The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-06-24
KING LIFTS LID FROM POLITICAL POT NOW STEWINC Hartford Courant Says He Puts Personal Ambition
 Above His Party. WANTS TO SHOW HIS
 OWN LEADERSHIP Surrenders His Opposition to Denomination of Hol-
 comb For Governor.

New Haven, June 24-The open outbreak of hostilities between John T. King of Bridgeport and the up- state Republicans is recognized here as merely taking the cover off the stew that has been on the fire for a
 long time, ever, indeed, since Kings
 election as member of the national
 committee, which set a-burning his inf1ammable ambition. It will be re- membered that, soon after he reached the national committee, he began to reach for it's chairmanship, and members of the committee say that he still has that little position among the thing to be got.
 It is admitted by various promi- nent Republicans that King said
 time and again that he would have
 no more of Marcus Holcomb, and Lieutenant Governor Wilson has been frequently quoted in private circles as declaring that he would not take a second place again. It was the top or nothing. When it became evident that there was no such thing as stopping Holcomb's nomination, the tune changed.
 From his speech at the congress sional convention in Bridgeport on Saturday, quoted in part in '"The Courant" of Sunday, one sentence goes long way to state Kings posi- tion. He is quoted in yesterdays Bridgeport Post" as saying that due to some psychological phenomenon there is apparently no opposition in hi @1 Governor Holcomb" This is cordial endorsement.
 It must have stirred the hearts and aroused the enthusiasm of Holcomb's real friends. He accepts the fact that the nomination is coming because it cannot be avoided, but it comes about through some strange phenomenon which, perhaps, might be explained that HOlcOmb has been independent and has made his own appointments instead of taking orders from King or anybody else; and the phenomenon is statewide.
 Governor Holcomb is going on "A years of age. He has borne splen- didly the great responsibilities thrust upon him by the war and must be weary. He should have for an asso. ciate a man with whom his relations should be confidential. This evident ly would be great help to him and to the state.
 Politicians hereabouts note that such relations have not in four years devloped, though they are very good friends. That is one reason given for the common desire to recognize polit- ical traditions and change the ticket below the top place, which, as King says, must go to Holcomb because the people will not stand for anybody else.
 Two years ago MT. King undertook to assert his mastership of Republican affairs, when he put his own fellow citizen, Senator Bartlett, in a back seat, side-tracked him as president pro tenn. of the State Senate, for which he was unanimously slated, and showed Senator 'fHank" Hall of Holland county forward for the place. The scheme failed and the attempt to demonstrate power demonstrated the other thing.
 Now comes a move in which he seems to take a defensive attitude. puI III 1dSL IL IS dn aggressive aCtl- tude, demanding that the state offices shal be filled three terms in success sion hy the same men There has been no talk of discrimination against his friendd, MT. Wilson. It is a. change clear through of the two-term office holders, except the one man whom the state insists upon keeping on the job. Most of them have signi- fled their own disposition to retire. MT. Wilson himself is quoted as say ing it was head of the ticket or noth> ing, which is equivalent to leaving the enant-governorship.
 Democratic papers, that have been hankerfng for something to stir up trouble with, are making all they can of the King demonstration, but it is not believed that that will have any more serious effect than to disclose again MT. Kings ambition to be the l leader of the Republican party in this | state preparatory to advancement on | the national committee which makes | those in the committee smile when | they tell about it. Republicans around | here are glad to have the issue raised. | They say it could not come at a better | time, especially as it is accompanied | by a surrender in advance by King | of his first line of attack. He recog- nizes the psychological phenome- | non'' that pervades the state and as- sures Holcomb of the governorship.--- Hartford Courant.