The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-10-05
THE GoYERNoRsHIP.


 the New York Tribune, who has upon more than one occasion shown that he possesses more or less intimate sources of political information, writes to his widely circulating newspaper that Congressman Lilley would like to be gently eliminated from the canvass for the next gubernatorial nomination to succeed Governor Woodruff. The question is whether he can at this stage of the game restrain the friends who have so conspicuously set him be- fore the public as an avowed candi- date for the nomination. In politics a man has to consider the situation of friends as we'll as his own situation, and that appears to be Mir. Lilley's state of mind if he is correctly set forth by this correspondent.
 The suggestion that Congressman Lilley has become dissatisfied with the outlook is interesting enough to war rant the following extract from the Tribune letter. It reads in part as fol- lows; Whether Congressman Lilley is | to remain in the race for governor of Connecticut is a question that is in- teresttng good many Republicans who now the situation Mir. Lilley has been thinking about 1t for some time and he is not as certain to-day as he was six months ago that he wants to take the nomination First class authority, furthermore, backs up the statement that Mir. Lilley has even gone to the point of permitting 1t to be suggested to Lieutenant Governor Lake that both retire from the con- test. LiIley at this writing would like to pull out, If the Tribune's authori- ! ty is correct, but Lake will not agree | to 1t. Lilley would like to return to congress and see Governor Woodruff renominated, but Lake does not see things that way" Later on in the same correspondence we find this additional paragraph: Woodruff, who would be the peoples candidate, without ques- ton and in many cases regardless of party lines. would be nominated easi- ly if the politicians would allow it." I If this proves to be statement of fact then things political in the Re- publican section of the State of Con- necticut have reached the pass fore- seen by The Journal and Courier and commented on before this, Governor | Woodruff, who has made an assertive and aggressive governor, is burden on the hands of the party managers. ! They find it difficult for the first time to enforce the old practice of turning one term governors out to grass. Gov ernor Woodruff stands for something In which the people are interested, and while he sticks to his principles with the tenacity of bulldog he keeps a silent tongue in his head with regard to any personal ambition he may have, This is where the double embarrass~ lment comes in and It is no wonder Congressman Lilley finds lack of charm in the situation. It is a pretty Iserious matter to tuIn out to grass a governor who has appealed so success lfully to the popular imagination and to attempt to substitute for him even a man who may stand for the same lideas. The resultant situation is posi- lively ridiculous, for If the party is sincere and Governor Woodruff is not positively averse to carrying on the battle desertion of him for practice which has neither sense nor principle back of 1t amounts to what under normal conditions would be suicide. It lis conceivable that man of MT. Lil- lley's shrewdness has measured accur- lately the obstacles in the way of the easy overthrow of Governor Woodruff, who has every reason to believe that the people of the State are back of him in his splendid determination to revive larger faith in the principles of Republican form of government.
 There is nothing wonderful in the lreputed condition of mind in which Congressman Lilley finds himself The wonderful thing is that the Republican leaders and politicians in Connecticut do not realize the situation and pros claim Woodruff their preferred candi- date now. Thus they would move on with dignity and confidence to a pro- longed public service.
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