The sun., 1918-11-24


tion, FRANK DrNoLEY could no more
stop producing desirable copy than
the' planet Mercury can stop In Lis
appointed course. -
The newspaper sense was perhaps
equally alert In these brothers, but
the respective manifestations Of its
activity were rs distinct as anything
that can be conceived. This resulted
from marked and very useful DIFF
ference in temperament and practice.
II Is the fortune OF the present writer
to have been affectlonately familiar
with the workings Of the establish
ment- at-a somewhat remote period
when NELSON and FRANK DINGLEy
were contributing, each in his own eff
fectiye way, but. In perfect harmony
Of common. purpose, to give to the
Lewiston Journal IN individuality
widely recognized, md an influence
beyond Its own local field such, as Is
seldom achieved BY newspaper pub.
lished in a small city. Another in
stance similarly conspicuous has been
that of the Springfield Repv blicd.n.
but there the original inspiration and
the. persisting tradition proceeded
from single mind, that Of SAMUEL
BowLEs. The Lewiston paper, as we
have just now intimated, was a dual
product; and its two makers were
OF distinctly opposite types OF jour
naiistlc genius.
| NELSON DISGLEy, the senior part
ner and elder brother, was an able
politician, man Of serious and acute
though By no means arid intellect, q
true-love student Of economic ques-
lions while an unflinching partisan
in. oil that concerned the old Repub-
lican organization, national, State
and local. With, the exception Of
HORACE GREELEY, 1t is doubtful If
there ever existed an editor who was
mentally happier in q tangle Of cleo.
ton returns, even when the plurali-
ties went the wrong way. Happier
even yet he was when with pencil
and pad and figures spontaneously
supplied from an amazing statistical
memory he was ciphering out the
probable yield and practical effect OF
some proposed change in customs du-
ties or internal revenue tax. At such
moments something like the Joy of
creative imagination lightened his
rather saturnine features, and you
could not avoid the suspicion that he
cherished in secret romantic ambi-
tion TO construct some day on his
own account a complete set Of SEIZED.
ules. That great luck did in fact
, come to this just, kind, arithmetical,
|. sincere and inclusive gentleman
many years later. when rs chairman
Of Ways and Means during the Nc
. kdnley Administration, he superln-
tended the building Of the celebrated
Dingley tariff.
, In the earlier days Of the paper
the younger brother attended esps-
, cially to the local news of the city
and the adjacent town of Auburn.
FRANK prNGLEY was spunky re-
porter, dynamic in his pursuit OF in
| telligence, copious scribe, n loyal
and most persuasive boomer of home
: things and interests, as every city
editor ought to be. He would cheer
fully walk miles in mud, IL necessary,
to capture IN item Insignificant In
any perspective less microscopic than
his own. He would brave storm.
flood or fire, he would defy hatred
itself, to- get an interview on any sub
! Ject of contemporaneous Importance.
He was, as Mr.. STAPLES says, one of
J the best reporters that ever lived.
Anywhere and on any newspaper he
would have proved his eminence as
one Of the best reporters in the hea TT
OF the Desert of Mojave itself he
would have found matter to write
about to the extent. Of columns and
columns. His mind was so we'll cu-
tivated. and his interest. In all human
beings so genuine and democratic and
kindly that his irrepressible enthusi-
assn Of temperament gave vitality to
almost everything 1t touched; and in
later years, after his brother Mel
SONS death. much the same qualities
Of an emotional and friendly CON
SCIENCE and a fecund wit and imng-
ination we're applied with the vigor
Of unfailing youth TO the larger ques-
tons md. concerns OF newspaper man
agement and political discussion by
the same wonderfully fast dying pen.
If we have .ventured to present side
by. side these two crudely sketched
portraits OF editors so different, it is
because Of a conviction that wherever
: and whenever abilities thus different
can be made. as In Lewiston. TO work
in felicltous unison there will result
rs good newspaper ms the DINGLEYs
' produced in that Maine town.
'