The morning journal-courier. (New Haven, Conn.) 1907-1913, 1908-08-29
THE ACTUAL SITUATION.

THE AtftAb slttaitoNs
The republican state machine has
made It possible to redeem the prom
ise to Congressman Lllley made over a
year and half ago that he should next
time receive the nomination for COVER
nor. The admirable record made by
Governor Woodruff has been deliber
ately ignored, the needs OF the state
have been overlooked and party ira
ditlon destroyed In order that an ex-
pertinent may be tried Of doubtful ex-
pediency The machine has the goods
and stands ready to deliver them
The only pressing matter to be at
tended to at present In connection with
the frayed campaign of Mr.. Liley for
the governorship is to expose one or
two ridiculous contentious made
as further excuse for his
nomination. It Is stated that his sue
cess III tie priiidly Poiio HaS ~ pa
been brought about by the abuse to
which he has been subjected. Mr..
I.illey has not been abused, at least In
the columns of The Journal-Courier.
He has on the contrary been treated
with scrupulous regard for the truth
and for his rights In controversy
which he himself provoked. Not a sim
gle assertion has been ventured. not a
single charge has been made and final
ly not single Interpretation Of his
political character has been undertake
en-, which have not been fully justified
by the facts as set forth by men of the
highest character and public useful
ness. It would have been impossible TO
state the offensiveness of Mr.. Lilley's
conduct In congress. by which he
should be Judged as an aspirant for
the governorship, In other words than
have been carefully and judiciously
used In these columns, and II is at
least significant of public opinion that
the only protest which has been offered
our attitude has come from contem-
porarics interested In his promotion.
Not more absurd has been the at
tempt to attribute to his candidacy the
halo of q martyr, however, than the
equally absurd contention that the peo-
pie Of the state have approved the ar
bitrary attitude of the dominant politi-
cal machine. Where hundreds have re-
sponded to the pitlful call of the ma
chine for help In crisis thousands
have stayed away from the caucuses,
Here In New Haven, where the largest
voting population dwells, the local
machine did not dare redeem its prom
Use to turn over rock-ribbed Liley
delegation In the city of Hartford, the
second largest city In the state, the
republican voters, believing IL not
knowing that Lieutenant Governor
Lake could not get the nomination In
the face of the machines inslstence,
elected a solid Lake delegation to the
convention. In machine ridden Bridge
port 1t was not possible to elect a solid
Lilley delegation and Bridgeport Is the
third largest city In the state, Only
seventy odd enthused republicans cared
enough for the political fortunes OF
their distinguished fellow townsmen tc
visit the caucuses and show the state
how the city of Waterbury, the fourth
largest city in the state, clamors for
his nomination. Meriden, the fifth larg-
est city in the state declined to bend
the knee. These five cities gave 80 434
votes to Governor Woodruff out of SS,
1884 and he carried four Of the five.
1t is exceedingly doubtful If Mr. lii
ley, If nominated, could carry single
one of these cities at the polls. There
Is no ground whatever for the conten-
tion that the people are behind him in
those sections of the state where the
decisive votes lie, He is the product oil
the machine, which has easily con.
trolled the many small towns IN the
state in ways that are not at all un,
familiar to those who have studied the
political game. II the population was
represented In the approaching repub
lcan state convention, there is GOO
reason to believe that he would no
come within gun shot of the nomina
ton That is the cold truth and all thi
talk of his being a popular candidate
Is moonshne, invented for no othe
purpose under the heavens than to foo
the voters into supporting him at TIL
polls. If George L. Lilley is nominated
he viii stand before the electorate al