The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-08-13
MIDSUMMER POLITICS.

If the newspapers of the State are correct in their understanding of the political situation the campaign is now on between Lieutenant Governor Lake and Congressman-at-Large Lilley for the honor of being named as Governor Woodruff's s successor. It is described as hot race between them, with sena- tor Barnum of Salisbury sure to land the second place on the ticket and Senator Walsh of Greenwich headed for Washington to creep into Mr. Lil- leys shoes.
 We hesitate to interrupt this flow of political gossip or to in any way direct attention to the unseasonableness of it, but somehow its tone and reach do not suggest that lofty spirit of demo- cratic independence which Is supposed to control the enlistment of the citizen for public duty. Here 1t is the second week in August, Any number of people are away from home on their vaca- tions, some of them in distant coun- tries, Not caucus has been held in any one of the one hundred and sixty eight towns of the State. The people in Litchfield county are outwardly as quiet and peaceful as those in Wind ham county. Some of them have not yet got in their hay crop. The place for the nominating convention has not been determined. The hundred and one details which presumably precede the organization of campaign have re- ceived no attention.
 In spite of these absent details in party management the immediate friends of these two aspiring gentle men talk as confidently as if they had all been attended to. So far as we know the State of Connecticut has been waiting all these years for the eleva- ton of either of these popular men to the office of chief magistrate, and so far as we know there are possibilities of good government in them which will make all previous administrations look like fraction of one per cent, but it is nevertheless a bit amusing to listen to the cocksureness of the campaign CTS in the alleged fact that it is either Lake Or Lilley and none other need apply. If this is progress according to the philosophy of the founders it Is news to us. Who are these gentlemen who can perfect plans of this charac- ter months before the primaries are held? Is it true then that the manage ment of the dominant party Is close hauled and close reefed? This was de- nied last winter. Perhaps 1t was not true then. Is it true now? Are the friends of Governor Woodruff all dead ones? If the soothsayers are telling the truth he is member of the down and out club
 Inquiries of this character draw attention again to bill which was left lying on the table by this General Assembly for the enjoyment of that to be created when the convention meets to ratify present gubernatorial plans. It is bill designed to permit the people of the State of Connecticut to do their own nominating in their own way It is called the direct primary act, under which the voters wouldNdo away with impertinent leaders and do their own selecting. Had 1t been made a law it would have become possible to de- eide whether the people want Lllley or Lake nominated for governor or whether they want Woodruff or some other good man. It is very odd that Connecticut should postpone serious consideration of nominating plan which ensures the domination of the voice of the people and take to consid- ering the exclusive chances of two men, who while deservedly popular cannot show that the people have ask ed them to make a sacrifice for them. If we were strangers in strange land we should take one more glance at Bryces Commonwealth for proof of the contention that this is a gov ernment of the people by the people. And still there are those who con- tend that Connecticut should never hold another constitutional conven- ton, A mad world, sirs.