The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-01-12
PRESSURE FOR PRESTON.
HARTFORD DEMOCRATS MAY AGAIN NAME HIM FOR MAYOR.


 Ives is Soon to Adopt an Operatic
 Career Has More Than n Furry of
 Interest for This State.
 Hartford, Jan. 9.-A strong pressure has been developed during the past week in favor of the nomination of ex- Mayor Miles B. Preston by the demo- crats for mayor this spring, the contest to be made against all competition. This pressure has come from strong and influential body of democrats, who believe that the ex-mayor can be elec- ted in the municipal contest that will take place in April. Mayor Preston has had the mayoralty through two terms and his administration was characterized by first-elass business maxims and loyalty to the city's inter- ests. He was first elected in 1896 by an oldfashioned democratic majority In fact he ran a long ways ahead of the normal democratic vote in Hartford. Two years later he was reelected, re- ceiving an emphatic approval at the polls. During the four years in which he was mayor the composition of the municipal boards was changed throughout. At the end of his admin istration there was as fine body of citizens serving in the different depart- >ments as the city has ever had. The test is always a hard one in the selec- tion of men to fill the municipal boards. Mayor Preston met it without finching and with admirable civic judgment. He is a man of great per- sonal popularity in the city. In 1902 he was the democratic nominee for sher- tiff in Hartford county and carried the city of Hartford by 64S votes and re- duced the plurality of Sheriff D. J. Smith in the county 19,O00 as compared with the vote of 189S This was ac- compHshed in spite of the fact that the city of New Britain gave Sheriff Smith 300 more votes than in 1898 Ex- Mayor Preston came to Hartford from Simsbury thirty years ago, entering the employ of the Consolidated road. lie was appoited Deputy United States marshal under President Cleveland and held that position with success The presenting of his name at the present time for the mayoralty nominatiJ Jn comes unsought and shows the deter mutation of the democrats to win the chief magistracy of the city In April. Some of the principal projects nov un- der consideration by the city authori- ties il ducing "the east side improve Ill nts'' were advocated by Ma JJ' Pfesson while he was in office, It would be poetic justice that he should bs returned to the mayors cAAlr afta" six Y ars and reap the fruls of his own sowing in the way of beneficent public improvements.
 The Hon. H. Wales Lines of Meriden, who has been elected president of the commission that was appointed by the legislature last winter to decide on the erection of a suitable memorial in honor of United States Senator Platt, deserved that recognition on the part TUf his associates not only on account of his long association with the de- ceased statesman, but also because of his trained tastes and requirements. Senator Lines is a man of broad views and habits of thought and his work on the commission will be of permanent value. Ex-Governor Chamberlain of Meriden, John H. Whittemore of Naug- atuck, ex-Congressman Lewis Sperry of South Windsor Charles L. Hubbard of Norwich and William J. Ford of Washington, with the state board of sculptors, consetitute the commission. It is strong and well balanced body of men, appreciative of the great sem ator's public career and competent in every way to decide on the memorial in honor of the states distinguished son. Arthur L. Shipman of Hartford, mem- Der of the state board of sculptors, is the secretary of the commission For the present the meetings will be with out publicity, the sessions being execu- tive. It is somewhat interesting that two of the highest degree Masons in the state are members of the commission, being x-Senator Lines of Meriden and MT. Hubbard of Norwich both having attained the thirty-third degree Pres ident Lines is the treasurer of the United States Grand Commandery and Knights Templar and has held that position for a number of years in the foremost body of American Knights Templarism. John H. Whittemore and William J. Ford are members of the fraternity, MT. Ford being past mas ter of the lodge at Washington Depot. It might be said in passing that seve- ral of these gentlemen, including Sem ator Lines, took an active part in mak- ing the annual festivities at the Mason ic Home in Wallingford most grati- flying success a few days ago, The dinner for the seventy-five aged Ma sons in the Home was the gift of Uni- ted States Senator Morgan c. Bulkeley, John H. Whittemore and Charles L. Hubbard. The late Senator Platt was a Mason, being a member of Meridian lodge of Meriden, of which H. Wales Lines is a past master. Senator George E. Bicknell, of Meriden, who originally introduced the resolution in the senate providing for the erection of the me- morial, is also a past master of Meri- dian ladge Free Masonry has its ram- ffications through a world of interests, public and social, and leaves an impress for good on all that it undertakes.
 The fact that Miss Fanny Ives of New York will soon adopt an operatic career, singing this season in the me- tropolis, has more than furry of in terest for Connecticut. The young lady is the daughter of General Brayton