The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-26
Did NOT VOTE.
Military Red Tape Prevented
Soldiers Franchise.
Flimsy Excuses Given by the
Army Officers
NO KANSANS THERE.
Sample Of the Statements Given
Out.
The Ballots Sent Were Never
Even Opened.

Military red-tape seems to have been
responsible for the loss Of their votes by
the Kansas soldiers in the Philippines.
Not one Of the Kansas soldiers in the
service of the government fighting the
Taeals cast a vote on election day. This
Information is official, having been
brought to Topeka to the secretary OF
state, George A. Clark. in letter from
the commander Of the American forces
in the Philippines.
This letter contains the announcement
that the ballots could not be sent TO tha
KaEsans IN. time to vote. but the state
rnent annears e1lbseu1ent TO the ar-
nouncement by the adjutant general &C
the department of the Philippines that
there are no Kansas soldiers in the army
there
This statement is particularly aston
ishing when every one knows that there
are 1,200 Kansas men now in the army IN
those islands.
After delaying the official ballots for
16 days the adjutant general of the de-
partment returned them to the head
quarters at Manila with the announce
ment that the ballots could not be sens
to the volunteer Kansals in time to vote
on election day.
This incident is annoying to the state
administration because the ballots
reached the islands October 30 This was
seven days prior to the election but the
adiutant generals first notice Of them
was November 16, ten days after the
election.
The consignment of ballots was ac-
cOmpanied by official communications
from Governor Stanley. the secretary of
state and Morton Albaugh, chairman IF
the Republican state committee These
were addressed to the chief QuarteImas-
ter at Manila October 20 the chief quar-
termaster, G. p. Miller forwarded the
official documents and the ballots 20 lhe
adJutant general of the department. OF
the Philippines FOR instructions
The following addition is made to the
endorsement concerning instructions by
Mr.. Miller:
so far as known in this office there
are no Kansas volunteers an the ISL
ands."
The communication from the chief
qua.termaster was noticed" by The adj
Jutant general whose name can not he
ascertained because Of his poor pcnman-
ship. The endorsement, however. is in
type-writing, therefore ineligible, which
Is not true Of the signature referred t..
The endorsement follows:
Respectfully returned to the chief
quartermaster OF the division. There are
no Kansas volunteers as such. The Thir-
ty-second, Fortieth and Forty-fourth
regiments were recruited ia Kansas but
as these blanks are supposed TO have
come on the Hancock. ii is clear that
they could not have been gotten 10 tire
stations OF these regiments by November
In one line the adjutant general states
there are no known Kansas volunteers
in The service; in the next be says tl.c
ballots could not be forwarded TO the roe
spective stations in time for them tc
vote This announcement was made ten
days after the election day.
It Is the opinion Of the Republican
managers that the army officers have
beer guilty OF unnecessary delay and Dy
indulgence in red-tape deprived the
ka1sanS of the opportunity to vote