The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-07


 Hon. Homer s. Cummings, of, Stamford, Democratic candi- date for United States Sena- to", has challenged the Repub- licap nominee, Senator GeorSe P.' Mclean, of Simsbury, to a series of debates to discuss the issues of. the campaign in the principal cities of the state, one which may be staged in Bridge port The challenge, if accept ed by Senator Mclean, will en- liven the campaign in the state such as it'has not beet.enliven. ed in years. The simultaneous appearance of these two emin- ent candidates on the stump would treat the voters of the state to a display of oratory not heard since Civil War times, orI even before, when the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates stir- red up things politically.
 Both Senator McLeanend MT. Cum mings are brilliant orators. Senator. Mclean made the keynote speech at the spring conventional his party held i in New Haven to elect delegates toI the national convention, and MT. Cum-l mings made the keynote speech at the Democratic convention held in New Haven to nominate State officers. MT. 1 Cummings idea in challenging Mr.. Mclean is that the issues of the cam. paign can best be presented to theJ electorate of the state in this manner, and though he admits that it is bit old-fashioned,\ he believes 1t would give a better sopportunity than any other medium to set forth claims of the respective parties.
 The invitation to Senator Mclean has been sent through the Democratic state chairman, David B. Fitzgerald, who is empowered by MT. Cummings to act, to the chairman of the Repub- lican State Central committee. J.. Henry Roraback. and is as follows:
 October 6, 1916.
 "Hon. J. Henry ~Roraback. Chairman
 Republican State Central Com- l
 mittee, Allyn House, Hartford, Ct !
 Dear Sir-Not in decades has the nation been confronted with such im- portant issues as in the present na- i, tional campaign. As chairmen of the State Central Committee of the Re- publican and Democratic parties re-! spectively, in the state, I feel thati you and I have a far greater dutyt than in merely attending to the de-f tails of the party organization. Il refer to the duty of placing before the voters of Connecticut for their de-, cision, fairly, squarely and clearly, tho issues of the campaign. |
 There are many ways by which, this end may be achieved, but most of the ordinary methods are open to par tisan objection. |
 ''There is one method, however, which I feel will appeal above all others to the voters of Connecticut. It is a method which enables the setting forth of the claims of both sides si- clearly ana WlInOCC confusion. It is a method which is perhaps a little old fashioned. but in that very respect is strong through having been honored by some of tho giants of American political history. refer to the medium of public de- bate.
 For this purpose I am empowered to extend an invitation or challenge to Senator George P. Mclean of, to meet the Hon. Homer s. of Stamford, Conn.,, in open of the great issues of the day at series of public assemblages. to be held at Hartford, New Haven. and Waterbury.
 'T shall not burden you here with a discussion of any details of the plan; all of that may be left to friend- ly agreement following your acoept-, ance in Senator McLean's behalf of this challenge.
 T would suggest that the meetings be held in the largest available halls- and that the invitation to attend -bo
 q (Continued from PARs II