The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-02-15

tered the public life of the state in
1891, as representative of Pomfret in
! the general assembly. Mr.. Porter re-
ceived 81 and 1-2 votes on the first bal
lot. He expected a larger vote. On
the next ballot the number was re-
duced by little over 20 and then Mr..
Porter, despatring of receiving the
nomination, threw his strength to Mr..
Coffin and helped materially to Sc
cure the nomination for the latter.
The friends of Mr.. Coffin appreciated
the help which the Porter delegates
kgave their candidate and offered the
domination of lieutenant governor to
Mr.. Porter who declined. He said he
did not care for second place on the
ticket. There were five ballots taken
for governor. The final ballot stood:
Coffin, $50; Cheney, 103; Merwin, SO;
and few scattering. Mr.. Porter re-
tired from the contest before the final
ballot was taken.
Triangular Fight of 1898.
There were three candidates before
the convention when George E, Louns-
bury of Ridgefe1d was nominated.
The others were John Addison Po1Ser
and James D. Dewel. Mr.. Lounsbury
received 356 votes. Mr.. Porter 100
and Mr.. Dewell 16. During the can
vass which preceded thee onventfon.
chine was asked if he thought the
machine would favor Mr.. Lounsbury's
nomination.
ST don't see how we could dare to
do otherwise. There is an unmistak-
abel demand for his nomination and
we would be foolish to oppose it. The
Republican machine knows when it is
prudent to yield to popular sentt-'
ment.''
ct doesn't always do that?"
mot always; but we take care the
people who vote the Republican ticket
are converted to the machines point
of view"
Four of 'Em in 1904.
There were four candidates before
the convention in 1904 when Gov.
Henry Roberts was nominated. One
of the candidates was Abiram Cham
berlain of Meriden, who had been gov
ernor during the previous term. Mr..
Roberts had served as lieutenant
governor. Two other candidates were
Judge L. w. cleveland of New Ha-
ven and C. H. Pine of Derby. Frank
e. Hea1y. now a candidate for the
nomination, was Governor Roberts
political manager. His figures of the
canvass, just before the vote was
taken, showed that Governor Roberts
would receive 374 votes. Governor
Roberts received exactly that number.
Quartet In 1912 and 1914.
At the convention of 1912 there
were TOUR can010aC6S. 1noy were
Judge John P. Studley and Dennis A.
Blakeslee of New Haven; DR.. George
H. Knight of LakeviI1e and Judge
Si1as "A. Robinson. The former was
the candidate Of the machi1NS, and
won.
Two years later. in 1914, the candi-
dates before the convention W ere Mar
Gus H. Holcomb, Dennis A. BIakes1ee,
Morris G. Webster \ and Everett J.
Lake. Judge Ho1comb received a ma
jority of the votes of the convention
after John 7. Robinson ha6 made a
statement which convinced every del J
egate that Judge Ho1cunb would ac-
cept the nomination even though the
statement did not harmonize with the
contents of a letter which Mr.. Robin
son had in his pocket. 1t should be
said, perhaps, that Mr.. Lakes name |
was presented without his knowledge
and without any formal speech. In
deed the delegates, on the motion of
Gen. George e. Keeney, of Somers, |
had decided that they did not wish to |
listen to nominating speeches. John |
r. King Of Bridgeport had thrown the |
votes of Fairfield county to Governor |
Ho1comb and someone suggested to |
the Holland county delegates that they
should vote for Mr.. Lake. 1t was that |
suggestion which brought some votes |
to Mr.. Lake.