The Delta independent., 1911-04-07
Mark Hanna Taught
Dingley Economy.


In Washington the late. Nelson
Dingley, Jr., who served eighteen
years in the lower house of congress
was always addressed by the title
of governor. He was elected gov
ernor OF Maine at the age of AZ
and while tie editor of a newspaper
at Lewiston. When Thomas B. Reed,
also of Maine, was once more elect
ed speaker of the house of repre-
sentatives in 1895, he appointed Mr..
Dingley chairman of the ways and
means committee, and when asked
why he did this. replied
Because Governor Dingley is
the most thoroughly equipped man
who has ever sat in congress upon
all subjects relating to the tariff. 1t
is not because he comes from my
state CT Maine that | have named
him chairman of the committee on
ways and means, but because he
was pre-eminentiy indicated as the
man for ts.e place
Something more than a year after
the so-called Dingley tariff law had
been put upon the federal stat1te
books, and there had occurred
full revival of business and industrial
activity. Governor Dingley entered
trolley car one afternoon after
the adjournment of the house so as
to return to his home in the west
end of the capital. A moment or
two after he had taken his seat Sen
ator Mark Hanna entered the car,
and seeing Governor Dingley took
seat beside him.
There had happened few days
earlier some demonstrate n of busi-
ness activity which had attracted
much attention. Hanna and Dingley
chatted atout it for few moments,
and then the senator said:
Governor, you must be gratified
at the association of your name with
the new tariff law. In my opinion
it justifies everything praiseworthy
/ that was said of you al the time
you were framing it"
/ We'll replied Dingley. lit is.
of course. very gratifying for me to
know that what | predicted would
be the case is being borne out by
our experience" He paused for a
moment But there is one curious
feature of the situation which. |
confess. am unable TO explain.
They tell me that everybody is max
1 ing money-business men are sell
ing goods and making a fair profit
manufactures are doing splendidly
the bankers are gaining handsome
returns upon their capital the work
ingmen of the United States are
finding employment at good wages;
nobody who is not lazy or sick is
unemployed. So, they tell me,
every body is making money. And
yet there is one person who is not"
who can that man be?' asked
Senator Hanna.
1T is myself" said Dingley. "Ii
all | hear is true. then. | am the
only man in the United States who
works hard who is not making
money. In fact. l am poorer than
| was when l began my study OF
our tariff system. l have hard work
to make both ends meet. l wish yot
would explain to me Mark. what the
trouble is-why, l. who they say,
has made money. for everybody
else. can't make any for myself
Il can tell you. Governor re-
piled Hanna, "and l can show you
what the trouble is from a little
incident that has happened rig IT
here in this car. observed that yol
paid the conductor a nickle for your
fare. Did you notice that l paid
him with ticket? l suppose you
pay a nickel everytime you ride on
the trolley; but buy six tickets
for a quarter. and in that way save
twenty per cent. The trouble with
you about money making. Governor
is that you have never learned how
to save twenty per cent for your
self
For a few moments Dingley look
ed thoughtfully into space. Then he
turned to his companion.
why. l never thought of that,
he said. simply. You have un-
doubtedly given me the real explana
ton. l shall try hereafter to prac-
tice your political economy, since II
will enable me to save twenty per
cent"
But not for long was the Trainer
of the Dingley tariff act able to put
into practice the lesson in economy
taught him by Uncle Mark Hanna
his death occurring shortly there.
after. in 1899.