Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-08-18
NEEDS REFORMING
Gov Woodruff and Lieut.Goy
 Lake May Combine.

A special Hartford correspondent writing to the Springfield Republi- can says:
 While it is literally true that Gov lernor Wooiruff's statement this week adds nothing to what he has said before as to renomination, 1t Is also practically true that his talk ing notice in this way of the recent effort to get together those who de-. lsire to see him renominated amounts to an encouragement of that move ment. In this light it was a decla- ration of some importance, since it | followed promptly on distinct ef- l fort in his favor about which a good l deal has been said. Even if it is be- llieved, as it is by some, that this movement was not honestly intend
 ed for his nomination, but rather as a new means of antagonizing MT Lil- ley, the fact remains the same since his declaration at this time of his willingness to serve if he is wanted, has different effect from the same thing said months ago under different conditions. This as general propo- sltlon needs no argument, but it should also be remembered that as far as the public can learn the can vass up to that time has shown a con- | dition in which it is almost impossi- 1 ble for MT Lake to win if the prom l ,ses believed to have been made are | ait,i they were; while anything which tended to divide the anticipated vote should draw more or less from each of the two leading candidates. If this is so 1t may we'll happen that the Woodruff vote will be large enough to dispose definitely of that one of the other candidates who has the smaller number of supporters, and apparently this would be MT Lake. In that contingency the question would be whether MT Lake should throw his forces to MT Lilley or to MT Woodruff, or whether MT Wood run should sacrifice himself in like fashion, and if so to whom
 On the assumption that MT Lilley is the leading candidate when the convention meets and that one or the other of his opponents yields 1t seems more likely on general principles that whichever did yield would do it in favor of the other. In that case MT Lake would probably do a popular thing and one to his own benefit in the future if he retired in favor of { Governor Woodruff, an older man, who has begun many important re- forms which were checked by the last legislature, and who has a con- siderable independent following att tracted to him by what he has al- ready accomplished. Whether MT Lake would see the matter in this way is unknown, but he is a shrewd man and probably cares more at pres ent for beating MT Lilley than for winning himself He knows that he can easily wait; he is a young man. In addition to this. and far more im- portant, his candidacy represents an attempt to oyerturn the old party ma chine, and that machine has pushed MT Lilley and shows no sign of in tending to change it's attitude.
 As matter of fact, many would rather have the old machine with Mir Fyler and the rest of the familiar group at its head than a new one with Allan W. Paige for its mogul, which seems to be the alternative. The old machine would undoubtedly accept Governor Woodruff in such a contingency as has been mentioned, although 1t would do it with disgust and not until it had assured itself that 1t could not carry through the convention the candidate 1t commit ted itself to two years ago or there about, for the present season. There is pretty good reason to believe that among those who do not dabble in politics and look only for an admins tration in the interests of the people of the state and without much regard to the wishes of politicians or fran chise grabbers. there is strong feel ing in favor of the reelection of Gov ernor Woodruff. Most of them have supposed 1t could not be brought about and have therefore taken little interest in what has been going on.