
is the last man i'm the house to do snowy
things. He never played to the gal
leries" or talked for "buncombe." and
on the contrary he has sat quietly by
while other men did ii on intellectual
capital which they borrowed from him
without interest and without hope of
repayment.
He never speaks except for the pur-
pose Of informing or persuading the
house and only at what he regards as
the command of duty. But as he sits
in his seat or in his study at his hotel
his colleagues will come to him for ideas
and for information which they need
for use In debate or in speechmaking,
so that II all the speeches he has thus
\ made by proxy We're placed to his ac-
Mount 1t would be found that he was
Ne most prolific man in congress.
His Remarkable Memory.
Me generosity with which he has
distributed to the necessities of
YIleagues is as characteristic of
.i his mOdesty. OF course, he
mustn't Of abundance. for remark
\ ms Glory is one of the distinguish
Y Hiih aNkeS of his remarkable mind.
eives oits of his wide reading and
ape menwith all the facts which
ing ieatul\ught before him in COM
ann the ir,nhe house during the fif-
opseFVation rs been in congress lie
haveN peen Dro his mental pigeon
mltteeA ana IN ,pced on demand.
teen years ne mixing encyclopedias"
In propeT Order Governor Ding
hoies anu are 'u,, being a walking
you @ ne'aN oi wthhaaN,Sal and financial
every now aho .,e.nNublic life. and
cyclopedia of all politiS al ana nc. on. on the tn
subjects as any man in + WITH hin,
If he was bou1ad in cloti Wv WIN ~ MN I'm
shelves of a free public lib; oho,,t
formation he carries about a,f o,'S
could not be more accessiB N
man who needs it. The best thu
it is that it is accessible to him. Ia
so TO everyone who asks him. Nplu
He has not accumulated this W"
without great industry. for no r.
transit to real knowledge has yet be
discovered. He is an indefatigable, di
gent and constant student OF books, g
fairs and facts of all sorts. includi
men. and as fresh and keen in such l
0uiry as il he were 36 insteal of
He knows how to use his knevled
EFFECTIVELY. too, for he is shrewd. tev
headed and far-seeing. quick to SEQ
opportunity and equally quick to u
prove It.
Ills short Range Debate.
In committee, and especially In
ways and means committee. thougn
would be only less true In the comm