Evening journal., 1911-11-29
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A String Of PrOphssies
That Came True
BY Holland.
By Holland

In the last week of August 1879,
some foua- years after he had retired
from the office Of governor Of Maine. /
met Nelson A. Dingley, Jr. who, eigh-
teen years later was TO become ma
tionally famous as the father Of a new
American tariff law. in his editorial
office IN Lewiston. Me. For twenty
years he was editor of the Lewiston
Journal, and from his chair there he
went first TO the State Legislature
and then TO the governors chair.
When ! called on Governor Dingley.
the greenback craze was rampant in
Maine
This greenback phenomenon in
Maine" explained Governor Djngley,
lis nothing but one of those political
or mental epidemics which, from the
beginning of our government, havo
seized upon various fragments OF the
people hede and there. It cannot be
analyzed or explained. But ! think
before it is finished It will result in
Republican defeat in the State and
the election Of Democratic Governor
When that has happened that will end
greenbackism in Maine"
And all this happened.
asked Governor Dingley if he
thought that James G.. Blaine, then
representing Maine in the Senate, and
an avowed candidate for the Republic
can presidential nomination the fol-
lowing year, would secure the prize
that he had so long coveted
1T is my impression that Mr.. Blaine
cannot receive the Republican nomi-
nation for President next year" was
the reply Il am inclined to think that
unless he should enter the cabinet of
some Republican President, he will
remain in the Senate as long as he
lives. If he is ever dominated for the
presidency, the nomination will be
made I'm 1884. But amVery much
afraid that by 1884 the time for reac-
tion from Republican rule will have
como and that a Democrat will be
elected President
Garfield secured the Republican
presidential nomination In 1890;
Blaine left the Senate in 1881 to be-
come Garfeld's Secretary of State
and what happened to Blaine in 1884
forms one of the most dramatic chap
ters In. our political history,
"rhey have down In Portland" con
| tinued Governor Dingley. young
man now representing the Portland
district IN Congress who. il will be
wen worth the while Of public men
and us newspaper men carefully to
watch. You know him, / think
Thomas B, Reed, n Reed stays in
Congress long enough, he will in
/ evitably become very prominent
candidate for the presidential nom.
ination; but he won't get e. Maine is
too far East TO make any son of Maine
available for the Presidential nomina.
tion; and what | say is true in spit,
of Blaine's prominence. because Blain,
is somewhat like Henry Clay. He Il
not regarded so much as a citizen O
any state as a citizen of the entire
country
Govneror Diugley saw sooner thar
, any other man IN Maine did what thl
career of Thomas B. Reed was to be
"Do you contemplate ever goinI
back~to public life?' J asked Cover
nor Dingley.
"Oh, no. My public career ende'
with my service as governor OF Mains
MY liHtt III TIC luANit viii ut mere .
this editorial desk.
Two years later met Governo
Dineley in Washington. He had beei
elected a member Of the House of Rep
resentativos aud he was about to be
gin service in that body which wa
TO make his name traditional.
Governor said, you We're no
entirely accurate when you said to n
that your career as "A public servan
ended when you retired from the offc
Of Governor OF Maine.
"But I was pretty accurate in tn
rest Of my predictions, wasn't I?' h
asked.
! (Copyrigh,. 1911, by r. J Edwards. Al
rights reserved)
Friday Mr.. Edwards will tell O
a Nuisance That Became a Forum
Builder"