The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-03-18
THE PRIMARY RESULTS.

The selection of city ticket at the
Republican primary Saturday. has re-
suited in general satisfaction to the Re-
publicans of Topeka and indeed to the
community in general, with the possible
exception of the mayoralty.
The struggle for the latter Office has
resulted in considerable bad feeling.
mainly due to belief on the part of g
many that there were numerous frauds
committed, namely that Democrats voted
Ion which point there is good evidence;
and also belief that there were repeat
ers, parties voting at precincts wherein
they did not live. There is also strong
evidence of this.
Fraudulent voting is the one great
element of danger in popular govern
ment We all bow to the will of the
people; but all good citizens resent cor
ruption and fraud at the polls-these de-
feat the popular will.
If Mr.. Fellows has been elected by
fraud his nomination should be repudi-
ated and set aside. That there has been
some fraud the JOURNAL has no doubt
The JOURNAL favored Mr Harrison be-
cause he has given the city splendid ad-
ministration, and because it believed the
credit was due him. He should have
been renominated, He was brought out
originally by the JOURNAL and what we
then said of him Mr. Harrison has proven
in his practical and successful conduct
of the office during the fifteen months of
his control
He was probably handicapped by too
much newspaper support. While no
newspaper combine existed in any
shape, many believed that something of
that sort did exist and a sympathy was
created in favor of Fellows. So far as
the JOURNAL is concern we stated our
reasons for supporting Harrison and we
are not sorry that we gave that support.
Colonel Harrison was, however, too
sanguine that his own good administra-
would carry him through. He did not
do the active work that has for months
been necessarily pursued by his opponent
Mr.. Fellows, too, had the powerful
support-powerful at the primaries-of
what is known as the s'old Metsker crowd"
This element. it is believed, supported
Fellows to man-at least if any one of
roll call, there is no official record of the
fact
While the element known as the
whisky element in the main was bitterly
opposed to Harrison because the latter
was not "liberap' man from their stand
point; on the other hand Mr. Fellows
had strong, following from many
! of the beat Republicans.
One weakness in Col Harrison's cam
paign was the fact that he had on his
hands quarrel with the council. This
is a weakness that will always cause
trouble in an administration and work to
the injury of the city. The JOURNAL
has frequently pointed this out
Mr.. Holman, the councilman who
Was active on the councils side of the
quarrel was also defeated.
Without raising the question of'which
was right mayor should always display
tact in creating harmony at the same
time losing no self respect or waving no
important rights.
The charges of fraud in Saturday {,
primaries should be fully investigat d
and the public acquainted with the fac
1t is to the credit of Mr.. Fellows th4 {
he declares he, too, wants thorough in
vestigation made. He declares he will
not rest under the imputations made, and
with Col. Harrison, wishes a complete
sitting
Whatever the result of formal inves-
tigation, enough is known of Saturdays
work to disgust straightforward citizens
and to demand primaries in the future
which are still further protected from
fraud by the safeguard of regis
tration and a complete check OF
names and residences, or an entire
enforcement of party from municipal
affairs.