The morning journal-courier., 1908-10-17
RoosnvELr-LrLLEY LETTERS.

RoOsEvELT-LILLEy LETTERS.
 It appears to be difficult to make everyone understand the attitude ot The Journal Courier towards the candl. dacy of Mir Llley for governor of Connecticut. We regret 1t, for of all things In the newspaper world the most essential Is to play the game for high and lofty purpose and not to play it for tho liquidation of private gricv- ances, This we have not only tried to do but believe tho record will show we have done 1t when the smoke of the battle has cleared away
 George Leavens Lilley asks the peo- pie of the state of Connecticut to elect him governor It is worthy ambi- tion to want to i'll that chair, but it has been the practice of the voters of Connecticut in the past as 1t should be in the future to examine carefully
 
 the credentials of the aspirant in order that 1t may be established beyond the shadow of doubt that he is q proper person; not that he is proper person with whom to do business but a proper person to represent in the highest of flee within the gift of the people the state of Connecticut To that end tho examination of his record and the character of the support back of him is a legitimate undertaking of q news paper disavowing any partisan all leglance but avowng loyalty 10 the state as superior to every other obi- gation.
 The Journal Courier has neither mis- represented nor abused MT. Lllley. It's attitude Is dispassionate and because 1t is dispassionate and consistent it seems to be severe. It has made a study of his congressional record and has been forced to the conclusion that his is not the temperament calculated to shine under political burdens. It has confined itself exclusively to his public acts and will continue to do SO. It has ignored and will continue to ignore stories of personal character, It has been met by his supporters, not with argument and defense but with innuendo and attack, until now its et- forts are being alluded to as black hand campaign.
 Within a few days MT. Lilley has been guilty of two ncts which con clusively prove that the original con gresslonal arraignment of him was justified, though perhaps couched in too severe language. That, however, is matter of taste. In representing to tho citizens of Meriden that he had seen the completed report of the public utilities commission and approved of it. in order to commend himself to theil support as progressive reformer, Inc was 90 indifferent to tho facts in th. case that member of the commission was obliged to deny the statements hr had made though 0 member of his DO litical party The day following ht himself stated that he did not near what he said the evening before ant even went so far as to question tht integrity of the copy he personally sent to tho newspapers. This wa manifestly conduct unworthy of al aspirant for the high office of gover nor.
 President Roosevelt has felt callet upon to correct false impression o his interest in the Llley campaign which MT. Liley caused to be circulat cd throughout the state of Connecticut Mir. Lilley now says that if the presi dent will consent to the publication O the full text of the unpublished lette he will give 1t out Ii is entirely un necessary that he should do SO, Th facts are these and we know whereo we speak. The correspondence was be gun by MT Llley who wrote to tn president asking him to recall tn commendation he had given MT. LII ley in April after that gentleman ha made a speech on naval expenditures Not knowing to what speech Mir Lii Icy alluded, the president wrote to hin to send him a. copy that he might re fresh his memory, This Lilley did an 1t was to the conversation had be tween them in tho White House tha the letter printed alludes and has n reference whatever to MT, Lilley' present political status Presden Roosevelt says definitely that in seek ing to twist that conversation into