Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1923-10-05
MORTLAKE REVIEWS
TOWN ELECTIONS
Republican Victory a Good In
dication, II Not a Prophecy,
of Trend Of State Policies


Organization Does Not Control Choice
of Candidate.
/ BY
'.MORTLAkE"
| Special Correspondence TO The Put
nam Patriot.
Hartford, October 2.-~The result of
the small town elections on Monday
was an object Of interest 20 those to
whom everything, more or less an ex-
preston Of popular sentiment, Is an
! Indication Of political opinion. While
ii is true that the outcome of local cleo
tions are net accepted by political OBJ
servers as an unerring barometer OF
the trend of political sentiment. they
have significance which, however
minimized Is worthy of attention.
Local conditions are very often more
determining in their effect than the
partisan designation of ballots. The
Republicans have every reason 20 be
satisfied with the general result Of the
elections. Their victories on Monday
show that Connecticut has not aban-
doned the eommundahle habit Of vot=
ing the Republican ticket. II Is Of
particular interest % notice some Of
the circumstance which entered into
the voting on Monday. Some purists,
who between elections never weary Of
denounciug the Republican state or
ganizatinu, found IL 70 their advantage
10 have their names ON Republican
tickets and readily accepted the adj
vantage n secure a place In the public
service of their communities. During
the year they were the caustic critics
of the Republican machine, bat on
election day, when on the Republican
ticket they show AN enthusiasm Tor
its methods There is great deal Of
cant and hypocrisy in the hyper-criti-
cal attitude of Republicans VIII ohave
no use for the Republican machine ex-
cent on election day. The term ma
chine Is, perhaps. an unhappy one. II
carries with IL the suggestion Of some
thing opprobrious, and the suggestion
appeals to some people whose shallow
minds are influenced by names. II
might be better TO use the word organ
ization. But between the words IL is
a distinction without difference, and
neither word carries with II anything
that Is reprehensihle or wrong. The
terms machine and organization are
clean cut and expressive. and they do
not camoufiage or mislend.
Famous Pomfret Caucus
II Is seldom that the Republican or
gan:zation goes into convention with
n candidate of its own. and IL In never
a unit in supporting him. About thir-
" years ago its avowed candidate for
the Republican nomination for gov
ernor was the late Colonel Frank w.
Cheney Of Manchester, man who was
In every way worthy Of the backing
which the organization gave his eandi.
daey. Colonel Cheney was beaten by
the late O. Vincent Coffin Of Middle
town. At subsequent convention
Windham county had a candidate IN
the late John Addison Porter. whose
home was In Pomfret. IL should be
said that even in Windham county
there was strong opposition 10 the can
didacy Of Mr. Porter, and nowhere In
the county was that opposition more
determined than in pomfret. where
the resourcefui and influential Charles
W. Gros.enor, who was state treasur-
er, was the leader Of the opponents Of
Mr.. Porter. The caucus in Pomfret
for the election Of delegates 10 the
state convention attracted the atten-
ton of the state and is remembered
10 this day. The anti-Porter ticket
won. II would have been better II Mr.
Porter had appreciated the strength Of
Mr.. Grosvcnor as political leader.
and avoided a contest with him. He
was brave but imprudent. II was like
boarding the Douglas In his hall. Mr..
| Porter at that time was secretary 70
President Mckinley and had many adj
mirable traits Of character. but polit-
ieal sagacity was not one Of them.
In one Of the three conventions that
nominated Marcus II. Holeomb bis re-
nomination was opposed by an inf'u-
entisl part Of the Republican organ
ization, but the people wanted Uncle
Marcus and he was nominated. Mr..
Roraback and his colleagues Of the or
ganization do not arrogate 10 them
selves the right 10 make nominations.
/ II Is the privilege Of the convention to
nominate the ticket, and the duty Of
the organization 10 see that II Is elect
ed.
Sensible Tariff Talk
Congressman r. Hart Fem Of the
FIRST Congressional district rendered
positive public service 70 the state
when, at the recent outing Of the
Fourth senatorial district he en-
phasizezd the necessity Of protee-
/ tive tariff for New England and par
tieularly for Connecticut with more
than 800 industries Of one kind or
another The Observance Of the cen
tennial Of the town Of Manchester
this week directed the attention of
people 10 the fact that but for a pro-
teetive tariff Manchester would not
be the prosperous industrial eommu-
nifty that II Is. The great silk works
Of the Cheneys, where between 5000
and 5000 hands are employed. owes
It's growth, in a measure. 10 the fact
that the business was protected from
the competition OF the cheap labor Of
Europe by protective tariff. In the
Republican campaign in Connecticut
next year the question Of the tariff
should be- kept constantly before the
minds Of the people. Its Importance
overshadows everything else. A pro
tectsve tariff Is the only thing that will
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