Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-06-26
Pattangall Called
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tansan and Arethusa Longfellow Pat
tangall. He completed the course
provided in the local schools of Penn
broke at Is years of age and entered
the University of Maine, then known
as Maine State College, from which
he was graduated. At the end of
three years in that institution, in
1888, he left the college and entered
the law Office of Archibald McNichol
of Calais to read law. To earn funds
with which to continue his education,
he was compelled to suspend his law
studies In 1884. He continued his
study, however, as the opportunity
presented itself during the next nine
years and in 1898 took the examina-
tins and was admitted to the bar.
For several years he practiced law
in Machias and Bangor and in 1906
moved to Waterville to become editor
of the Watervile Sentinel. Later, Mr..
Pattangall practiced law in Water
vile and removed to Augusta 10
years ago.
Service as Representative
Mr.. Pattangall served four terms
in the lower branch of the Maine
Legislature where his ability as
Sebater was early recognized. In his
first year, 1897, he led the fight for
permanent support of the University
of Maine by the State making it a
university instead of a State college.
In 1896 when the silver craze swept
the Democratic party, Mr.. Pattangall
with thousands of others left the
Democratic party and joined the Re-
publicans, being elected that year to
the House of Representatives from
Machias on the G. o. Z. ticket. He
was returned to the Maine House
from Machias in 1900. In 1908, he
again Joined the party of his choice.
the Democratic party. and became Cd
leader.
Mr.. Pattangall introduced a bill in
the House in 1897 to abolish the state
liquor agency system. 1t was not
enacted, but when again introduced
by him in 1911 it was passed.
In 1901 and 1909, as a member Of
the committee on taxation, he did
excellent work and in one of his
speeches in the House in support of
a bill to equalize the distribution of
State school fund, he made one of
the strongest arguments ever heard
on the floor of the House. During
his career in the legislature he pre-
pared and secured the passage Of a
number of measures for the better
protection of men employed in the
lumber woods. Two measures for
which he is responsible and which
are considered among the most for
ward steps of law making in Maine
are: A bill giving heirs the right to
defend actions brought against es-
tates where the administrators or
executors do not take proper steps;
md the amendment to insurance law
which enables owners of property
destroyed by fire, to take time to file
proofs of loss. He also introduced
the law which put the State binding
upon competitive basis.
He opposed the continuation of
the railroad rebate policy and the
attempt to make the office of Sheriff
appointive instead of elective.
When the Democrats were in
power in 1911. Mr.. Pattangall was a
member of the House of the repre-
sentatives from Wateryille. He was
the leader on the floor. At the close
OF the session he was appointed at
torney general of Maine and in that
capacity prosecuted fourteen cases
of homicide, In these eleven verdicts
of guilty were returned by the jury,
two of not guilty and one case was
mol pressed by him. He also served
as attorney general in 1915 and 1916.
Candidate for Congress
Mr.. Pattangall was first a candi-
date for congress in 1904, when he
was nominated by the Democrats of
the fourth district. Next he was
nominated by the Democrats Of the
third district at the primary election
of 1913, over Hon. S. w. Gould of
SkoWhegan, after a hot canvass. The
special campaign of that year to elect |
a successor to Congressman Goodwin |
was one Of the stiffest Maine has
ever seen and Mr.. Pattangall was
beaten by three hundred votes. In |
1914 he was the unanimous choice of |
his party as its congressional can
didate but was defeated by the Re-
publican candidate.
Was in the Newspaper Game
In 1908 Mr.. Pattangall got into the |
newspaper business. AT that time he |
became interested in the Machias |
Union, a small weekly paper in that |
town. He began writing a series of |
weekly letters, dated at Meddybemps |
and signed stephen A. Douglass |
Smith They dealt with politics and |
politicians of Maine.
In 1906 he went to the Waterville |
Sentinel, then owned by Cyrus W. |
Davis, and for two years had COM !
plete editorial charge of the paper |
and wrote all its editorials.
He was the Democratic candidate |
for governor in 1922 and 1924.
Mr.. Pattangall has been mayor of
Waterville three times, was a men,
Der of the board of trustees of the
u. of NJ, and is a member of various
Masonic bodies, the Elks, the Beta
Theta Pi fraternity and the Phi Beta
Kappa honorary fraternity. He is