New-York tribune., 1907-01-07
CONNECTICUT FORECAST
Fight on Paige and Lake Due at
Coming Session Of Legislature.


10 convene here on Wednesday will be the effort
of the Bulkeley-F'yler forces and OF Senator Nor
gan G. Bulkeey himself to regain control of the
Republican party in this state from State Sem
ator Paige and Lieutenant Governor Lake, and
the reform programme which Governor Wood
ruff has mapped out for his administration.
1t is quite possible that the result may be a
split between the Senate and House of this Cen
eral Assembly early in the session. The House
will probably have as it's Speaker Representative
TiIson, Of New Haven. He will be more than
the nominal head of the lower body. IIe is
close friend OF Governor Woodruff who, with all
of The New Haven leaders. is at least not allied
to the Paige end of the contention. If Repre-
sentative Banks. of Fairfield, who early tried
to take the speakership from Tilson by a circular
letter stating that he the anti corporation
candidate should get the House chairmanship of
the Joint judiciary Committee, which carries
with II a majority leadership on the floor, it Will
not disturb this situation, for he alienated him
self from Paige before he wrote the letter. But
friends of Representative Hayes of Waterbury.
who has for some time been a candidate for a
place this committee, now urging him for
the chairmanship. Under such arrangement
there is question that the House would be
solidly back of Woodruff. Banks is the disturb
ing factor In an otherwise harmonious admins
tration organization.
DEMOCRATIC MINORITY STRONG.
II Is likely. however that the Democratic end
OF the House. which this session consists of six
ty-hve members. larger number than has been
seated for several sessions, will be allied with
the Paige-Lake faction. The Democratic floor
leader Will doubtless he George NJ. Gum, of MIL
ford. member of the House during many ses-
sons and old campaigner. He is somewhat
friendly to Paige though coming from New
law in Ne
Connor, OF Enfield who the nominal Demo-
cratic leader two years ago. and Roberts, OF
Naugatuck. are both back in the House and
both strong friends of Paige. The Demo
cratic minority is always out for what il can get
and this attitude IS more than pleasing to the
lobby. It readily be that 1t get a
good deal If the sixty-fve votes can be cast
soidly. the with the thirty-six OF
the last House Sixty-fve count small against
three times that number Of Republicans, but
make mighty powerful club.
Meantime the Paige Lake people are likely
TO have the Senate, though not as completely
as If the Senate chairnen Of the Joint commit
tees appointed by the Lieutenant Governor
instead Of being elected by the Republican eau
of the Senate. Even though he does not
have the appointing of the charnen, Lieutenant
Governor Lake has no little influence regarding
their choice. Yet much depends whether
Senator Judson State Treasurer Walsh. who
has been elected to the Senate. becomes the
Senate chairman Of the Judiciary Committee
and majority leader. While Senator Judson
who Is opposed by the corporate interests. and
especially by the New Haven road, has been
attending 10 his heavy law practice in Bridge
port Senator-elect Walsh has been about the
state In his own interests He is supposed 10
have the New Haven road back Of him. though
there no indications that this influence is
being exerted TO any such marked extent In the
contest is commonly reported.
The story that Walsh went into this contest
on the suggestion OF Judson. and with the
pectation of his support has nothing OF truth
In it II Is true that Walsh supposed that Jud-
son not n candidate for the place when he
announced himself as such but his Information
on the point came from a third person who
claimed 10 have seen Judson twice. and 10 have
been assured by him that he would not attempt
TO get this chairnanship. AS matter OF fact
he had talked with Judson regarding the mat
ter but once. and had received no such assur-
ance whatever. All the assurance he had re-.
ceived upon which to base what he said TO
Walsh Senator Judson's statement that the
field was an open one and he would bear no I'll
will toward rny one who sought to enter it.
WALSH AND BULKELEY.
But Walsh IS very strong and the fight will
be a close He is experienced machine
politician, has always been closely allied with
| the Buckley interests and is receiving more or
less support from the senior United States Sena-
al
one of the most brilliant figures OF the Con-
necticut bar. and whose personal qualih-
cations such that he deserves the best his
party give. He the second member
the Judiciary Committee during the last session
when Paige was chairman. and the moment
Paige was beaten-which by the way was after
the conversation which Walsh mistakenly
based his entry into the iStS-beuame the logical
for the place.
1t is now said that Governor Woodruff is out
for Judson and is sending among his friends I'm
New Haven County eudeaVOr influence
them in his favor. There is no doubt that the
new Governor would like very much to Sena-
tor Judson win out, but ii is not likely that he
IS taking any such active steps to aid in bring
ing ii about. While in a sense he is independent
of the BuIkeey influence, Colonel Ullman, OF
New Haven, his close friend and ally. is not
and IL would hardly be tactfu for the new
Governor to enter openly into a contest so com
plicated. especially with the almost certain de-
feat OF JudsOn in sight
OF course. the purpose OF the Palge-Iake COM
bine Is 10 nominate Lake for Governor in 1908
and elect Paige to the United states Senate
the end Of Bulkeley's term in 1911. Yet the en-
trance of Congressman Lilley who has long been
eX-Chairman FLYERS candidate for Governor
into the fray the candidate of the Bulkeley-
Fyler-Gates people i'm 1908, makes a difference
The plan Of that faction was a fight all along
the line the crushing Of Paige and Lake. the de-
feat OF Brandegee for the national Senate in
1909. and the replacing of State Chairman
Keneay with A. +. Gates
1t Is not certain that Lilley will consent to
run for Governor yet. but the chances are that
he will. And if he does. that part OF the pre-
gramme which concerns the others besides Paige
and Lake will have to be dropped. He is
terms Of the most intimate friendship with both
Kenealy and Brandegee, and would never be n
party TO anything which would harm them. His
nomination might readily mean a harmony
scheme which would include Lakes nomination
for Congressman-at-Large.
KENEALY TO STAY IN POLITICS
Regarding Kenealy. there is much doubt
whether he intends TO follow his determination
to quit politics. announced year and half