Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1899-01-19

of the physicians who had been attending
him through his illness, and the two
nurses.
To within a few hours before his death
the family firmly believed, as it has
throughout his illness, that Mr.. Dingley
would recover, and it was only when it
became apparent that he was dying that
its members gathered at his bedside.
Sketch of His Life.
Nelson Dingley, Jr, Governor of Maine
1915 and member of Congress from the
Second congressional district of Maine
since 1881, was born in Durham, Andres
coggin County, Me-, Feb. Is, 1882. En-
tering WaterviGle college {now Colby uni
versity) in 1851, he remained there year
and half and then became a student at
Dartmouth college, from which institution
he was graduated in 1866 with high rank
as scholar debater and writer.
After leaving college Mr.. Dingley
studied law in 1856 with Merrill & Fes-
sender, in Auburn, to which city his par
ents had removed while he was in col
lege, and in the latter year he was admit
ted to the bar. Instead of entering upon
the practice of law he decided to become
a journalist, for which profession he al
ways manifested decided taste. In Sep
TENDER, 1856, he purchased the Lewiston
Journal, of which he had bees practically
the editor while studying law and to
which in 1861 he added a daily edition.
The paper rapidly increased in circulation
and influence under his management.
In 1861, at the age of 90, he was elect
ed Representative from Auburn to the
State Legislature, in which body he at
once took high rank; was reelected in
1862 and chosen Speaker of the House at
the session of 1868. In 1868 he removed
to Lewiston, where a few months after
he was elected to the Legislature, and
with the opening of the legislative session
of 1864 was unanimously reelected
Speaker.
In 1873 Mr.. Dingley was nominated as
the Republican candidate for Governor of
Maine by vote of two to one against two
popular opponents and was elected by
about 10000 majority. In 1874 he was
reelected by over II 900 majority, declin-
ing third nomination in 1875. He was
one of the delegates at-large from Maine
to the Republican national convention in
1876 and served on the committee on reso-
lutions and was one of the sub-commit-
tee of five who drafted the platform
He actively participated in the presi-
dental campaign of 1876 and in the State
conventions of 1S77-S-9. In 1S79-SO he
was chairman of the Republican execu-
tive committee In 1881 Mr.. Dingley was
nominated by the Republicans of the Sec
ond congressional district of Maine to
fill the vacancy in Congress caused by
the resignation of William p Frye. He
was elected by a majority Of over 5000,
nearly twice as large as ever before given
to any candidate in that district During
his early terms in the House Mr.. Dngley
was active in work for the revival of
American shipping.
In June, 1886, Mr.. Dingley was re-elect-
ed to the Fiftieths Congress and again
elected to the Fifty-frst Congress in 1888.
to the Fifty-second in 1890, the Fifty
third in 1898, the Fifty-fourth in 1894
and the Fifty-ffth in 1896 by large and
increased majOrities. In the Fifty-sec-
ond and Fifty-third Congresses he was
an active member of the Committee on
Appropriations.
In forming his cabinet prior to entering
on the duties of chief executive 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
chairman Of the Ways and Means Com
mittee and floor leader of the Republican
majority of the House.
Under his lead the House within sixteen
days after the Fifty-ffth Congress was
convened in extraordinary session on the
10Th of March, 1897, by President Nc
Klnley, passed bill revising the tariff.
Mr.. Dingley was Congregationalist in
religion. He was married June II, 1857,
to Miss Salome McKenney of Auburn,
Me. They have had six children-Henry
NJ, Charles L. (deceasedg Edward n,
Arthur H., Albert G. and Edith Dingley.