The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-05-02
M'NEIL AND
 AND KERR
 ARE NAMED
Fourth Congressional District Elect Their Delegates
 Unanimously
UNIT RULE DIDN'T 60
Appropriate Thanks Expressed
 by the Delegates Chosen

The unit rule, adopted by the Bridge port delegation to the State conven- tion was smashed in the Fourth Con gressional district caucus, last night.
 Not that the delegates were at vari- ance as to their ultimate choice for delegates. Far from that. There wasn't a dissenting vote when the names of Senator Archibald McNeil Jr-, of this city, and former Mayor Charles Kerr of Danbury, were pre- scented to the convention
 1t was this animity of spirit delegates, that led to the avoidance of what at first promised to be the first really hot fight of the eau GUS
 The Bridgeport delegation of 1s, ot which Alderman Robert G. DeForesi was chairman, had voted at a recent caucus to vote as unit when the matter of electing national delegates came up in the convention.
 Col. T. J. Murphy had voiced vigor- Ous opposition to the unit rule, and last night he was equally demonstra- tive in his opposition. The leader of the opposition to the rule was Fred C. Mullins.
 Not realizing the significance of the wordy war that took place, members of the caucus from other towns who were anxious to get away as the hour grew late. began to voice mutterings of discontent as the argument threat when the matter finally proved to be a tempest in a tea pot the out of town members had a laugh at the expense of the eloquent Bridgeporters.
 Attorney John Walsh of Norwalk, who had been delegated by the State committee to call the meeting to order. surrendered his place to Representa- tive Charles W. Murphy of DanbWy, the unanimous choice for chairman. Martin T. Kane of Stamford was chosen clerk.
 Murphy begged to be excused from making a speech. He said his col leagues had heard an eloquent eluogy away next fall, and he thought they were sufficiently supplied with oratory for the evening. s-
 Even at that comparatively early hour-a few minutes after 10-the Greenwich delegation had quit. They hurried away to get an early train home. Aside from that absence. how ever, the roll call was well answered.
 There was but one protest, that of the seating of Daniel Murphy who an- swered for Leslie M Judd of Sherman MT Judd's fellow delegate protested |. the ground that Murphy was a non- resident of the town, and that Judd had not been authorized to issue a proxy. Murphy is a resident of Dan bury. Chairman Murphy referred the protest against Murphy to the creden- tials committee, and did not accept Mir Murphy as a member of the eau cus-
 Alderman DeForest then moved the caucus proceed to the election of dele gates to the national convention. s. F. Boucher seconded the motion.
 Fred C. Mullins was on his feet be- fore Boucher had finished seconding the motion.
 T am not in opposition to the gen. tlemans who is about to be named and who undoubtedly will be the nominee of the convention said he. by way of explanation But I want to make a motion before this body that each and every delegate from every town be given the opportunity to cast his own ballot. I make a motion that the vote in this caucus be by roll call and that each individual cast his own vote.
 Col. Murphy seconded the motion.
 There was already motion before the house, that of DeForest that the caucus proceed to the election of dele gates
 Boucher called the chairman's atten- tion to the DeForest motion. Chair man Murphy put the motion which he was ready to entertain MT. Mullins' motion. The motion was put a sec ond time. Boucher was on his feet in an instant
 He said the purpose of the Bridge port delegation in having voted to adopt the unit rule was to harmonize upon one candidate, who was an avow- ed candidate for the position of dele gate This he said was for the pur- pose of promoting harmony. He add ed that there were many Democrats who didn't know the proper definition of harmony. He said that with the exception of one or two who were un- willingly brought into line the Bridge port delegation had voted to unite in this way
 MT. Mullins responded that he was not at all at variance with the preced- ing speaker as to the election of the delegate in question. And as for har- mony, he asked if there was any dele gate present who had worked harder for party harmony than he, that such a delegate should arise
 I've worked for it for twenty-five years, came a voice from the rear of the hall
 And I've worked forty years,'' re- torted another voice.
 Mullins continued that he was unal- terably opposed to the unit rule, the use of a steam road roller on the dele -1ates, and added that he believed the delegates to be named should be left to exercise their own judgment. T am Tn favor of sending men to the convention unpledged. to do as they think they ought to do for the inter- ests of Democracy he concluded
 Chairman DeForest of the Bridge port delegation saw that the out of town delegates were getting restless, and he suggested that this talk was waste of time. ''As the chairman of the Bridgeport delegation he said, "I would simply like to state that we don't want to instruct anybody how to vote"
 Cries of question: broke up fur- ther argument, and Mullins motion Srevailed unanimously.
 Alderman DeForest then nominated Senator McNeil, Jr. MT. Mullins sec- onded the nomination.
 Preparations were under way for calling the roll when the futility of the prolonged method became appar- ent, when there was no opposition to MT. McNeil- By unanimous vote the roll call motion was rescinded, but the delegates opposed to the steam roller had easily carried their point.
 rhAn Boucher moved that the sec-