The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-02
WOMEN AT WORK
Vote Today Shows Their Inter
est in Election.
Bad Weather No Curb on Their
Enthusiasm.
BEGAN VERY EARLY.
Their Carriages Started as Soon
as Polls Opened.
At Least Two Women Votes
Cast to One Man.
Later in Day Proportion Was
Much Smaller.
BEGAN VERY EARLY.

There viii be very large vote polled
today in Topeka The women are con-
tiauing the interest they exhibited on the
day OF the primary and the indications
are that nearly the full woman vote will
be polled-
The day opened cloudy but the rain
and snow had ceased to fall. The streets
and sidewalks were, however, covered
with a slush which made walking de-
cidedly disa agreeable.
This condition had but little effect
upon the women workers and the polls
were hardly open until they began to
unload carriage load after carriage load
of women votes. 1t is needless to say
that these voters were all for Hughes
The women paid no attention to the
men and the consequence is that the
men have a neglected and Indifferent air.
At nearly every polling place in the city
the early vote was in the proportion of
at least two women to one man
The Parker people are showing less
activity than vas anticipated and the
early vote was for Hughes by a large
majority
At the police station there were $50
votes cast at 10 o'clock and 100 OF them
were cast by women
MANY VEHICLES IN USE.
At the Auditorium the percent Of the
woman vote was about the same, and
at the other precincts the same proper
tion would hold good It was evident
that the women were doing all the
work.
AT noon the men votes were beginning
to come in, and the result was more
difficult to tell, but it was estima ted by
the watchers at the polls that the
Hughes forces had the best OF it. This
may be changed by the vote later in
the evening, but If the same ratio is
maintained all day and until the closing
4aH +f4fe a-1T Il
by a substantial majority. OF course it
IS impossible to tell how the men are
voting; they say nothing, and after vot-
ing Immediately leave the polls.
The Hughes forces have the greatest
number Of vehicles out to haul the vot-
ers to the polls, In spite OF the story
circulated that the Democrats are
spending money Iavishly which is fur
Many women have their private rigs
out and are working for Hughes. The
Parker vehicles had signs on them and
the Hughes rigs did not. 1t was only
by talking to the men at the polls that
an idea Of the vote could be obtained.
In the Second ward the vote is ap-
pareutly against Hughes. and in the
First ward IL seems to be close. In the
other wards there can not possibly be
enough Parker votes polIed in the after
noon to counteraCt the immense Hughe
vote of the morning.
There was trouble in opening the polls
at one precinct only, and that was at
the third precinct of the Fifth ward.
There the Democrats and Populists had
each named a judge and they were ap-
pointed by the commissioner Of elections
The Democratic judge could not serve,
and the commissioner Of elections ap-
pointed a Republican in his stead This
was contrary TO the law. and the Demo-
Gratis objected when the polls were to be
opened with two Republican judges
They refused to allow the polls to be
opened and held a. meeting at the poll
T4.ew -~T1 all
crar. Then the Republicans objected.
The commissioner of elections was tele-
phOned for, and went down to settle the
matter He came to the conclusion that
the Republicans were entitled to but one
Of the judges. and SO instructed the
members of that party who We're de-
laying the election. The Democratic
judge was put in, and things moved
along all right
MEN BEGIN AT NOON.
The men began to vote at noon and a
short time after noon the men votes
equaled that Of the women in all the
precincts The reports from the precincts
which are on the paved streets show
that about one-third of the vote was
cast at noon and in the precincts off the
paving the vote was less than one
fourth the registration. At the same
ratio the entire vote Of the city will not
be more than II. GOO. The greatest diff
ference will be made in the Second ward
where the shops will close at 4 o'clock
and the men who are employed there viii
have a chance to cast their ballots.
Mr.. Parker said this afternoon that he
considered that the weather was against
him I viii lose 1000 votes on account
Of the weat ther," he said. THE women
are out and they are generally opposed
to me. at least that is the suppOsition.
1t IS impossible to keep the women from
voting. They win get out. The men will
not vote until late this afternoon In
answer 20 the question. What do you
think of your prospects for election?' he
said. TT is impossible to tell anything
about it. 4 am confident though that if
the weather had been good 1 would have
made a better race than will under the
circumstances