Norwich bulletin., 1913-07-14
GOV. BALDWIN PLAYING
 THE POLITICAL GAME.
Stamford Writer Sees shrewd Moves In His Apointments-Mahan's Am bitons.

The appointing power of Governor Baldwin has again been used in a manner most mysterious to the super fcial observer, but quite intelligible to these who are watching from behind the scenes, says the Stamford Bulle tin. The Times hints that Chandler of Rocky Hill was given the place on the compensation commission in order to remove the strongest and most eff fective foe that has ever risen against the political ambitions of Simeon E. Baldwin. In part this may be true but only in part, as the governor has less to fear from the antagonist acti- Yities of the sage of Rock Hill than from other sources. Any one who has followed the political moves of his excellency must forcibly be compell- ed to notice that there is a consistent design behind his every act. Men may disagree about his future aspira- tions, whether he desires to be sena- tor or third time governor, but what ever he has in mind hangs absolutely from his power to wrest nomination from the Democratic convention.
 Now it would not be putting it too strong to say that a large majority of the democratic voters have been bitterly aroused against the governor because of the appointments which he has made. If he were to test his for tunes now by popular vote the to inevitable defeat. at least so far as his party vote is concerned But Baldwin has a mighty pull upon the independent vote of the state, and even though his own crowd were ready to knife him he trusts in his ability to draw enough strangers to his side to offset any party defection.
 SHDB0S0. then. that he has solved to become the senator in suc- cession to Brandegee. There is little doubt that he could win over the present incumbent if the two names were submitted te the elector- ate. On the one side we have the prestige of the Baldwin name his reputation for scholarship, his inde- pendenee and the large church fol- lowing whose sym pathies have been assidously cultivated by him. In Brandegee yeu have the machine pel- itician whose record in the senate has not contributed apPreciably to the glory of the state. On popular bal lot, therefore, the probabilities are all in favor of Baldwin. But the rub Is to get in position to appeal to that popular ballot.
 The difficulty is with the delegates to the Democratic convention. Bald win has despised the recognized po- litical leaders, in all but few cases, and yet from these political leaoeIs depends in most instances the choice of delegates. It would seem then that Baldwin had patiently commit ted political suicide: With the lead- CTS and delegates hostile where does he hope to obtain any nomination without which he cannot put his for tunes to the test? But let one exam inc a little more carefully and 1t may become apparent that in his seeming disregard of the leaders the governor has used a kind of substile discretion. Ills has viewed the whole state with the eye of a practical strategist and has cast aside what either could not be obtained or was harly worth the effort to win to his side.
 His strategicaI campaign opened with his effort to appoint Caldwell as highway commissioner, in succession to Mcdonald. Everyone. was mysti- fled why he stuck to the New Britain engineer in the face of an opposition that from the first could be figured upon to defeat the selection. With Mahan deadly opposed to Caldwell the practical politician of the old school would have seen the advisa- bility of dropping him and taking up with some other. But Baldwin in sisted and Mahan persisted. Mahan won, and he was obliged to win for if Caldwell had been put across it was RDOQs nlSuI to tIl0 ANdpO1oOn lTOIl New London and his political prestige outside of New London county. Bald win wished to have Caldwell the highway commissioner for the prime reason that he wanted to crimp Ma hans power throughout the state, a power that had been augmented by the influence of MacDonald's friend ship towards the congressman, Ma han won as was said. and it became necessary for the governor to recast his plans. But in defeat he was not foolish enough to place in control of the highway machine democrat who might build up fences that could be used to shelter the foes to the Bald win ambitions. So a republican was taken here, and Corbin was given the tax office influence, thus eliminating two potent sources of peril.
 Tn passing it may be remarked that the same astutencess in the choice of all other state officials has advanced men whe at nc stage of the game
 nay be locked upon to be sufficiently able or prominent te stand in the light of Governor Baldwin. Look over his aPPeiHtees and you will find that where they are not republicans they are of that mediocre, respectable democratic stamp that constitutes them aRpaEentl| 6k, hus Rat 9ssfeRks