The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-11-17
REDDING WOKE UP
IN SECOND CALL
TO VOTING DUTY
Mr.. Barnes Weighed in Pop
ular Balance Scales and
Found Wanting.

consequential issue OF the choice Of
a representative to the legislature
with Thomas Marvin Stocking, DEM
ocrat and Herbert s. Barnes, Repub-
lican, as the opposing candidates, &C.
casioned almost as much activity and
excitement as did the regular election
OF the previous week. When an
nouncement Of the count was made
showing a majority OF 81 for Mr..
Stocking, the First district, compris-
ing the east side. giving him rs of
this total. and the Second or George
town district, the other I. chorus
of yells and shouts went up from the
crowd about the town house which
was heard on the Ridge. nearly two
miles distant. There another wait
ing throng raised responsive tu-
multi, the last and locally the noisiest
demonstration attendant upon the po-
itical battle of 1916.
Taking it altogether this represen-
tative contest necessitated by. a tie
vote, was one Of the most interesting
in the towns political historyss Mo-
body can quite explain the RESULT The
personal element had large part
among the productive causes, but this
was not all. Samuel c. Shaw, the
Republican running mate of Mr..
BArnes, received majority Of 20 at
the regular election. BY varying
and narrow margin the entire Re-
publican ticket won out except for
Mr.. Barnes. His lack Of strength
as compared with the other candi-
dates was commented upon as a
minor matter. The reason given by
popular estimate was that George
town, the Republican stronghold. had
turned cold to Mr.. Barnes on the To-
cality consideration. They felt, it
was said, and the technical Justice Of
their claim was recognized. that they
should have a representative from
their midst"
: In this event the situation was what
might be termed technical and acade-
mic. until last Thursday when rever-
sal Of the earlier election reports rous-
ed the rejuvenated but half depressed
Democracy to new vigor. They said
in effect that they had "done noble"
and didn't intend to lie down at this
late stage and let the enemy get away
with the small consolation prize dang
Ing before their wearied vision. But
how? said the wise and weariest ones
as they CHANGED to meet. I'VE know
the town is Republican. We know
that their gang has q large shade on
our gang as regards organization,
facilities and the I'M
DERIVING, subtle force represented by
family influence. For all that shall
we give up?@ Not at all theoretically
speaking, but first let take an inven-
tory Of stock. Guess it will be a hard
Job to beat Barnes His personal pop
ularity is attested by the fact that he
is President Of No. Fire Co., Presi
dent Of the Mems club, Secretary and
Treasurer Of the Spraying association.
head Of the local Republican orgAni-
ration. willing to give without fee legal
advice to such as seek his counsel In
an informal way, former selectman
by big majorites-well how are you
going to beat man like that?'
''It looks like an impossible
says the individual who is holding up
the other end Of the controversy, 'Tbut
let us coldly size up our friend
Stocking before our feet get too cold"
Good idea" says the militant
party Of the first part.
Now in Stocking we have an unex-
cepttonal candidate. On the east side
known. In Georgetown he islands well
although not pronouncedly popular.
Just an ordinary business man occu-
pied with his business and liked by his
neighbors up to the average degree
coming from a good average Of wor-
thiness and conduct.
"A1l right said amateur political
expert No. 1, '1f he can hold George
town even or keep the adverse major
lty near the zero point we can put him
over. The dificulty will be the get
ting out OF the Democratic vote on the
east side"
Preliminary attempts to get out this
vote disclosed a state OF sentiment I'M
expected and even revolutionary in its
adversely to MT. Barnes. Every DEM
ocrat approached and a good many
were willing and even
eager to go to the polls to vote. for
Mr.. Stocking whom they slightly Knew
or did not know at all.
The election figures tell the story
and convey the whole story except for
such further enlightenment as might
come from research work Of the pro-
fessional psychologist who delves deep
and flies high and wide in his attempts
at achieving the mental aspect of
things which the everyday individual
reaches by methods that are sure but
no less surer.
0nnnrn0n nnIIV !