Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-01-20
NELSON DINGLEY DEAD.
Republican Floor Leader in the
House of Representatives.

He Had Keen Speaker of the Maine
House of Representatives and Governs
or of the state Two Terms Before His
Election to Congress.
Nelson Dingley, leader of the Republ-
can side on the floor of the House of Rep
resentatives and representative of the "a
Maine congressional district died at Wash
ington at 1920 Friday night from ex-
IRENE weakness due to pneumonia. There
were hopes of recovery for several days,
but Mr.. Dingley became so weak that the
action of the heart was affected.
Nelson Dingley, jr., was born in Dur
ham, Me, Feb. 10, 1882. His father was
small trader and the youth had to depend
largely upon himself in getting an educa-
ton. He taught school while fitting him
self for college. He entered Walervile
college, now Colby university, in 1851, and
after staying there year and one-half be-
came student at Dartmouth college, from
which he graduated in 1855. One of his
classmates was Chief Justice Field of the
Massachusetts supreme court. Mr.. Ding
ley studied law with Merrill IL Fessenden
of Auburn, Maine, and was admitted to
the bar in 1896. He never practced his
profession, however. While in college he
had given some attention to newspaper
work, and in September, 1856, he secured
part control of the Lewiston Journal. He
soon bought the entire interest in the pa
per and in 1861 started daily edition.
The Journal has been known for years as
one of the brightest and best papers in
New England.
Mr.. Dingley's editorial ability and nnu-
ence brought him into politics and he was
/ plppipH tho laUi Las, -, Al.
age of 20. He was reelected three times,
serving two terms as speaker. In 1873 he
was nominated by the Republicans for
governor, and elected by 10000 majority.
secured reelection in 1874 by an increased
majority, and declined third nomination
in 1879. The next year he attended the
national Republican convention at Cincin-
natl as delegate-at-large and served on the
committee which drafted the platform.
! William p. Frye's elevation to the Senate
in 1881 brought Mr.. Dingley into the field
as the Republican candidate for Congress
from the I'd Maine district, which he had
ever since represented. He served on the
House committee on banking and currency,
and was thorough student of monetary
| questions, as of all others that came in his
way of an economic character: but he is
best known for his services as a member of
the ways and means committee, where he
has always ranked high and from which as
chairman he came into the leadership of
the majority on the floor of the House.
President Mckinley rendered the position
OF secretary of the treasury to Mr.. Diugley,
but he declined the offer, preferrlng to re-
main IN his position as chairman of the
| ways and means committee and leader,
All OF his associates on the ways and
means committee testify to his wonderful
industry, his mastery of the details of
measures, his strong logical mind and the
great affection in which he was held by all.
congressman McMillin, now governor of
tennessee, and long associated with Mr..
Dlngley on the ways and means committee,
says OF him: 81 believe that every Demo
crat In the House of Representatives will say
WIN clear conscience, as every Republican
representative will say, that Mr.. Dingley
was one OF the most honorable and strict
ly honest men that ever served a constitu-
ency in any capacity in public life. His
character was pure and his motives have
been pure, and his life is a good example
for the young men of America to take as
model. / say this of the man. while at
the same time l am unalterably opposed TO
the doctrine of which he has been the
chief exponent since Mckinley left the
legislative halls"
Mr.. Dingley's private life was exception
ally happy and exemplary. He was a
strong temperance man, and stood at the
head of congressional temperance socie-
ty. BE was married in 1851 to Miss Sa.
lone McKenney of Auburn, who, with
five children-four sons and a daughter
survive him. Two of the boys are engag-
ed successfully in the newspaper business
in Michigan.