The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-04
Rush for Ballot Boxes in TOpeka
Commenced Early.
Over Ten Thousand Votes Cas-
by Noon Hour.
WOMEN COMING OUT
Nearly Every Precinct Shows
Heavy Gains.
Interest Centers in the Contest
on Mayor.

The people of Topeka are Haunting
their banners in the face of the wealth
er man today. They were told last
evening that election day would be
rainy and disagreeable and they were
not going to vote today heavily as
In the primaries.
But the vote today promises to exceed
the record breaking vote at the pri-
maries. In nearly every precinct in the
city the judges and clerks report
larger vote than at the primaries g
week ago. 1t is estimated by election
offcials that the vote today-if it does
not rain this evening-will reach the
1900 maVk and possibly 10000. The
vote at the primary was l4,9S9 or IL
under the $4,000 mark
At 10 o'clock this morning more than
One-half of the precincts in the city
Especially in those parts where there
are no pavements, a vote averaging 100
more than the primaries was polled. lE
the first of the Fifth for instance, 400
votes were cast and last week the total
was 305.
And the women are paying little
attention to the weather. In fact the
Candidates for mayor are not allow
ing them to stay at home. Before the
polls close this evening nearly every
house in the city of Topeka will have
riages from the Billiard and McNeal
crowds-giving the women better
chance to go to the polls regardless of
Weather. And they are going, too.
The election judges state today that
more women are voting than at the
primaries, when the weather was ideal.
This noon a hurried canvass of new
votes at the polls in the % city pre-
cincts was taken by the State Journal.
Il was found that the average number
Of new votes this election at every
precinct averaged 15. This alone
would mean 365 more votes than were
east at the primaries-in case all the
old votes came in. Before evening
this number should be doubled.
Owing to the few votes cast for the
losing candidates for mayor and the
Increased interest in the last weeks
campaign practically all Of the old
vote will be cast. The close race for
mayor btween Billiard and McNea! ac-
counts for the interest-also the fight
among the strong candidates for COM
missioners.
Titus Places Figures High.
At o'clock this afternoon c. II.
titus, city election commissioner, bas-
ing his figures on what could be found
from the judges of the polls. estimated
that nearly O,500 votes had been cast.
This is much more than had been cast
1t the primary at the same hour. But
many people have voted this morning,
fearing that it would rain this after
noon.
The vote today is a big surprise to
both sides. The McNeal or dry peo-
Die figured that a bad day might
5eopardize their vote-that it would
hinder the female vote. 1t is the Wo-
man vote that is depended upon large
" to elect Tom McNeal mayor. ON
the other hand the Billiard people reared
that a rainy day would hinder their
big following on the more impossible
streets.
But when the women get it into their
heads that unless they vote the city.
fhe state, the country and the world
~-til 90 to the bow-wows, and when
they have a chance to ride to the polls
IN a motor car-nothing could keep
them home again.
IT won't be the fault of the candi
dates if the entire vote is not brought
to the polls today. Every means is
1Ised to break the women away from
their ironing, and the men away from
their office and labors. Many corpora
fiona in town have declared few
hours holiday and the employees have
a chance to make known their wants
1rfeht for Mayor Center of Interest.
The fight for mayor is the absorbing
interest despite the work of the com
r1issfoners- Since the nomination of
McNeal and the platforms have been
narrowed down to a wet and dry
issue Not that Mayor Billiard Will al
Tow things to run wide open in case
he Is Reelected. but that the enemies
OF the administration believe that the
raayor's inclinations and his reputation
a. an enemy of prohibition is a detri-
nnent to the city and state.
The supporters of both parties claim
a victory today: The surprisingly
large vote from the dry wards gives
the McNeal people hope and the Bill
lard supporters depend upon the
nronosftion that McNeal must capture
"a ner cent of the entire Lux and
Hughes votes in the primaries to as
sure him the place.
The short ballot should enable the
Judges and clerks to make a quick
count Tonight. If the few precincts
where II usually takes about "a hours
TO count hold out. the final count will
he deleved. But if these few pre-
cfncfs whip up and get away from
their old habits, the State Journal may
be able to flash tbs final returns on
the bulletin boards before midnight.
The contest, however, may be so
close that the result may not be
irnown before some time in the morn
The polls will close at o'clock to-
At o'clock this afternoon the driz-
lie which was intermittent throughout
+i,a morning, settled into a steady light
--afr. This later weather outlook is
-,of ancouraging for record breaking
vote.