New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-13
CONNECTICUT POLITICS.
PECULIAR IMPORTANCE OF NEXT FALLS
ELECTION.
A GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO CHOOSE SENATOR:
HAwLEY's SUCCESSOR AND FULL STATE


their own campaign. Their State Convention
will be held in New-Haven probably during the
last week in August or the first in September.
Connecticut Will elect this year full State tick
ct as we'll as the General Assembly which
is TO name the successor Of Joseph r. Hawley
In the United States Senate. The State officers
TO be chosen include not only Governor. Lieu
tenant-Governor. Secretary OF State Treasurer
and Controller. but also an Attorney-General for
the first time in the history Of the Common
wealth. From every point Of view. therefore,
the campaign may be regarded as the most I'M
portant in which Connecticut people have taken
part for several years.
For the Senatorship three avowed candidates
are In the field. Senator Hawley who would
like to succeed himself scarcely needs an intro
ducton. He was Connectcuts first volunteer
soldier at the outbreak Of the Civil War. He
has been Governor. Representative in Congress
and Commissioner General OF the Centennial
Exposition. and Senator holds the chairman
ship Of the Military Committee a place Of the
highest responsibility in the present time OF war.
His chief competitor Is Samuel Fessenden. Of
Stamford. a prominent Republican. ex-Speaker
of the lower house in the General Assembly,
the Connecticut member of the National Com
mittee and United States Attorney for the Dis
trict Of Connecticut. The world has treated him
generally pretty well. He is successful jury
lawyer and counsel for the most powerful cor
poration in the State. the New-York New-Ha-
ven and Hartford Railroad Company. He is
about fifty years old. rich and we'll backed by
the money element and the party machine.
Morgan G. Buckley. third candidate now In
the foreground is an ex-Mayor OF Hartford and
has served two terms Governor. one by cleo
ton and one resulting from the historic dead
lock In the General Assembly. For the last fif-
teen years he has been president Of the [Etna
Life Insurance Company.
A LIVELY FIGHT FOR THE SENATE.
The contest among these three promises to
be pretty lively. AS q rule, the northern and
eastern parts of the State favor Hawley, while
Fessenden draws the bulk of his support from
the southern and western districts. Bulkeey's
friends are sprnkled through all sections He
ran for Senator six years ago, and came near an
election. He would surely have been chosen but
for Fessendens taking away tbirty-flve votes
from his column. Buckley retorted by finally
throwing his strength to the support of Hawley
and thus comprising his election. The memory
Of that struggle still fingers in the minds OF the
men who took part in ii. and good many Keen
observers insist that Fessenden will not get
single vote from Bulkeleys friends. Moreover
Hawey's present prominence at Washington Is
a strong card In his favor. Connecticut people
have a good deal of State pride. and they realize
that II would take new man a number OF years
TO forge 10 the front in the Senate and acquire
q place equal in Importance to the charmanshp
Of the Military Committee.
There are besides the regular contestants.
two receptive candidates. Charles A. Russell.
OF Dayville, Mindham County who has been
eleven years a Representative in Congress. and
is now a member of the Ways and Means Com
mittee. and William f. Slmonds. OF Canton. an
ex-Member of the General Assembly, Repre-
sentative In the List Congress. author and engi-
neer Of the international Copyright law. and
later United States Commissioner OF Patents.
Ordinarily the political pot would not begin
10 boil TIL near convention time; but this year
the number and Importance OF the offices al
stake have caused an early start. The people
Of the State had begun TO discuss issues and
candidates in quiet way when the outbreak OF
the war drove all other topics suddenly TO the
rear. Interest has revived. however. and will
probably continue active until the residents OF
the cities dispense for their summer outings. a
lul will then occur TO be followed by another
revival early in August when the caucuses are
held to elect convention delegates Only the
most enthusiastic politicians can work them
selves up to fever heat while talking about dele
gates: the general public takes things coolly;
but IL has become pretty well interested al
ready this year. and will be in touch with the
campaign from now Nothing could be
more ridiculous, therefore. than the forecasts
which emanate from certain quarters as to the
votes which this county and that VIII cast In
convention. On what. except pure guesswork.
can such estimates be founded? Leaving out
he M
one can tell now. or will be able TO tell for two
months yet, who the delegates will be. How.
then, is It possible TO state to-day for whom
they will vote when elected?
DEMOCRATS SEE LITTLE HOPE.
Connecticut is a conservative State not only
in name, but actually. Her people slow to
make UP their minds. but. once formed. the de-
cision is usually wise Since 1876 they
have given the States electoral vote only once
to any but a winner in a Presidential contest
and then only by few hundred ballots 1t is
a striking tribute 10 both their caution and
their independence that they should have swung
in one brief term from $500 plurality for Cleve-
land TO $1,000 for Mckinley-a difference or
LOO per cent. 1t Is still too early to predict
results for November but the most lnteihseht
Democrats admit that their party mas only a
fighting chance at best. The gold and silver
wings are as wide apart as ever. and each Is re-
solved TO invite defeat by the common enemy
rather than yleld 10 the linen oiiiy "'I.
of carrying the State rests on some blunder Of
their opponents in choosing candidates or plat
form. making an Illogical choice or submitting
to the dictation OF an unpopular ring.
The great fight at the polls VIII. OF course. be
over the Governorship. as the election OF Sena-
TOR will not occur til two months later The
men prominently mentioned for head OF the Re-
publican ticket are three
senator George +. Lounsbury. of Ridgeneld. is
q brother Of ex-governor Phineas c. Lounsbury,
president OF the Exchange Bank in New York.
ctk tGpr
old doing business on a moderate scale at South
Norwalk Conn Although pleasant man. OF
fair education, and capable OF making neat
speech on occasion. he has never been prominent
in noIitics until lately and Is not nearly 80 we'll
known through the State as his brother. Though
not a Connecticut man by BIRTH he has during