The record-union., 1899-01-14

publican Executive Committee. in
1881 Mr.. Dingley was nominated by
the Republicans of the Second Congress
sional District of Maine to fill the va
cancy in Congress caused by the resig
nation of Hon. William p, Frye. He
was elected by a majority of over
5000, nearly twice as large as ever
given to any candidate in that dis
trict. He served on the Committee on
Banking and Currency, and as a men,
Der of the Select Committee on Alco-
holic Liquor Traffic, and during the
session he presided several times over
the House in committee Of the whole.
Mr.. Dingley's first speech in Congress
was made April 25, 1882, on ''Protec-
ton to American Shipping" the House
being in committee of the whole on
the bill to create a Tariff Commission.
Under a joint resolution introduced in
the House by Mr.. Dfngley, and passed
August T. 1883, he was appointed a
member of a joint committee to inves-
tigate the condition and wants OF
American ship building and ship own
ing interests. The report of the COM
mittee drawn up by Mr.. Dingley. and
unanimously agreed to by the commit
lee, was regarded as very able and
valuable document. The committee re-
ported bill to remove certain burdens
on American shipping framed by Mr..
Dingley, which passed the House, but
there was not time to reconcile dis
agreeing amendments between the two
houses before the forty-seventh Con-
gress expired. While this bill was I'M
der consideration in the House he made
c01 ln Of ,%io
Shipping in reply to Congressman
Cox, which placed him at once in the
front ranks of Congressman, and gave
him a national reputation.
In 1882 he was reelected as. Con-
gresham at large for the forty eighth
Congress.
At the opening of Congress in De-
cember, 1884, Speaker Carlisle appoint
ed him at the head of the Republican
minority on both the Banking and Cur
rency Committee and the Select Com
mittee on American Ship Building and
Ship Owning Interests. Mr.. Dingley at
once reintroduced his shipping bill,
which was passed by the House and
sent to the Senate. The latter body
amended it by adding a provision for
the encouragement of American postal
steamship lines, but subsequently the
differences were adjusted in conference,
and the bin was approved by the Presi-
dent on June "A, 1884.
On February Z, 1884, Mr.. Dingley re-
ported from the Shipping Committee
his bill to constitute a Bureau of Navi-
cation in the Treasury Department, and
later in the month it was passed by the
House under a suspension of the rules.
Subsequently the Senate concurred and
the bureau was organized.
Mr.. Dingley was reelected to the
forty-ninth Congress from the Second
Maine District in 1884.
At the annual meeting of the Con-
gressional Temperance Society in
February. 1887, Mr. Dingley was elect
ed President
In June, 1856, Mr.. Dingley was re-
elected to the fiftieth Congress, and
again to the fifty first in 1883, the fifty
second in 1880, the ffty-third in 1892,
the tifty-fourth in 1894 and the fifty
fifth in 1896 by large and increasing
majortities. In the fifty second and
t5ifty-third Congresses he was an active
member of the Committee on Appfo-
priations.
In forming his Cabinet prior to enter
ing on the duties of Chief Executive
on March 4, 1897, President Mckinley
rendered the position of Secretary of
the Treasury to Mr.. Dingley, but he
declined the offer, preferring to remain
in his position as the Chairman of the
Ways and Means Committee and floor
leader of the Republican party majority
Of the House.
Under his lead the House within six
teen days after the fifty-fifth Congress
was convened in extraordinary session
on the 10Th of March, 1897, by Presi-
cent Mckinley, passed a bill revising
the tariff.
Mr.. Dingley was Congregationalist
IN religion. He was married June IL,
1897, to Miss Salome McKenney of
Auburn, Me. They have had six chill
dren, Henry NJ, Charles L. (deceased),
Edward N, Arthur, Albert 6. and
Edith Dingley.