The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-03
Commission Wins in Topeka by
497 Majority.
Both Women and Men Vote Show
MajOritieS.
BEATEN IN TWO WARDS
First and Second Vote Against
the Change
Less Than Five Thousand Votes
Are Cast.

iHe CoiHIllSSlOn plan OF City ad-
ministration was adopted by a major
lty of 497 votes, and Topeka will dis
card system of rule which was hand
ed down by our forefathers and does
not meet the requirements of the pres
ent day, for one that will put the mu-
n1clpal affairs on business basis.
1t was not until the final returns
were in at o'clock that the oppon-
ents of the new plan were willing to
believe that they were defeated.
The total vote was 4,7S7 represent
ing about 65 per cent of those who
were registered or little more than.
a fourth of the total vote of this city.
The percentage of the women who
voted for the commission plan was
slightly IN excess of that in connection
with the vote of the men, 542 women
voting for the plan and 316 against,
While 2,110 men voted for and 1928
against.
The first returns to come in were
from the First ward and as the vot-
ing was against the commission plan
there was rejoicing in the camp of
those who opposed the proposition, as
they began to believe that their
chances were good to win the day, but
from the various other wards their
faces gradually became somewhat
elongated.
AS was anticipated in the State
Journal yesterday both the First and
the Second wards voted against COM
mission government. In the Third
ward every precinct carried, while in
the First ward all precincts were
against change in municipal affairs.
The voting in the First ward was es-
pecially light or otherwise the fight
would have been still more closely
contested.
The colored voters did not turn out
to the polls in the numbers which the
opposition forces were anticipating,
but those who did vote for the most
government for various reasons One
of these was that on account of the
fact the system originated in Calves
ton, Texas, they believed that the
colored women did not vote because
against. Another was that stiff ex-
aminations would bar many of them
from holding jobs. A number of the
coloerd women did not vote because
there was no effort made in the way
of conveying them to the voting
places.
Another element which was against
the new plan was the corporation en-
ployes, and also the old men who have
become imbued with the idea that
what was good enough for them is
surely good enough for the younger
generation, not realizing that civic
conditions have changed in the past
few years.
The fact was revealed during the
day that there are hundreds of voters
in the city who are still not informed
in regard to the plan which has been
adopted, and that they voted against
it simply on account of lack of in
formation.
The Commercial club which was di-
recting the campaign, handled affairs
| in a most systematic way. Fifteen
automobiles, which were loaned for
the occasion by friends of the commits
/ sion plan. were kept busy all day car
rying voters to the polls. Great credit
! is due in this respect to several wo-
men who put forth untiring and most
successful efforts in behalf of COM
mission government.
No Commercial Club Slate.
In speaking of the campaign yester-
day Secretary George Badders of the
| Commercial club said: ''I am greatly
pleased with the result. The Com
mercial club is interested in seeing
! this plan given. a fair trial in Topeka
| We believe the plan will result in q