Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-07-17
OPPOSITION TO LlLLEY
If He is NOmiDated Many Repub. licsDs Will Vote For Demo.
 craiic Candidate.
Waterbury, July 16.
Editor of The Journal-Courier:

IL IS UluCH lU D6 Qu6SllOueu WuelH
 CT you yourself appreciate the i'm
 poriance of the contest you are
 waging against the nomination. for
 governor of Congressman-at-Large
 George l.. Lilley. l know whereof
 l speak when I say that in the event
 of his, nomination there are many
 republicans in Waterbury, who will
 not only not vote for him, but will
 further express their opposition to
 him and his methods by voting for ', the democratic candidate. While it
 would appeal to our local pride to
 have candidate for the governor
 ship hail from Waterbury, we have
 a feeling of state pride as well that
 cannot be put aside.
 Things have come to pretty pass
 when a republican state convention
 can no longer be regarded as delib
 erative assembly, and where the
 high office of governor is to be
 auctioned off to the man who is
 unable to display the personal quail
 ifications sought for In its incum-
 bent. If MT Lilley by reason of
 education or statesmanlike quali-
 fications, were especially fitted for
 the office, or if he had rendered the
 state some service worthy of partic-
 ular consideration, thereby con-
 mending himself to popular favor,
 much of his wonderful zeal in seek
 ing the office could well be over
 looked; but we fail to discover a
 convincing reason to warrant his
 vaulting ambition, aside from the agreement, ironbound and copper fastened, solemnly entered into be-
 tween him and other leaders in the
 party year or more ago.
 People in Waterbury are not open ly expressing themselves in the mat ter, for if the bosses are all power full, and if MT Lilley's nomination is a foregone conclusion, what is the use of opposing a man openly with whom you live in the same com munity when that man is the gov ernor of the state?
 We were not surprised at the re- suit of the submarine boat investiga tion, we only remarked among our selves: Tt was just like George to do it. but this time his bluff has been called" His successful entrance with the political arena was accom- plished through a like play, when, as the older citizens recall, he ac- cused the old town officials of vast ing public money, offering in a series of letters to the newspapers to do the work of the town upon its high ways for sum that was obviously too small by half. The people seemed to like that sort of thing, however, and the board of select men were apparently too stunned to reply or else for other reasons they preferred to let it go. About this time Mir Lilley became a candidate for the legislature and once in the race his untiring zeal and startling liberality won the day for him. Every representative of every news paper in the state who came within his reach became the studied object representatives in the general assem- ply convened, singly and in droves, were gladly welcomed 10 all them could eat and drink, the best there was and plenty of it. Members of the convention that nominated hin:. officials of high and low degree; all were received and royalty entertained at his camp at Lake Quassapaug. About this time the office of con gressman-at-large was to be flied fer the first time and where was the man quite so available as Mir Lilley? Was there another man in all the state so popular among the leaders of his party as he?
 Everyone knows who has read the report of the submarine boat inves:i- gating committee that he never had a leg to stand upon and that except for specific charges of a personal char acter made before the committee on rules. which were afterwards with drawn, as was about every other charge before the hearing was over, no committee would have been ap- pointed and the state of Connecticut would have been spared the embar- rassment of Mir Lilley's confession under oath. that his charges against his fellow members Of congress were based largely upon rumor. In view of this testimony. how it can possibly help the case of Mir Lilley to assume that the methods of the boat com pany were of corrupting character. but that unfortunately he was unable 10 prove f., we cannot possibly see, or how the case can be affected by the fact that the committee finding that Mr Lilley was not only not helping them in their work. but actually op- posing them. and so treated him brusquely.
 While the foregoing would appear 10 be inspired by a feeling of person. n animosity toward Mr LiIley never iheless 1t Is not true. For reasons ,nly partly stated We are opposed to his nomination for the office honor ably and worthily held by Hawley. Jewell. Hubbard. English. Harrison. ingersoll. Waller and others. We be- would prefer the continuance in office ! Tor another term of the present in- Governor R. s. Woodruff that he may be enabled to carry to the work which during his present term he has 90 successful ] y inaugurated. Nor in the absence If this can we find either in the per 'On or career of Mr Lilley any satis- 1 'sctory reason why Mr Lake should | ,e retired in his favor. Party orEans- | .stiOn to limited extent Is indeed lecessary. but to insist that a small l ut dominant faction shall have the I ,ower to sell and barter the highest ,fice in the state to the highest bfd- Ter a year or more in advance. in di- l