The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-06
IN TIL THREE CITIES.

Sane Republicans In, Missouri who hoped that the
School Fund settlement at the polls would relieve
them of the incubus of lobster leadership are in Il way
to he disappointed. They are being forced into
another two years Of ridiculous party contortions be
fore the States voters. The election law issue is de-
~veloping a lobster policy Of making amendment Of the
law impossible and going into politics on villainous
Justification of facts.
The Globe has constructed an elaborate table 70
show that the Republican vote fell away more notice
ably in the three citi"s-St. Louis. Kansas City and
ST. Joseph-than in the counties. and all on account
OF 4 statute.
Anybody would admit the fact and anybody who
reads about politics. even in the Globe. would have
no trouble in assigning the cause where it belongs.
In st. Louis the rottcnness of a Republican ma
chine had caused the election Of Democrats. Mayor
Wells and Circuit Attorney Folk had Sriendidly iuSti-
fed the public verdict. Thousands of Republican
voters in ST. Louis voted The Democratic ticket this
Year in order to encourage good officials.
But that is not all. The Republican organization
was more thoroughly disorcanized than ii has been
since the war. The Globe had participated in a fight
which defeated the old City Committee. The old
crowd controlled most al the established machinery.
Impotence i'll getting ont the vote succeeded. This
was evident in the absolute absence of effort 10 regis
ter party voters. y great part Of the old crowd joined
hands with the Butler element and followed Jim But
ler's orders. Democrats cannot well boast of that
coalition bur. at least. neither The election law nor Il
State Board could be held to account for the indiffrr-
ence and treachery of Republican machine workers.
In Kansas City Il somewhat similar condition op-
Grated. kcrcnS had been rciukpd. His ambition to
secure the minority nomination for United States
Senator had been stricken by the Jackson County in
Struction for Warner. The KeTcns crowd. headed Iv
Dfckey. We're sore and not inclined 10 glorify their
rival spells hunters. There was no senIblance of n
vigorous Republican campaign in Kansas City. while
the Democrats We're better united and more a"grrs-
Sive in campaign work than they had been for wears.
ST. Joseph presented Il case net essentially differ
cnt. though the sides were reversed. The Kerpns
fusion with the Public Ownership leaders WAS ear
ried out there. though ii fell To pieces in the other
TWO cities. The Public Ownership vote did not ma
terialiZe-the voters refusing To be delivered like cat
tie TO kerels-and the majority Of ST. Joseph Akfns
men. or SILK Stockings. either quietly voted the Demo-
cratic ticket or did not vote ut all.
The Globe and Republicans who read the Globe are
familiar with these facts, for the Globe was in the
fights and told about them. The fight for Atkins being
one of the few praisewortly acts Of the Globe. it
sllouid not now pretend that there was no fight.
The Republican party in the three cities can fully
understand the drop in its vote without charging re-
suits 10 an election law.