The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-15
A MODEL PUBLIC MAN.


The State from which the late Repre-
sentative Dingley hailed is not so far dis
tant that more of his useful life than has
been published may not be interesting and
timely for those who may be looking for
examples to study. Mr. Dingley was gradu-
ated from Dartmouth College, in New
Hampshire-an old-fashioned institution
which has sent a long roll of men into the
world to be useful, influential and famous
1t was the alma mater of Daniel Webster
and to this day it has no travelling profess
sOnal band of athletic champions. 1t takes
no part in oratorical contests. If Dart
mouth had done so, Nelson Dingley would
not have represented 1t in such a contest,
for, in the common acceptance of the term,
he was not an orator. His presence was not
inspiring; he lacked what is called mag
netism; he was not dramatic he was not
builder of rounded periods, to be ended,
when spoken, with rising infection. He
possessed the faculty of clear and concise
statement, which he attributed to his train
ing as an editorial writer which he con-
tinued TO the end of his career. He knew
the value of the logic of facts and expert
ence; he never was tangled in the premises
Of a syllogism. In early life he learned to
investigate; during his later years the study
of practical economics was his recreation.
1t was this mastery of facts which made
him invaluable in Congress.
When he was first elected to Congress in
1881 he was one of the most influential men
in Maine He was the unanimous choice
of his party in a large district to succeed
Mr.. Frye. who lived in the same city. No
cry was raised against his nomination on
the ground that the county had already
had the representative in Congress for ten
years, for the reason that his prominence
obliterated county lines denomination after
denomination followed without effort on his
part. In later years he had the support of
hundreds of conservative business men who
were not of his party. His constituency be-
lieved in him, and he in turn had absolute
faith in the intelligence land patriotism of
lis constituents, to whom in his canvasses
he presented argument backed by fact and
experience, being teacher as well as repre-
sentative.
His course as Governor of Maine is worthy
of notice. There was quite general de-
mand for a revision of the state Constitu-
ton. One of his first recommendations was
for authority to appoint a commission of
citizens to consider the subject The au-
thority granted, he invited five of the ablest
men of both parties to meet and consider
the subject. This commission, after several
n We of \
lature several amendments which it SUBJ
mitted to the people, The judges of the Su-
preme Court are nominated by the Gov
ernor and confirmed by an executive council
in that State. All of the judges for years
had been Republicans. Governor DingIey
believed that the ablest lawyers Of both
parties should constitute the highest court
in the State. When one of the Judges died
Governor Dingley nominated one of the
ablest Democratic lawyers in the State. His
action created a great outcry, and it was
with some difficulty that majority of the
council was induced to confirm the nomina-
ton. Had not Mr.. Blaine used his influence
for confirmation it might not have been
brought about. The sequel: A few years
could not be otherwise than Republican.
the heresy of fiat money took root and a
hostile coalition carried the State The
next year the Republicans carried the Legis-
lature, but the returns were manipulated so
that the combine had a majority Armed
collision was averted by the influence of
leaders, and the Republicans asked the SUI
preme Court to answer certain questions
affecting the validity of the returns At
that time the Supreme Court was holding
law term a hundred miles away from
the capital of the State. 1t took up and
considered the questions and came to a
unanimous conclusion favorable to the Re-
publican contention. No judge was more
positive in his views than the Democrat
appointed by Governor Dingley 1t was
said that he wrote some of the most positive
portions of the opinion. The stand the DEM
ocratic judge took was accepted by the con-
sentative element of his party, which gave
the views of the court a moral power it
would not otherwise have had. During the
more than twenty years which have inter-
vened since Governor Dingley appointed a.
Democrat supreme judge an able Demo-
cratic lawyer has held like position bv
Republican appointment. Governor Dingley
held tenaciously to the opinion that on all
boards which managed the affairs Of the
State the minority party should be repre-
sented. His views have prevailed.