Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-09-22
AFRAID TO TRY
Republican wschIpe Bsck of (. E. BrooIer Gives Up BupiIDg
 For Brapdegee's Place
TICKET JS WEAK NOW

New London, Sept 22.-From very
 good authority came the announce
 ment to-day, says special dispatch to the Hartford Times, that there will be no contest to bother Frank B. Brandegee In going back to the
 United States senate If the next Con necticut legislature is republican. This announcement Is sort of right about-face from the programme that was given out two or three weeks before the republican state conven- tion when, according to all informa- tion to be unoffciafly obtained, Sem ator Brandegee would have for a rival for the senate no less distin- guished person than Charles F. Brooker of Ansonia, the Connecticut member of the republican national committee.
 All the talk just before the state convention was to the effect that Brooker was in the senatorial race, that he was the most powerful re- publican in the state and that there was fair chance that-he would win if he cared to carry the fight to d finish. That is the way the Brooker men talked. Over in this part of the state, where Senator Brandegee has spent all his life and where he is known and respected as citizen, lawyer and loyal republican, that Brooker boom was not at all relished, and it was even said by the packers of Senator Brandegee that BrOoker would never land the prize without the biggest fight the republican party has seen in many year. These Brandegee supporters believed that the opposition to his return to the upper branch in congress had for its basis the one solitary fact that he wasn't an ardent supporter of Taft's nomination to the presidency.
 There has been considerable work done by the friends of Senator Bran degee since the publication semi officially that Brooker might be looked upon as candidate for the United States senate and that work has had telling effect evidently, for nowadays not word Is heard about Brooker for the senate, and to-day 1t was given out that the coast was clear, so to speak, for Brandegee to go back to the senate so far as Brooker is concerned.
 It might be here stated that no one ever heard an official declaration from Brooker that he wanted to go to the United States senate to succeed Brandegee. One or two statements were made by those who apparently were on intimate political terms with Br0oker that he was in the senatorial race against Brandegee. And there the issue rested until to-day when it was said that Brandegee need have no fear whatever from Brooker. That it was in the republican works, that some of the republican bosses wanted Brooker for United States senator, would not be questioned by those familiar with the political situation and conditions week or two before the republican state convention.
 What has come over the spirit of those who favored Brooker is not ex- actly known. It can be inferred, how ever. The republican leaders are of the opinion that they will have all they can do this time to swing the state for Taft and Lilley.
 Harmony and unity, which the re- publican leaders recognize as neces- sary, could not be looked for in all quarters of Connecticut, especially among the followers of Senator Brandegee, when 1t was on the re- publican schedule to send Brooker to the senate and push Brandegee back into private life. Therefore to get unity and harmony, and plenty of both. 1t was explained that assur- ances have come from those who were urging Brooker for the senate, that the urging will cease and that Bran degee will not be disturbed in his plans to be returned to the senate.
 There isn't any man in the state more familiar with the ups and downs of republican politics than Michael Kenealy, chairman of the republican slate committee. And isn't he tie law partner of Senator He found things doing. in Eastern Connecticut, that proved beyond a doubt that it the Brooker programme was to be insisted on there were republicans in the state who would be heard from on election day and heard from 
 Speaking about the feeling in the eastern section of the state among republicans, attention might be call ed to the fact that there are a good many soreheads in the republican party because Senator Gates of Windham failed to land place on the ticket.