Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-16
An irretrieyabie Loss.

Ernest g. Walker in Washington Post
When death beckons TO n man in public
life. expressions of grief. more or less sin
! cere. are the logical sequence of his tax.
| ing on. BE he of whatever Temperament
| or political accomplishments. rela tiOns
| are severed and friendships ended thai
engender sorrow. But she procession OF
those who figure in Legislative and gov
ornamental affairs halts not as he steps
aside 10 march alone into the shadows
and through the dark valley. The line
closes up and the lamentations for his
departure soon cease: his station is ac-
credited TO some waiting aspirant and the.
disparity in numbers is made good by a
In the death of Representative Nelson
Dingley OF Maine. there Is a notable ex-
has been Of rare occurrence in this gen.
GRAFTON. The greatest chairman perhaps.
of the great ways and means committee
and the position has been occupied by a
considerable number of distinguished
Americans-has been removed and the
House of Representatives Is deprived of
leader whose character. integrity. sound
judgment. and genius as constructive
legislator have hardly a parallel. AS the
right arm of one of the eminent Speakers
of the House. Speaker who easily meas
ures up to the stature Of Clay and Blaine:
~ the leader whose almost boundless in
formation on topics Of vital Importance
in national legislation has been quite the
wonder of every notable public man of
the period; as the Trainer of laws affect
ing the welfare of every human being
under the protection of the flag. and. FIN
ally. as the statesman whose proverbial
fairness and foresight inspired unusual
confidence in his own party and with the
opposition. enabling him to facilitate pub
lie business in a manner almost unprece-
dented. his death has probably created a
permanent vacancy.
Nelson Dingley was not popular man.
as the people generally understand that
term. Topics of tariff and finance. seri-
M fdau Of hist ions hah TIC
ending application. and a certain stern
ness in the discharge OF duty do not
arouse enthusiasm or invite popularity.
spired universal respect. His generous
qualities of mind and heart plain. unaf-
fected manners. and his affablity with
men of all stations bound to him a great
Scion of the House. Tyros and veterans
from every state in the Union hesitated
not to approach his seat and seek his
council. His best advice and wisdom
were equally free to all.
To some degree Mr.. Dingley had the
traits of politician. but his methods
We're always honest and straightforward
the depths of his nature were sounded
they had the ring of patriotism.
The death of Mr.: Dingley Is an ire
trievable loss to Maine, the State. that
gave Evans. Fessenden. Morrill,. WASH
burn and Blaine. These meE, as we'll as
equally eminent lights in art. literature.
war and science from the Pine Tree
State. composing brilliant galaxy. en-
bodied the Puritanical principles of New
England. apparently as everlasting as
her granite hills. But neither Maine nor
New England will be allowed to monop-
Ollie the grief over the ending of Mr.
Dingley's life. Mourning for the man
who had a pride in an ancestry of honest
traders and blacksmiths and who forged
for himself career of no mean signiti-
canoe in the destiny of a dominant repub-
lie who loved his home and his family
his State, and the United States. will not
be confined to section or to the National
Capital. His death is something more
than an event of the hour. The judicious
will regard 1t as commentary on the
character of American craftsmanship. as
in more than one sense a public calamity.