The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-14

large shipping interests 1t was through
his influence that select committee of ship
owners and ship interests was created in the
house. He was at the head OF the minority
of that committee, whose successor has beea
the present useful committee on merchant
marine and fisheries. InI the Forty eighth,
Forty-ninth and Fiftieth congresses there
was great deal Of agitation in favor of SUBJ
sidizing American ships to carry the mails.
Mr.. Dlngley was hearty supporter of this,
and framed the bill which finally became
law, paying to American ships of certain
register and speed compensation for trans
porting American mails.
In the Fifty first congress he was given
membership by Speaker Reed, whose right
arm he has been in recent years on the
ways and means committee. When the po-
itical wheel turned in the Fifty-second con-
gress and the Democrats succeeded to pow
er. Speaker Crisp felt that he must name
Mr.. Reed to the committee on ways and
means. Mr.. Dingley was acc3rding,y trans
ferred to the committee ON appropriations
He made himself very valuable man there,
serving In the position for four years and
displaying knowledge of appropriations
hardly surpassed by any of the older mem
bers.
President Mckinley always had a strong
friendship for Mr.. Dingiey, since they served
TOSeIner IN the mouse.
Mr.. Dingley's father was a trader not
particularly well-to-do, and the boy bent
himself to work at an early age. His steadi-
ness Of purpose came from his old Pull an
stock, but his intellectual ability came from
his mother, woman educated far beyond
her station or the average of cultivation 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 oppoctun-
ity to secure the ownership of the Lewis on
Journal, then weekly paper, that he seized
1t at once and forthwith began to build I'D
a business that has been wonderfully sue
cessful. "My paper" he would say. with
pride, "has a larger circulation than anv
other paper in the state of Maine | would
rather write for it than do any othsr kind
Of work" He added daily edition In 1861
Mr.. Dngley was not an orator. He lacked
the physical presence, the development of
throat and chest and quality of voice which
make men orators. Nonetheless all the mem
bers listened when he arose to speak He had
a wonderfully lucid way of asserting facts.
going at once to the heart of every contested
point. He also had a remarkable faculty of
presenting an argument His mind was log
ical to the highest degree. Had he followed
the law and been promoted to the bench, he
would have made famous judge, for his
mental sight enabled him to see through any
litigated question with great clearness. and
his decisions would have been eminently
sound and fair.
Mr.. Dingley was always a prohibitionist.
For many years he was president of the Con-
gressonal Temperance society, an organiza-
tion of cold water legislators. He was also a
church-goer belonging to the Congregational
church.
His family consists of his widow, who was
Miss Salon Mckinley, Of Auburn, Me-; a
daughter, Miss Edith, who has a fine soprano
voice, and four sons. One of these Harry is
in Mexico; two others, Edward and Arthur,
are here, and fourth, Albert, is in Colo
rado.