New Britain herald., 1928-08-25
Republicans Must Seek
New Leader for Party

WV A"ouNI III ossy
Whatever the effect may be of the
retirement OF William H. Judd as
chairman OF the republican town
committee in the fall, it will at least
mark the ending of another period
or cycle in the history of the New
Britain branch of the G. o. p. Every
time there has been a change of this
nature the succeeding regime has
differed markedly from that of the
preceding administration, even
though the principles aimed at In a
political way, have been the same.
The retirement of tho chairman of
the republican town committee in
New Britain is an important event,
in the opinion of the political lead
ers, at least, and the conclusion of
the Judd regime will be no exception.
The republicans of New Britain
have had some stalwart leaders in
the past decade, men to whom poll
tics was something more than a
game TO be played for fun. The late
Edward Wicgand was a prominent
republican, as We're Joseph Towers
and William Hartman, both now de-
ceased, Former Mayor Orson f.
Curtis was for years an active men,
Der of the board of strategy and
Ernest n. Humphrey was at the
helm during some holly contested
elections. Ernest W. Christ served
as chairman of the town committee
and still has an active part in the
affairs of the party. Richard Covert,
present state central committeeman,
never takes his finger off the polltl-
cal pulse of the city and it almost
equally as close to politics about the
state. Many others, not the least
prominent of whom was Herbert r.
Erwin, the present postmaster, serV-
ed as chairman of the town commit
tee, while the late George W. klett
was probably the most prominent all
angles considered, of any republican
in this city in a number of years.
Wiegand, Towers, Hartman and
Curtis were of the old school of poll
tics. They knew the game from a
TO Z and loved to play it. To them
there were days other than election
days, and while other politicians
We're resting between fights, they be-
| lieyed in keeping at their specially
| day in and day out, with the result
that there was very little political ac-
tivity in the city with which they
We're unfamiliar very long after 1t
began. Curtis, who served one term
as mayor, is still student of poll
| tics and public affairs, although con-
sidcraDly less active than he was ten
| or 5 years ago.
When Ernest n. Humphrey was at
the head of the town committee, he
was also active in the city govern
ment, in fact for number OF years
he was probably the busiest man in
| public life in the city. He had a
remarkable faculty for organizing
men and while his methods differed
greatly from those of his predeces-
sors, he saw his party successful
more often than not. One of the high
lights in his political career was his
battle for the republican mayoralty
nomination against Orson +. Curtis
in the republican caucus of 1910.
Curtis was victorious, but the fight
was SO bitter that the party was
split wide open and Joseph NJ. Hal
Ioran, democrat, was elected over
Curtis.
i,x-Mayor George A. Quiglcy, who
was a Curtis lieutenant in the nal
cyon days Of the latter, only TO be-
come his former chiefs most bitter
antagonist in later years, was at one
time the leading figure in New Brit
aims public life. He had an organ
ization of his own and no local can
didate before or since has had a
better one, according to students OF
the political game. The Qulgiey-
Curtis fights for supremacy cover
numerous pages in the political his
tory of New Britain.
In the period prior to the election
of Herbert T.. Erwin as chairman OF
the town committee, it had been
customary to select a prominent
party worker, but the present post
master had been little in the public
eye until he took the position. Like
wise, Alderman Judd was practical
ly unknown politically when he sue,
ceeded Mr.. Erwin. In all probabil
ity, the custom Of selecting as chair
man someone other than tow
committee member will be followed
when the time comes for choosing
| n successor TO Mr. Judd,