Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-14
the LATE GOVERNOR,
.Eu,oales b Mis- Maine Colleagues at saiur
! days Obsequies.

The following are the eulogies pro-
nounced upon the late Governor Ding
ley, In the National House Of Repre-
sentatives, Saturday afternoon. by his
| colleagues Of the Maine delegation,
Representatives Boutelie and Burleigh.
Speaker Reed presided during the ex-
ercises. The beautiful tribute Of Mr..
| Boutelle, who was associated with Mr..
Dingley during all but single session
OF his congressional career, was elo-
quent and full of feeling. He said:
Mr.. Speaker. 1t becomes my duty to call
the attention OF the House for "a few
brief moments to the occnsiof1 to Which
! the SPECIAL order just. read In devoted,
being the opportunity which the House
has taken to pay its tribute to one of its
was a conspicuous anu Influential rupre-
sentative OF the State of Maine in this
body.
There are comparatively few members
In the House, perhaps, concerning whom
| anything In the nature of biographical
statement would be less necessary Mr..
Dingley has been so long Il prominent
| factor In the legislative Proceeding OF
our government, has occupied such con-
spicuous positions in public life, and has
SO LONG been recognized as an influential
member of the House Of Representatives
tnat II seems to be entirely uitrttessar$
at this time that should attempt any
thing like Sketch of his private or his
public life. In my judgment this occasion
Is more OF an opportunity for us. his
| Fellow members who have been associat-
cd with him for long period of years,
to pay an earnest and feeling tribute "a
his personal worth his public seftices,
his many amiahle and winning qualities
rather than to give our Judgment of the
| usefulness of his public life.
| GoVernor Dingley has been an ac-
uuaintance and friend of my own for n
great many years Associated. as we
| were, professionally. in the publication OF
newspapers. our relations with each 9th
er and our relations to public affairs have
moved along In parallel lines, and II + Is, !,
very gratifying reflection 10 me AT this
| timc mat we haveaareeu OH all great and
moving questions that have attracted
public attention and excited public inter
est during the last generation.
AS the proprietor and editor of the
| Lewiston Daily and Weekly journal,
having an exceedingly large circulation
IN our State and beyond. the Hon. Nell
| son DilSIey has for many years aXeried
very widespread and potent inliiencs
upon public affairs not only In Maine.
but throughout New England. 1t is I'M
known him In his daily walks that his
! newspaper has uniformly been the advo-
cate of all those policies and principles
which in his belief lead to the uplifting
of public morals, public integrity, and the
advancement OF civilization,
As writer Governor Dingley has had
| few superiors in the journalism Of this
country. A profound student. n man OF
| rare accuracy of Information. he had a
facility and a felicity with the pen that
are seldom found, even in this age Of so
much writing. He was always an earn
est man. profoundly so, not aggressive.
| rather inclined to be cautious. Carefully
searching ont with infinite pains the
ground work of his beliefs and convic-
tons, he framed them into arguments OF
rare cogency and great Influence.
He came to this House i'm 1881, making
his service here in the vicinity Of
eighteen years Of long. faithful. conspic-
nous and useful devotion of his talents
and ability to the welfare of his govern
ment. He was modest man. distrust-
lui OF ms own powers OF attraction in
public assemblaSes. and yet possessing "A
due self respect and a confidence in his
ability TO search out the merit of ques
tons and get at the pith of controver-
sizes. 1t is interesting TO me in the retro
spect, as II was interesting 10 me dur
ing our joint service in the early years
the Governor having preceded me by n
single session before the forty-eighth
Congress, to observe the steadfast pur-
pose, the self-knowledge. and the deter
mination TO accomplish an object with
which my distinguished colleague de-
voted himself to that line and sphere of
pubic efforts. TO which he was best fit
V.
not having the attractions of mellow
and sibilant voice, the Governor early
recognized. or, In fact, on his entrance
into this forum became satisfied that
his sphere would not be that of the or
ator. to hold breathless thousands upon
the resonance of his speech. but that he
had a mission and field and a talent
that was not only adapted to this legis-
lative body. but could be used with real
devotion to the public interests to add
vance those great causes upon which his
tribution as no insignificant one to the
formation of the great public interests
committed to the care of this body.
,h so si my colleague ; n became prominently
tives. 1t was my fortune to hive in the
same hotel with him during a long period
of years, and do not recall a single in
stance wnen l have entered his apart
ment while he was there that / did not
find him seated with pad upon his knee.
surrounded by documents. laboriously
but intelligently searching out the bases
upon which the great question agitating
the American public were to be decided
by Congress. And so it came that in
spite of his lack of commanding pres
attractions, month by month, and year
by year. 1t became more and more fully
recognized that the quiet, unassuminS.
unassertivc man from Maine was mar
Vicious repository of accurate and trust
wor.ny information upon an enormous
variety of subjects, and that while his
Sl'ttCii Wis tlOt Iouu VI dSSItSSiNt ~
was a very dangerous antagonist in any
discussion which involved great knowl-
edge of the question at issue.
So from year to year he went forward
in his unassuming but devoted way, tc-
uuiring more and more OF that inforn1a-
tion which perhaps some of us were in
clined to permit him to dig out over the
midnight oil, until it came TO pass that
all over the House, on both sides, with
out regard to political divisions the Hon.
Nelson Dinglcy was looked to as II trust
ed authority upon public questions eS-
pecally upon all Of those intricate and
most important affairs relating to the
revenues and finances of the country. and
when he made u statement as one of fact
it came to be Il rare thing to find any
one even disposed to question its correct
ness.
The amount of absolute labor by which
Gov. Dingley acquired the confidence of
the House and of the country it would be
hard to overestimate. In my knowledge
/ have never met So steadfast and de-
voted IL student as my late colleague. !
know the many hours he has devoted to
the most wearing of all pursuits, the elu-
cidation of facts from statistics, the care
full examination and analysis of public re-
ports bearing upon the great questions
that have animated the country. and l
have no question but that to Il degree
Slapped his vitality and led to shorten
ing of his years. He was absolutely tire
less in his devotion to the public service.
Within the last year, in addition to the
immense labors and responsibilities of
the great DOSitiOn which he held as chair