The morning journal-courier., 1908-08-08
THE LILLEY CANDIDACY.

THE LILLEY CANDIDACY.
 We print elsewhere in this morn ings issue of The Journal-Courier an unsolicited letter addressed to the re- publican voters of the state of Con- necticut by one of them, George S. Palmer of the city of New London. It is protest against the nomination of Congressman George l.. Lilley of Wa terbury. It is not an argument ad- vanced on behalf of any other repub- lican for the gubernatorial nommina- ton. It is based wholly, as the writ CT says, upon a candid and impartial study of Mir. Lilleys character as re- yealed in his attack on the honor of congress.
 We do not understand that Mir. Pal mer is acquainted with any of the gentlemen whose names are being considered in connection with the re- publican nomination this fall. In the course of his invigorating statement, he says he has never held politi gal office nor felt desire to do SO. He Is Q manufacturer by occupation, graduate of Yale in the class of 1878, to which William H. Taft belongs. is an intimate friend of that disting- uished gentleman. is vice-presldent of the Connecticut Agricultural college, a park commissioner of New London, and a man actively interested in the charitable and philanthropic work Of that city. If moro intimate know ledge is desired of his personal char acter and dignity. we can refer the curious to former Governor Thomas M. Waller. United States Senator Frank Brandegee. Secretary of State Rodenwein, all Of New London or to Frank T. Brown of Norwich. We mention these few gentlemen because they are sufficient to establish the good name of any resident of that section of the state of Connecticut.
 As for MT. Palmer's motive in writ ing this severe arraignment of MT. Lilley 1t must be transparent to every iopen-minded man. He has no sensa- tional purpose to serve, though his letter is necessarily sensational fin it. self Never until now concerned with the politics of his state, beyond sup porting the candidates of the republl- can party he has suddenly been brought by the logic of events to a realization of what 1t means to permit the use of the good name of the state of Connecticut to vindicate the false position in which MT. Lllley has will ingly placed himself. It is against that he protests, and in order that his protest may be based on convincing and self-respecting grounds he has made a study of the report of the committee charged with the investiga- - ton of MT. Lilley's charges, carefully . inquired into the character of the members of congress who composed that committee and in other ways sat isfed himself that his voluntary course of conduct, as revealed in his statement, is justified by the facts and the truth. Likely enough the attempt will be made to explain away sMr. Palmer's Impressive courage by flimsy innuendoes, but the only answer which the self-respecting men of Con necticut can now accept is an answer to the statement itself, which shows the falsity of its reasoning, the dull ness of It's logic and the malice of its purpose.
 MT. Palmer has obviously perform ed the greatest service to his state and to his party in thus voluntarily undertaking to avert political dis taster in morals, if not in fact The Journal-Courier feels privileged in deed that it has been selected by him as the instrument to give his state