Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-09-16
WALLER MADE SPEECH
pelsasles Cot Down io Business Early end Adspied . RlDglng Platform, Also ResoluiioDs on Ihe Desih of Alsxsp',er Troop and Named 2 WIunI0a Slate Ticket and PresIdeulisl Elect. ors.

Hartford, Sept 16.-At 11:30 o'clock the democratic convention was called to order and the reports of the committees were accepted. A resolution expressing profound sor- row for the death of Alexander Troup was presented and adopted by ris- ing vote. At this point ex-Governor Waller entered the convention hall and he was loudly cheered. The tenn porary organization having been made permanent MT Sullivan thanked the convention for its courtesy. Ho- mer s. Cummings presented the fol- lowing platform, which was adopted by rising vote.
 The Platform.
 We, the representatives of the democratic party of the state of Con- necticut, in convention assembled. 1. do hereby reaffirm our allegiance to the cause of democracy, ratify the nomination of William J. Bryan ana John w. Kern, for president ana vice-president of the United States. and indorse the declaration of prin- ciples adopted at Denver by the dem- 7 ocratic national convention.
 l.
 We direct special attention to tho condition of civic affairs in Connec- ticut. The dominance of the arro- gant political machine, which foi years has, controlled 1, the republican party Of C0nnectlctt, has produced condition in our beloved state which Is a matter of grave concern to- all good eitixaI,s. We haya-wit. Eessed the gradual lowering of pub- lic standardss the perceptible de- crease s0f the iiiltnencN df our state III the councils of the nation, and the growing inportafice Of an infer rior type of men tho. have 3reached eminence inl the control of its des. tiny, So lost to all sense of political propriety and civic decency has the republican machine become, that 1t has forced upon reluctant party the nomination of George L. Lilley MT Lilley's public record. while in con- gress, was such that he received the emphatic condemnation of that body. In the official report spread upon the records of congress, and in public debates and public state- lifents upon the adoption Of that re- port, his own party associates char acterized him as insincere, untruth- full, malicious, despicable, reckless. the inspirer of anonymous letters actuated by bad faith, yiolator of his obligations as member of the house, an urger of groundless charges against his fellow members, and as unfit for membership in the congress of the United States.
 Congressman James Schoolcraft Sherman, the republican candidate for vice-president of the United States, was an active party to these pfoceedings, and the republicans of Connecticut. cannot with consistency vote for both Sherman and Lilley. Many prominent republicans realize the significance of this situation, If MT Lilley is not fit to be a member of congress, he is not fit to be gov- efnor of the state of Connecticut. A committee representing these inde> pendent republicans protested against this insulting nomination, and for their pains and patriotism were driven by the machine leaders from the councils of the party, with brutal words of derision and con- ten4pt We proclaim that the repu- diaMon of George L. Lilley, the de- struetion of machine politics, and the rescue of our: state from the hands of the political pirates who have seized control of it's management. is, the supreme and overshadowing is- sue :of this campaign It Is. the spective of party, to demonstrate at the polls, that the governorship of the state of Connecticut cannot be bartered. away and that It's good name cannot be sullied with impun- ity. The reforms urged by Gov ernor Woodruff were enthusiastical- s1y indorsed by the republican conven- ton and praised in the platform: but the srepudiation of the candidate whose policies were thus praised, imparts sinister significance to the entiye transaction.
 II.
 We call attention to the necessity for retrenchment and reform in all of the, departments of our state gov ernment. So far have the leaders of the republican machine become weaned from the principles of rep resentative government that tyran- nical and revolutionary charter amendments have been forced upon cities and boroughs without the con sent and often against the protests of the people to be governed under them. We express our faith in the democratic doctrine of home rule. We recommend system of uniform city charters. leaving however as many details of municipal government as possible to the determination of the I conmunities to be affected thereby, | and as supplementary thereto we fi1o or oudor6epent to the policy |.X1 I4..-