The Portland daily press., 1901-01-01
HARM in MANY BIG DINNERS.

(washingon Letter in Chicago Inter
Ocean
An old man with spare, bent figure and
gray.tinged whiskers dropping from a
sad, serious face, entered the House
chamber Monday morning, just before
the HOUSE was call I'D to order, and scores
OF mem bers looked up with start as
they saw him walk into the Republican
cIoalxroom and then pass down the centre
aisle. He looked enough like the late
Mr.. Dingley, who was leader OF the
House until his death, two years ago, to
have been mistaken for him. For q
moment some of the abseut-minded were
about to greet him as their old leader,
forgetting that Mr.. Dlngley was Dead
AMI that there had not bean masterful
and tastfuI leader on the floor since his
day.
"Do you know that Mr.. Dingley sacri-
feed his life to social dinners and ban
ouatsf'' one OF his most intimate friends
asked. "He was man OF the simplest
tastes and most methodisal ways. he
was a serious and interchangeable worker.
There never was d man who worked with
more method and regularity than he.
He ate the simplest food, bis luncheon
being invariably bowl of bread and
milk.
but when MIR. DINGHY became men,
Der of tine joint High Commission he
killed himsslf eating. lie was compelled
TO attend this social functions and elabor-
ate dinners given by ana to the commits
sioners. He was always thinking OF his
work and ate unconsciousiy what was
placed tefore him. He gave no thought
to what he was eating, He abstained
from wine, but he ate many things
which would have been easier digested
had he taken wine with them, lie never
took any ply steal exercise. His simple
living had for years enabled him to give
his whole time to brain work without
bad results.
sBut the new life into which he en-
tered unconsciously killed him. Dingley
was a martyr to the elaborate dinner. lie
would have lived on for years in his own
simple way. lie died because he did not
know how to attend banquets without
eating.'
"Vice President Hobart was another
victim of big Ond fashionable dinners,
said a United States senator Before he
came TO Washington, Mr. Hobalt was a
tremendous worker lie had a great
business aud he was compelled to keep ON
the go. Hs took much exercise without
liver, but the exercise he took in rushing
about hts business appointments saved
him from any had etfests
"When he came to Washington as vice
president, ne devotsd himself to his new
duties He presided over the Senate faith
fully through the long sessions OF the
tifgy-iifth Congress, during the tariff de-
bates and the war discussions He had
inhny social engagements, ana tried to
attend them. He Twas at big dinner
nearly every night, and he ate as he had
always done. But the pace was too much
for him. Hs could not endure 1t. lie
had no way of svsning up the scale with
physical ex raise.
'Erom dinners and other social engage
ments he went TO the Senate, and from
the presiding chalk OF the Senate he went
to more dinners. lie was unconscious oil
the tax he was placing upon his liver.
lie was at snrbsd in his duties, both offital
and social, and he did not realize his
danger until he was very sick man and
within a short space OF his grave. lie
was victim OF the banquet as much as
Mr.. Dingiey, though of entirely different
temperament and habits
''Seoresary Folger aud Justice Stanley
Matthews were also victims OF the din
ner habit, an old member OF the HOUSE
said. "Both were great workers, and
they worked in the OLD way. FOlger wrote
all his reports, and with his own hand.
lie did not know how to dictate. Mat
thews had the same weak ness. They
Q me to Washington, and as members OF
the official sat they had to attend many
DINNERS and other sociai functions. Then
they went to their rooms and worked
ovsr desk. painfully writing honr after
hour to keep up their WORK. They had
no time for outdoor life. They killed
then selves, and they were victims OF the
dinner habit"