The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-28
First City Commission Primary
a Quiet One.
Voting Heavy Only in First and
Second Wards.
WOMEN ARE ACTIVE.
Working Hard for Reform
School Board Ticket.
ROOrbach on Mayor Green Start
ed This Morning.
WOMEN ARE ACTIVE

Despite the fact that the commits
sion form law is new and untried. and
this is the first time the people of peo-
pie of Topeka have attempted to vote
under the mo party scheme. the
voting today is going smoothly and the
prospects for a heavy vote are bright
All of the precinct officials report
progress and the voting is growing
heavier as the hours go along.
The most startling event of the day
is the alleged discovery of "stuff1ng
and "railroaGing" ballots by some un-
known official in the second precinct of
the Sixth ward. w. H. Kemper, can
didate for mayor, found the loophole
and he is using it as campaign htera-
ture today.
1t is claimed by Mr.. Kemper and by
several witnesses that when DR.. H H
Keith entered the booth to vote this
morning he found a cross mark beh1nd
the name of Mayor William Green. He
reported the r-atter to the judges at
once and the news of the event spread
over the city like wild fire.
When told of the matter this morn
ing Mayor Green laughed. 1T is all
folly to think that these ballots have
been marked by anyone, said the
mayor. Someone might have mutt
lated their ballot and then laid it back
on the tables and the officers falled TO
destroy it-or someone might have
voted and the officers failed to receive
it in the proper manner. But to think
that there is anyone doing this sort of
business for my cause of for anyone'S
cause is foolish 1 am sure that it was
simply an oversight by some of the
precinct officers"
Election Commissioner Titus has
taken up the matter and went to the
precinct at once. Nothing to explain
the cross could be found, but it is
thought by the city officials that it was
mistake. However. for the sake of
those who thought that there might
be underhanded work in connection
with the marked ballot, the matter
will be traced down. Mr.. Titus believes
that some of the printers proba bly, mado
q test case of their votes and forgot to
remove the ballot. Mr.. Titus says the
ballot was in with the rest. There were
other faults 70 find with the printing.
1t was done by the Mail and Breeze es-
adjustment
The candidates for commissioners
are all buzzing around the polls today.
Some of them are filling the offices and
the vicinity of the voting places with
cards. Others are supported by
friends" who stand a certain dis
tance from the polls and hand out the
cards and the last pleas of the candi-
dates.
Mayor Green is in his Office at the
city hall attending to city business. 81
haven't time to run around he said.
"Of course, 1 will watch the returns
with interest tonight, but I haven't
time to leave the office today" w. H.
Kemper, candidate for mayor, is the
busiest man in Topeka. He has kept
his automobile running overtime dur
ing the campaign and now he is flying
from one poll to another this morn
ing. j. B. Billiard, the other candidate
for mayor. has plastered the city with
huge posters reading. Lets Wake Up
and Vote for Billiard These are
placed on every vacant place in the
r4fFN q 0r46 E-rNw L.
square to posters the size of a bill
board. Billiard is making a strenuous
campaign and is securing heavy vote
today.
porting the "insurgents'' on the school
board ticket or those who stand for a
bigger, better and broader education
for the school children of the city are
working harder than ever. They are
buster today than when the5 launched
their campaign. Each polling place is
watched by woman guard and the
sentiment for "insurgery'' is prevailing
The largest vote this morning was
in the First and Second wards-and
this is where all of the laboring
classes of the city make their homes.
The polls opened at s o'clock and a
large number OF the laboring men
took advantage of the time to vote
before they went to work. And if the
talk at the First and Second ward
polls is going to elect the ticket, ]. b
BILLIARD VIII be mayor and Miller, will
be one of the commissioners. Every
one in these wards is whooping it up
for Billiard and Miller.
Big Vote in First and Second.
In the Second ward the officials
stated that during the morning there
twice as many votes before z o'clock
as during the whole morning a year
ago The registration in this ward was
over 5000 and the officials expect that
5000 will vote before the day is done.
There is a report around that the peo-
pie in this ward are voting for Billiard
and Miller and have no more votes to
give away another feature of the vote
in this ward is that there is very little
sentiment to vote on the school board
ticket. either one way or the other.
The fac that there are so many Demo-
Gratis in the ward accounts for the best
portion of this sentiment.
In the First ward the vote is heavy, |
compared with the rest of the city, |
but not as heavy as in the Second ward |
and not as heavy as expected. The |
pick up at noon and this afternoon was /
going n bent for election" The |
laboring classes did not turn out here !
in the morning. This vote will come
In after working hours this evening. !
Although the First ward is the home |
ward of Billiard, there is lots of Green |
sentiment in the precincts. Green was |
at one time a resident of the First |
ward and has several staunch friends
here. The registration in this ward |
was 1.241 male and $50 female There |
is fair interest on the school board |
questions About 500 have voted in |
this ward at press time this afternoon. |
In the Third ward the downtown |
precincts did a big business this noon. |
The registration was 1853 male and |
S95 female. The vote this afternoon /
runs about 500. The school board |
question is in full blast in this ward |
and a lar-e number of ReDublicanSk