The morning journal-courier., 1908-08-15
LILLEY SCORED BY PROVIDENCE PAPER He Has Shown No Pre- Eminent Ability-What Qualifica- tions Are Urged Are
 Worthless. 0NE-TERM THEORY IS BAD Connecticut Politics Are Saturated With lll-Foundcd, Unbusl-
 nesslike Prlncl-
 pies.
0NE-TERM THEORY IS BAD

There are, perhaps, no two papers in all New England that are of a higher grade or that cater 10 more thoughtful readers than the Springfield Republi- can and tho Providence Journal. The former has been quoted on several oc- casions of late in The Journal-Courier in reference to. the present Lilley aglta- ton In this state. Upon that question the Republican stands with this paper in the belief that Mir. Lilley has shown himself no fit man to he trusted with the severe requirements of the gov ernorship of the Nutmeg state.
 The Providence Journal in its issue yesterday morning. treats of the same subject in an able editorial It shows Connecticut voters what must be the opinion of an outside paper which Is entirely unprejudlced and not infu- enced by the machine in any way whatsoever on the situation. taking that bird d's-eye view that only paper not on the spot can. The Providence Journal editorial is as follows:
 4 Wrong Principle of Selection.
 Some of the arguments put forward in Connecticut in behalf of Represen- tative George l.. Lilley as a candidate for governor are an instructive H. ustratlon of the wrong principle on which, too often. public officers are chosen in the United States. Thus the Waterbury American, ordinarily the exponent of pralseworthy political opinions, argues that MT Lilley should be selected because of his generous contributions. his hard and effective campaign work and his concllation of ambitious rivals "by patent stepping aside that others might go first" But what have these to do with his fitness for the governorship? If public office Is public trust. as Grover Cleveland said. public officers should be selected with respect to their ability to per form the duties of that trust and without serious regard for other con alterations. We are all the time n- sisting on a higher grade of diplomatic officers We are putting Into practice the excellent foreign system of promo tion, so that our young men with a talent for international law and llk- ing for life abroad may look forward with reasonable assurance to the con- tinuity of a diplomatic career. Is there any reason why we should choose our governors or other state officials on a less businesslike principle?
 Mir. Marcy's dictum that to the vic tor belong the spells Is hardly less reprehensible than the theory that party service and party contributions in themselvese entitle man to public office. The first thought In selecti,..SS candidates ought to be concerning their demonstrated capacity. The Water bury American does, indeed, include among Mir. Lilley's qualifications for the governorship his public service. " and adds that he has taken the lower degrees in order and made good in them" But when his record Is exam ined 1t is found that his public service within the state Is comprised in a | single term as a member of the lower branch of the legislature; and so far as Who's WEo in America" shows, he has held no other official place ex- | cept that of Representative in Con gress which post he has filled during | the last five years. In what way has he shown. at Washington. any pre- eminent ability for the executive office at Hartford? Has he kept in close touch at the national capital with Con necticut problems?
 The Waterbury paper, which Is nat urally predisposed toward Mir. Lilley by the fact of his residence in that city. pleads that Governor Woodruff announced willingness to run again "conHicts with party practice and with an understanding among party leaders to which he was supposed to be party. at least party consenting by silence" Precisely; but the Connecti. cut practice of giving a governor, good bad or indifferent only one term Is a wrong practice. It Is founded on the theory that the governorship Is re.
 
 deprive others of that reward by de- manding or accepting d reelection The trouble in Connecticut Is that tho whole state Is saturated with the ole unworthy idea that public office Is party prize rather than a public re- sponeibilty. If Mir. Lilley is the on' best man for the executive post, he should be chosen to 1t without hesita ton but if his chief claim upon 1t i connected with his industrious part sanship. his liberal subscriptions an' his courteous sidestepping for othe asprants in days gone by, the repubi can party of Connecticut would d itself the largest honor and the stat the greatest service by revominatin, the man who has commended hlmse to the rank and file without regard t' party by his busnesslike administra tion.