The Newtown bee., 1905-05-12

CONGRESSMAN BRANDEGEE THE MAN.
The choice at Hartford about 2 80 a.
M, Friday, of Congressman Frank B.
Brandegee of New London, Ct, to be
the republican candidate for United
States senator to succeed the late Or
vile H. Platt, came at the end of a
continuous series of balloting during
session which lasted exactly II hours
The caucus of republican members of
the Senate and House of the General
Assembly was finished at about 23O a.
M, and the weary members, many of
them dinnerless and SupperlesS, sought
their beds. The nomination won on
the 37th ballot with III votes had been
made unanimous, and, in view of the
small democratic minority, this is
equivalent to an election. One of the
earliest risers, Friday forenoon was
Congressman Brandegee himself. His
appearance in the Allyn house corri-
doris was the signal for cheer from
group of friends who awaited him.
Congressman Brandegee expressed his
great pleasure at the honor conferred,
and said he regarded it as sustaining
the contention that locality should
have some weight in the choice
of senator. Among the politicians
generally this opinion expressed by
Congressman Brandegee seemed to
prevail, all declaring their belief that
the chief cause of the de-
feat of Ex-Governor Nc Lean, Con-
gresham Brandegee's leading oppo-
nent, was the fact that he is resident
of Hartford county, from which county
also comes Ex-Governor Morgan G..
Buckley, who was chosen a few
months ago to succeed Gen J. R. Haw-
lev in the Senate. Supporters of tx
Governor Nc Lean, who had confident
ly expected their candidate to be sue
cessful on the first ballot, were greatly
disappointed when the count of that
ballot showed that he had received
only 1O3 votes. The number necessary
for choice was 124, the total strength
of the caucus at the opening being GAG.
On the next ballot Nc Leans vote
dropped to SO, and this was taken as
opponents that the first ballot would
represent the high-water mark of bis
vote. On several later ballots he
passed the hundred mark, but never
euualed the figure Of the first ballot.
1t was said that several Hartford coun-
ty men who had given him a cOmpli-
mentary vote on the first ballot drop
ped away from him after that, though
he received from other sections in the
succeeding ballots votes which had
been accorded to him at the outset.
Throughout the hours up to midnight
and even later the Nc Lean and Bran-
degee support held practically steady,
with variations of few votes only,
but after the 34th ballot Congressman
Brandegee steadily forged ahead of his
competitor. He received 1O7 votes on
the 35th ballot, 11S on the next and
127 on the 37th. At that time 120 were
sufficient to nominate, several of the
caucus members having gone home,
while others neglected to vote. On
the final ballot Nc Lean had SO votes.
The winning support given to Con-
gresham Brandegee came apparently
gresham E. J. Hill, State Senator AL
Ian w. Paige and State Attorney Don
aid T. Warner each contributing some
votes. Mr. Paige had 10 votes and Nj
Hill IA on the final ballot, while on
the first the former had % and the lat
ter 80. Through most of the ballOting
the strength Of each of these candi-
dates fluctuated between 20 and 30.
All the balloting was secret. With
one exception, the contest was the
longest ever waged in a,senator1al eau
late Senator Orville FL. Platt defeated
Gen J. R. Hawley in the caucus, 80
ballots were required. State Senator
Paige of Bridgeport, who was himself
a candidate in the caucus, said yeSter
day: "You may put it down that the
greatest feature of the caucus, apart
from recognizing the undeniable abil-
ity and the deserts of Congressman
Brandegee, is that it has smashed the
machine. Asked if the head
quarters of the new machine
would be in Bridgeport, the
reply of Mr. Paige was, "Well be
there" Congressman Hill said: "Mr
Brandegee will make an admirable
been of the most cordial nature, and l
hope they will continue so. l know OF
no reason why they should not, certain
ly." Ex-Gov Nc Lean declined to be
interviewed on the caucus, saying
simply, 81 have sent my congratula
tions to Mr. Brandegee, and L meant
every word I said." Mr. Brandegee
was born in New London, his home, in
1864, and he is, therefore, II years
Platt when he first took his seat ia the
Senate. He was graduated from Yale
in 1885, and apparently to an unusual
degree he has the respect and admira
tion of large body of the Yale alum
nj. He was admitted to the bar in
New London in 1888, and has since
practiced his profession there. After
holding lesser political offices in New
London, he was speaker of the Connec-
ticut House of Representatives in 1899,
and was then elected to the 9th Con-
gress to serve out the unexpired term
Of the late Congressman Russell. Two
reflections have followed. Mr. Bran
degee is brilliant speaker, and he is
certainly a man of pleasing personality
and evident culture. He is ordinarily
of noticeably quiet demeanor, and has
been accused in some quarters Of lazi-
ness. He is Shrewd observer and stu
dent OF human nature, as his early po-
litical success might indicate. In his
natural sympaJhies he is conservative
and in party policies he can doubtless
be counted on to ''stand without hitch
ing," as Speaker Cannon puts it, but
there is no question as to his ability
or integrity Mr. Brandegee enters
the Senate at an unusually early age,
he has enjoyed advantages which do
not come to all, and apparently he has
a long term of senatorial service ahead
of him.