Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-11-09
DIR DAvENPORI's TRIBUTE
Talked on Taft and LiIley at Second
 Congregational Church. .,. ss

The Rev J. G. Davenport, pastor of the Second Congregational church paid glowing tributes to President elect Tat arl n,..elecr Lihty at the services last evening. He spoke in partsi as follows;.
 "A fact to which I have often call- ed your. attention is this: that inethe divine Providence some man IS al ways raised up to meet the national demand at a given time. This shas been true from the days of Washing ton and Jefferson down to Ltucoln and Grant and Mckinley and Roose- welt. And Is not the same sr"as law if it be such, illustrated in the ele- vation to the highest seat of author ity 'onr earth. of William Howard Taft? -=4:t.!as.
 The more closely We look into the history of this man, the more fully 1t appears that he was fitted and predestined to come to the throne at such time as this. That President Roosevelt has done noble work is admitted on every hand, both in this and in other lands. But he himself has said that there needs to follow him a man of equally rigid ideas as to righteous endeavor and action, but one possessed of differ ent temperament, with perhaps less of the forceful manifested in him and more of the sweet and gentle; m less of the granite underneath. but with more of the grace and beauty that shall cover the angles and the bluntness.
 For the first time since Connecti- cut became state. one of the citi- zens of Waterbury has been called to preside over the interests of the commonwealth. AS I have reason to know, other men have been urged to seek the office, but have declined. This was true, as I am told, of our former senior deacon, Charles Bene- dict, and also, as he himself told me, at later day, of our Deacon Ste- phen w. Kellogg. For some reasons these gentlemen declined to accept the nomination. ..'. N
 But, at isIg'h. ono of our fellow citizens has not only been nominated, |, but has been raised by the over whelming vote of the majority to the gubernatorial chair; the chair that has been occupied by John Haynes and John Winthrop, by Jona- than Trumbull and William A. Buck ingham, by Joseph R. Hawley and Rollin s. Woodruff, and host of others who have served nobly their day and generation and left their i'm perishable record upon the life of our little commonwealth. Surely it is an honor to occupy the chair that has been thus graced.
 Waterbury feels herself honored by the choice of one of her own cit- izens to fill the exalted station. We who know so we'll the governor-elect believe that he will bring his great executive ability to bear upon the duties that await him in such man. ner as shall make his administra- tion one of wise endeavor and accom- plishment, and that he will diligent- ly labor in fulfillment of his public pledges and to enforce the reforma- tory measures introduced hy his pre- decessor and inaugurate others which need tO be pressed.
 "We shall all feel that in some good sense the honor of Waterbury is involved in his conduct oi his high office and will do what We may to en- courage and sustain him in ali his right endeavors. Nor shall we forget to pray that the God of Trumbull and of Buckingham, the God of all the fathers of our historic state may abundantly bless him who goes from us to wear the purple of chief mag istraey. And may He give us all grace so to fill our place as citizens that our life may strengthen and en- noble the commonwealth of Connec- 4tisut srd the republic of the United States of America"