St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-01-18

position of speaker, which he declined.
preferrng to take his place on the floor
He was also representative to the legis-
lature from Lewiston in 1868 and 1873
In forming his cabinet prior to enter
ing on the duties of chief executive,
March 4, 1897, President Mckinley ten
dered 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 committee and floor leader Of the
Republican majority of the house.
When Mr.. Dingley was first elected to
congress he received a majority of 5000
votes. He was elected to the Fifty-fifth
congress by majority of 1900 votes.
When he entered congress he was made
a member of the committee on bank
ing and currency, serving there eight
years. At the beginning of his con-
gressional career the country was dis
turbed on the question of the extension
Of charters of the National Bank as
ISOLATION. He immeditasessSSaa,s' identified
himself with 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 payments had not
been dissipated, and Mr. Dihgley had
no small part in befriending the gov
eminent In its policy.
| But it Is difficult to name any inn
portant legislation in congress in the
lest 15 years with which hewas not identi-
fed. While he had been active in finan-
cial matters, he was thoroughly in
formed on shipping. 1t was through
his influence that committee on ship
owners 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 fish
cries. In the Forty eighth, Forty ninth
and Fiftieth congresses there was
great deal of agitation in favor of sub
sidzing American ships to carry the
mails. Mr. Dingley was hearty cham
pon Of this, and framed a bill which
finally became law, paying to Ameri-
can ships of certain register and speed
compensation for transporting Amer
lean mails. In the F'lfty-frst congress
he was given membership by Speaker
Reed, whose right arm he has been in
recent years, on the ways and means
committee. When in the Fifty-secono
congress the Democrats succeeded to
power, Speaker Crisp transferred Mr.
Dingley to the minority of the com
mittee on appropriations. He made
himself valuable man there, serving
for four years. and displaying knowl-
edge of appropriations hardly surpassed
by any of the older members. Presi-
dent Mckinley always had strong
, friendship for Mr., Dingley since they
served together in the house.
Mr.. Dingley's father was q trader
not particularly we'll to DO and the boy
bent himself to work at an early age
His steadness of purpose came from
his old Puritan stock but his intellectual
q ability came from his mother, a woma!
, educated far beyond her station or tn,
average of cultivation in those days
\ She was a school teacher, and brough
h all the discipline and knowledge of he
o mind to bear upon the training of he
, son, and he found her influence one o
q the greatest factors in his success.
o Mr.. Dingley made great success o
4 his newspaper, the Lewiston Journa
VI MY paper" he would say with pride
l. has larger circulation than any othe
It paper in Maine. | would rather writ
lie for it than do any other kind of work"
J. For the ~rdnary manipulations G
lie politics, MIR. Dingley had no use what
,e ever He paid no attention to pr
ia maries OF delegates, Every two yeai
III his people renominatei him by acclams
4 ton. He devoted his time to acquirin
r. experience and knowledge, which mac
him more and more valuable.
~ He was not an orator, He lacke
m the physical presence and the vote
he Nevertheless all the members listene
he when he arose to speak. He had a woi
n derfully lucid way of asserting fact
e. going at once to the heart of every COZ
ch tested point. lie also had a remarkab
e. faculty OF presenting an argumer
r. His mind was logical to the highe
ed degree. Mr.. Dingley loved society, b
of he did not allow 1t to become his mastt