Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1899-01-20

y
| 1890, the Fifty-third in 1882. the Fifty
fourth in 1894. the Fifty-ffth in 1896
( by large and increased majorities. In
/ the Fifty-second ana Fifty-third Con-
crosses he was an active member OF
! the committee on appropriations
Declines Place in the Cabinet
In forming his cabinet prior to en-
tering on the duties of chief execu-
! tive March t, 1891. President Mckinley
/ rendered the position of Secretary OF
the treasury 10 Mr.. Dingley, but he de-
/ cllned the offer. preferring TO remain
I III his position as chairman OF the
ways and means committee and floor
leader of the Republican majority OF
/ the house
! Under his lead the house. within
/ sixteen days after the Fifty-ffth con-
gress was convened in extraordinary
session on March 10. 1897. by Presi-
dent Mckinley, passed "a bill revising
the tariff Mr. Dingley was a Congre-
gationalist in religion He was mar
ried June II. 1851. TO Miss Salmoe Mo
kenney Of Auburn, Me. They have
/ had six children.
Dingley's Career In Congress.
When Mr.. Dingley was first elected
! to congress he received a majority Of
1900 votes. nearly twice as many as
had ever been given 10 any candidate
In that district; he was elected to the
! flfty-hfth congress by a majority OF
almost 1000 votes. When he entered
congress he was made member OF
! the committee on banking and curren-
i Cy, serving there eight years.
At the beginning of his congression-
/ al career the country was disturbed on
! the question Of the extension of char
! tiers OF the National Bank association.
! He Immediately identified himself with
! a bill for the extension Of the charters
| of the banks. and in the face of much
opposition helped fight the bill
/ through. The opposition TO the re-
sumption OF specie payment had not
been dissipated and Mr.. Dingley had
no small part in befriending the gov
eminent in its policy
But il is difficult 70 name any i'm
portant legislation in congress of the
| last fifteen years with which he was
not identified. His first speech in
| congress was made April %. 1882, on
| Protection 10 American Shipping"
While he had been active in financial
| matters he was thoroughly informed
on shipping, having come from state
with large shipping interests.
1t was through his influence that
select committee on shipOwnerS and
ship interests was created in the house.
He was at the head of the minority Of
that committee, whose successor has
| been the present useful committee on
merchant marine and fisheries.
DingIey in Forty Eighth Congress.
In the Forty-eighth Forty-ninth and
Fiftieth congresses there was great
deal OF agitation in favor OF subsidiz-
ing American ships to carry the mails.
Mr. Dingiey was a hearty champion Of
this. and framed the bill which finally
became law paying TO American ships
of certain register and speed a COM
pensation for transporting American
mails
In the Fifty-frst congress he was
given membership by Speaker Reed,
whose right arm he has been in re-
/ cent years. on the ways and means
committee When the political wheel
turned in the Fifty-seoOnd congress
and the Democrats succeeded TO power
Speaker Crisp felt that he must name
Mr.. Reed 10 the committee on ways
and means Mr. Dingiey was, accord
ingly. transferred to the minority OF
the committee on appropriations.
DingIey's Early Life.
Mr.. Dingley's father was trader,
not particularly well-to-do, and the
boy bent himself TO work at an early
! age His steadiness of purpose came
from his old Puritan stock, but mis-
intellectual ability came from his
mother. a woman educated far beyond
her station or the average of cultiya-
ton in those days She was school
teacher and brought all the discipline
and knowledge of her mind to bear
upon the training of her son, and he
found her influence one OF the greatest
factors in his success.
Hence it was quite natural when, In
1856. he found an opportunity to Sc
cure the ownership of the Lewiston
Journal then a weekly paper. that he
seized il at once and began TO build
up business that has been wonder
fully successful.
My paper" he would say with
pride. has a larger circulation than
any other paper in the state of Maine.
| would rather write for il than dc
any other kind of work He added a
daily edition in 1861.
When William T. Frye was elevated
To the senate. Mr. Dingley was sent
to congress That was in 1881. I'M
mediateiy the young statesman found
that the seed which he had been SOW
ing for so many years was in con-
genial soil. All that he had gathered
of tariff knowledge, financial facts and
tbaoriac an. of systems of govern