Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-04
Death
DOES NOT MEAN DELAY
Had Already Filed Report as Special
Master in Debt Con.
troversy.
LONG CONGRESSIONAL CAREER
Prepared Antitrust Bills at First Ap.
proved by Roosevelt, but President
Later Supported Milder Measure.
Nominated Reed for President.

The death of Charles Il. Littlefield.
| special master in the Virginia West
| Virginia debt controversy. will not de-
| lay In any way final settlement of
\ the celebrated case, according to the
opinion expressed yesterday by State
officials
The former Maine Congressman had
many warm friends among the officers
| In the Capitol and State Library Build
| ing, who expressed surprise and sor-
! row over the news of his demise. Sec
| ond Auditor Roosevelt Page was deeply
| affected when he learned of the death
of Mr.. Littlefield. During the special
masters sojurn here an attachment
sprang up between them. and Mr.. Lit
| tlefield was guest in the Page home
In Hanover County for time Y
Mr.. Littlefeld submitted his findings
| IN the debt controversy to the Supreme
Court of Appeals, where the case is
yet hanging fire But the masters
connection with the proceedings closed
when he turned in his report His
death, therefore cannot affect the fur
Their proceedings
| HAD BRILLIANT
CAREER IN CONGRESS
Charles Edgar Littlefeld, former
| Representative from Maine, who had
| from Congress in 1908, died Sunday
| morning at the POSTGRADUATE Hos
pital from an cmbolism, following an
operation performed about ten days
!aEo.
| Mr.. Littlcheld was elected to Con.
gross June -, 1899, to fill the unex-
PRED term of Nelson Dingley, author
of the Dingley tariff. who had died in
office. He was an insurEent by tenn
,perament-not radical insurgent
such as those who broke away later
when the Payne-Aldrich tariff was I'M
inc
Ing to his own views His first speech
was made in the case Of the exclusion
from the House of Brigham H. Rob-
lerts. the polygamist, elected to a seat
from Utah, and he took the unpopular
side
Then the Republican organization
put through it's bill for II tariff with
Porto Rico, and again Mr.. Littlefeld
was an insurgent He disagreed with
the party's policy on the Cuban reel
procity bill Nevertheless, by the force
of his personality he was making his
own way, and winning his own repu-
tation. His district reelected him to
the Fifty-sevcnth. Fifty-eighth, Fifty
ninth and SiNtieth Congresses, and he
| soon acquired a. wide reputation
/ through the visor|of his oratory and
his firmness in standing out for his
own views.
CALLED INTO CONFERENCE
! ny PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
Mr.. Littlcflcld was called into con-
| ference by President Roosevelt when
he trst began to consider antitrust
| legislation. and for time there was
a report that he would handle the leg
islative end OF the campaign A series
OF newspaper attacks. however, had the
erect OF severing his close relations
with the President. who took up an
other line OF less vigorous action
against the corporations; so Mr.. Little
| held. who introduced an antitrust bill
| which he thought at the time had the
support of the administration, found
his mistake when ii failed of passage
and other measures went through
His opposition to labor was so
effective that when he was cam
paigning for reelection in 1906 the
| labor leaders made vigorous attack
on him, with Samuel Gompers conduct
ing personal house to house canvass
| The National Association of Manufac-
! turers gave him some assistance.
| He was an independent in the days
when independents were very few in
the House, and when. March 3D. 1905,
he announced his resignation in order
| to resume the practice of law there
were many who said that he had given
! up the fight in discouragement
NOMINATED REED
FOR PRESIDENT ~ $500
! Mr. Littletield belonged 10 tho Maine
| delcga ton to the Republican national
convention in 1892 and 1896 In the
! latter year. when he was chairman Of
| the delegation. he presented the name
| OF Thomas b. Reed for the presidential
! nomination.
! Mr.. Littlefeld was born In Lebanon.
! Me-. June 81. 1851. and was the son
| OF Rev. William H. Littlefeld. He
was admitted to the bar in 1876, and
! practiced at Rockland. Me- He be-
! longed to the lower House of the Maine
| Legislature from 1885 to 1884, being
Speaker for the last two years and
was Attorney-General of Maine from
! 1889 to 1893. He is survived by
| widow, Clara H. Littlefeld. who was
the daughter of General William Aver.
Of Montville. Me-; by daughter. Caro-
| line and son. Charles w. Littlefcld,
| his law partner.
| The interment will take place We'd
nesday at the Acorn Cemetery in Port
land, Me.
Etnn co. n-t.A