Republican farmer., 1920-03-26
RORABACK LEADS
 STATE CONVENTION

tacks J. Henry From
 the FlOOr-King Dele
 gate to National Con-
 ventiOn.
 New Haven, March 24-No sooner had the name of J, Henry Roraback been present. ed to the State Republican con Vention here today as a dele gate-at-large, than Mayor Cliff ford B. Wilson, of Bridgeport, took the floor objecting to the
 pushing over" on the conven- ton Of a prepared slate and made a motion that a commit tee of five members from each county prepare names for sub mission to the convention.
 This was the start of the real fire workS or the convention, previous to
 
 decided that the contesting delegates from Stratford were not entitled to recognition and the convention rnal- ing Senator Brandegee permanent chairman
 To further his motion Mayor Will son quoted statistics purporting to show that when J. Henry Roraback became state leader in 1911 there was Republican majority of 46, GOO This SS9i1 F1xr = to a little over 4,GG0 and the state may well be called doubtful "On the other hand" continued the speaker, John T. King assumed con trol in Bridgeport in 1910 and the Republican majority in 1911 was 2SO- This was constantly increased until last fall the Republican candidate was given the largest majority in the his tory of Republican mayors in Bridge port.''
 'I do not oppose lobbying, but I do oppose the methods of MT. Rora- back in using his position as chair man of the party to further his own private interests, interests which are outside of the party welfare. also charge that MT. Roraback has inject ed his personality in Bridgeport af- fairs to obtain his own ends.
 'tMr. King is a true leader and a man of wonderful sagacity and 10 man is better qualified to represent this state on the Republican Nation al Committee
 q would like to call attention to the fact that Roraback's county already has six of the important appointive offices of the state; namely, Chair
 man of the Public Utilities CommiS- sion; Motor Vehicle Commissioner; Bank Commissioner; Tax Commis- Sioner; Commissioner of Domestic An inlals, and Compensation ComEnis sioner. Windham, Holland and Mid dlesex have none of these offices and New London and Fairfield only one l each, in each case a Democrat ap- pointed by a Republican governor. Col. Isaac Ul1man, of New Haven, arose to answer Mayor Wilson, stat ing that he held no brief for Rora- back but that he considered Wilson s ! attack the most uncalled for thing he had ever heard on the floor of a con- vention "I had not supposed John T. King said the colonel, Ca resi- | dent of Connecticut from what I read l in the papers. In my judgment | Rora,back is as good a leader of the party as could be obtained and I | don't know anyone who has felt the l Roraback axe any heavier than I i have. They have a tight machine in 1 Bridgeport and you can't get into 1 it with a jimmy and that's why they l are now trying to disrupt the whole l state I move that Mayor Wilson's $ motion be tabled"
 i Amid considerable of an uproar Col. l UIlman finally withdrew his motion to permit of further discussion of Mayor 1 Wilson's.
 l Rogers of Manchester next took the floor, stating that he had no axe to ! grind but that 'tCol. Uilman is in no position to talk because he persists in delivering the Republican party to the 1 Democrats and that "the Big Four slated for the national committee and Charles H. Clark of Hartford all de- lIberately turn the party over to the opposition
 l Our next governor, Mayor Wilson I loud applause) has told you the truth.''
 Col UTnaan renewed his motion at l this point and a vote was taken the final result showing 3O6 in favor and | 211 against the proposition of tabling Mayor Wilson prosposal. The vote 1 in Fairfield county was: King forces 1 65, against IT.
 Judge Dillon of Shelton made a fiery speech after the vote in which he stated that he hoped Col. UllInan would not again try the gag rule on ] the convention. 'NThe last legislature, continued the judge. "heaped insult on injury to the representatives of Fairfield county ignoring them on all committees and even ignoring them when they attempted to take the ffoor.''
 John T. King never tried to in lF9fhar ShO