The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-11-01
POLITICAL ISSUES
 DISCUSSED BY FIVE
 RIVAL SP0KESMEN
Large Attendance at First Unique Meeting at Presbyterian
 Church

Issues and principles of five politi- cal parties were presented to an a,u- dience Of 400 in the First Presbyterian church last night, at a unique gather ing held under the auspices of the Brotherhood of the church. Speakers for the Democrats, Bull Moose, Re- publicans, Socialists and Prohibition ists gave 20 minute talks. The talks unused those present with very kind ly regard for such gatherings. The Brotherhood of this church has also arranged for ticker service on Tuesday night to receive election returns
 Rev. John MacLaren Richardson, pastor of the church explained that the with the great issues and principles of the day and that the idea had been conceived to have speakers from each of the great political parties appear and present their arguments. He in troduced George C. Gerrish, president of the Brotherhood, who presided. MT. Gerrish read a letter that had been sent to each of the speakers calling attention to the desire that there be no discussion of personalities and only of principles and issues.
 After that the speakers drews lots to decide their turn. Samuel E. Beards- ley, Socialist candidate for governor was thus selected to speak first. Then came John T. King for the Republican party, Lynn w Wilson for the Demo crats. Frank W. Butterworth for the Progressives and Rev. George W. Si-
 
 dist church Rev. MT Simonson is candidate on the Prohfbitionist ticket for Congress from the Fourth district; Mir. Butterworth is candidate for lieu tenant governor on the Bull Moose tic ket and MT. Wilson :s candidate for representative on the Democratic tic ket. MT. King was the only speaker who was not a candidate.
 :. During intermission apples and sa1ted nuts were passed around as re- freshments and national hymns were sung It was originally planned to take straw. vote and also to allow each speaker only 15 minutes for his main speech and then five minutes in which to answer questions from the audience. These plans were changed. Rev. MT. Richardson asked after the meeting why it hod been decided not
 1ake a straw ballot replied: We re- garded such a. vote as only a hit or miss affair and thought it best not to take a straw vote. The First Presby- tertan church Is the one attended by of the city.
 2 All of the speakers made interesting speeches. Mir. Butterworth who spoke for the Progressives was called to or der, the chairman of the meeting ex- p1aining that he was talking on per Sonalities. Mir. Btrtterworth contend ing personalities but was explaining the different types of men who arc before the American public for cleo ton. He said that not bit Of his
 
 character or personality of a man. He was simply trying to show how one mans qualifications and ability to serve in the office he sought differed from anothers. He made comparisons between Governor Baldwin and Gov ernor Johnson of California to explain how he was not discussing personalities but rather the different types of men.
 It was the concenSus of opinion among those who discussed the mat ter after the meeting that the chair r, rod ira 111 NYH worth.
 At the First Methodist church sim liar meeting was held last night. A straw vote was taken here and resulted in A for Roosevelt, '22 for Taft, Il for Wilson, g for Debs and for Chapin. Frank Plumb presided at the meeting. Attorney John J. Cu11inan, the first speaker addressed the audience for the Dem party. Albert E. Lavery spoke for the Republicans, John H. Broadhead for the Bull Moose and @. Spash for the Socialists, William H. StockwelI addressed the audience in be half of the Prohibitionists.