The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-11-20
ORGANIZATION
DID THE TRICK
What District Republican Clubs
Can Do.
Correspondence of the Courant.)

Correspondence of the Courant.)
Bridgeport. Nov. IT.
Nearly two weeks save Flssed
since the municipal election, which
resulted in an all around republican
victory, and its results have been
well analysed and conclusions drawn.
The verdict is now general that May
or Wilson was not reelected so much
because of his record and popularity
e,--s ran behind his ticket, but rather
w. gause of organization. Men who
lake studied and taken part in
municipal affairs for the past forty
years say that under normal. or
rather under the old conditions, May.
or Wilson couldn't have been re-elect-
ed. Consequently, there must be
something in organization. 1t should
not be forgotten, however, that the
! previous generation of voters had an
antipathy about keeping one man in
power more than two terms at the
most, as rotation by office was a pol
litical tent There is a different SEN
timent prevailing among the elector-
ate nowadays, as the general desire
to retain Governor Holcomb in OFF,
ice attests, who, by the way, would
never be crowned with laurels for
populaxity-that Is from Fairfield
county.
Tammany never had anything on
the Bridgeport republican machine
In point of effectiveness 1t shows
so much cleverness at times as to be
suspected of being Prussianized. It
has its agents about at all times
raising Old Ned with the democratic
party, just as Prussia has her spies
Oh ~, Old Mad
Is ruled by no man, whereas, the
democratic party IL ruled by a. dozen.
and so is not. ruled at all 1t was
the manipulation Of John T. King
that kept the democratic party wide
apart far four years, and the scars
of the schisns have not yet been
healed.
There Is, q fiourishing republican
club In every district, and these, on
the surface, are the units of the re-
publican machine. A certain few
or the leaders OF each club form the
head center OF the organization, and
this select few occasionally meet
with Leader King. In his absence
they meet and consult with William
e Seeley- Those district leaders
know the wants of their section of
the city and the sentiments of the
members of their particular clubs.
They are all good workers, many of
them have a win Of their own, and
they sometimes veto Leader Kings
projects, but in this 1t must be said
that Mr.. King never insists on any
measure that meets with the oppo-
sition Of his advisers, and plays the
game with them fairly.
As all, the clubs are incorporated,
keeping open doors every day + the
fifty two weeks of the year, it will be
seen at glance that it must yield
local influence strong enough to up
set old established notions of keep
ing men in office more than two
terms The leaders have a. nice way
of taking care Of their members, If
they get into trouble. out Of work, etc.
Tammany in New York never pro-
fessed to do much more. It must be
admitted that the general conduct of
all the members is SO well regulated
that no stretch of the moral con-
science of the leaders is required IN
assisting.
This Organization is the construc-
tive work of Leader King, who APP
pears to have natural adaptability
for such work. He got the county
republican, AedQcT6 10 Ldh0 IL up, 10,
and while the county machine is not,
SO enthusiastic as the one in the city
1t il doing effective work. but the re-
publicans have things pretty much
their own way anyhow.
Having explained the efficiency of
the machine-like organization in the
city and county, men in politics and
out of it, are wondering If the repub-
) Iran M nv ~ 70 fy-fi al
county will seek it's assistance at the
next election, and how viii they
treat Mr.. King? It's a nice question
to be whispered about in circles
where men meet and talk politics
and they are doing It. Anyway, the
question has been the subject of edi1
torial comment in the state press the
past week. One of the points raised
was that Mayor Wilson,. as for as any
one can forecast politics, could hardly
hope to get the gubernatorial nomin-
alton, and under present conditions,
lieutenant governor, even in the
event of the denomination of Cover
nor Holcomb. The inference, of
course, Is that the up state repubIi-
cans are against the King machine
or anyone connected with it. It
would be jolly interesting to get an
interview from Mr.. King on the state
'uituation-if he would talk - but he
won't. He is out of town SO much
that he Is hard man to catch at any
time. When you do get him in a cor
ner, he switches the conversation SO
abruptly that you know he is telling
you to go "chase yourself-Pm not
talking" that's all it amounts to.
According to his intimate friends,
and those in his confidence, Mr.. King
ts not aware of any antagonism on
the part of any Of the republican
leaders in the state, outside of Gov
@Tn0r Holcomb. 1t must be admitted
that they are more than peeved
against the governor. They accuse
him of failure to investigate some
rumors concerning the Fairfield
county leader and of losing his ju-
dicial poise before he came to a
judgement.
Sore ON Governor HoIcomb
The Bridgeport republicans have
been sore on Governor Holcomb ever
since he appointed Lawyer James
Mari a health officer, whom they &C.
cuse of boiling the ticket on divers
occasfong LAWYER Mari has certaio