The morning journal-courier., 1908-07-14
Tuesday, July IA, 1908.
A SIGNIFICANT FACT.

There is something more than passing interest and significance in the spontaneous manner in which the friendly concern for the future of Governor Woodruff expresses itself The rumor was not taken seriously that he would be asked to accept the presidency of Wesleyan university in spite of the fact that that position everywhere calls more and more for business man, but 1t did provoke re- job as a reform governor Is but half completed, and whose confidence in the importance of what he undertook to do has grown with enlarged exper- fence. It must be very trying to those who agreed among themselves over a year ago that another should succeed him this fall, to have this discussion of Woodruff increase in volume as the state convention drawns nearer.
 The political observer of the Hart ford Times, which cannot be suspect ed of having an ulterior purpose in view in telling the truth about the strength of Governor Woodruff, writes as follows in the columns of his wide ly read newspaper: "The republicans throughout the state who still hope for the renomination of Governor Woodruff. are quite numerous This is true of the people in most of the centers of population, but 1t Is partic- ularly ltrue of the residents of the country towns, not indeed of the pet ty politicians who are always ready to exert their influence to shape local sentiment to suit the wishes of the committeeman from the districts who in turn, take their cue from the men in control of the state machine. The substantial farmers and the thought Iul DuSllltSH iItll VI lilt lpNilS uit tpp busy with their own affairs to think of looking for public office. but they have clear, well defined views on state policy, and they think Governor Woodruff Is entitled to a renomina- ton" The Hartford correspondent of the Springfield Republican speaks of the governor as always an im- pending possibility" and dwells upon his large natural-not political backing" A correspondent of the Waterbury American says There is not to-day so much serenity among republican party leaders, statewise, as many published statements would seem to indicate"
 These very significant admissions show, on the one hand, there Is no such popular acquiescence in the elimination of Governor Woodruff as interested politicians would have the people of the. state believe, and hint, on the other hand that there is yet a chance of the republican party aban- doning it's absurd purpose of shelving a useful governor, who has work ahead of him, for Congressman Lilley, who, if he deserves a vindication, should be made to seek 1t in another run for congress.
 It Is well to observe, too, the little note of impatience which is struck in these admissions, impatence with the impudence of party leaders, who, because they made a mistake in judg- ment year or more ago in tying themselves to one who is now obvious ly disqualified, propose to cram their political promises down the neck of q supposed convention of freemen. We are by no means satisfied that they will succeed, but they certainly will to the detriment of MT. Taft unless the plain people Of the one hundred and sixty-eight towns of the state, under the leadership of New Haven, wake up and demand what they want The republican party or the state of Connecticut cannot afford to dump a governor for the sake of tradition, which has not respectapillty enough to talk about, especially gov ernor who has redeemed as many or his pledges as recalcttrant general assembly would permit, ana who etands ready to redeem the rest with the aid of a general assembly in sym pathy with him and public sentiment
 The people of the state of Connec- ticut in our Judgment favor the pres