NELSON DINGLEY JR. - AUTOGRAPH 03/07/1899 CO-SIGNED BY: EUGENE HALE - HFSID 1999

NELSON DINGLEY, JR. and EUGENE HALE
Sheet of paper signed and dated by Nelson Dingley, Governor and U. S. Representative from Maine, in 1898, and by Eugene Hale, U. S. Representative and Senator from Maine, in 1899
Signatures: "Nelson Dingley/Dec. 26, 1898/Lewiston/Maine" and, on verso, "Eugene Hale/Maine/7th March 99". Black ink notations on front and verso and lead pencil notations on front, all in unknown hand. 6½x2½. DINGLEY (1832-1899), a Republican and the longtime editor of the Lewiston Journal, was elected Governor of Maine (1874-1876). He was elected a U.S. Representative from Maine in 1881 and served until his death. During his last term, described by one observer as "destitute of humor but soundly versed in finance," Dingley chaired the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. When the incoming McKinley administration raised tariffs, reversing the lower tariffs enacted under President Grover Cleveland, the resulting legislation was known as the Dingley Tariff (1897). HALE (1836-1918) was a Republican U. S. Representative from Maine's 5th Congressional District (1869-1879) and U. S. Senator from Maine (1881-1911), as well as a member of Maine's state house of representatives (1867-1868 and 1879-1880). The chairman of several U. S. Senate committees, Hale is probably best remembered for helping to expand and modernize the U. S. Navy. President Rutherford B. Hayes even offered him the post of Secretary of the Navy, a post that he declined. Lightly toned and soiled. Dingley's signature is lightly smeared in places but legible. Pen skipped in places while writing Hale's signature, which is legible. Show-through touches Hale's signature. Neatly torn from binding at right edge. Irregular bottom edge. Lightly discolored at left edge. Random ink stains on verso. Otherwise in fine condition.