The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-09
From Precinct Committeeman
to President of the q. S.
ONLY CLARK AND WILSON
Are Running on the Demo-
cratic Primary Ballot.
The Republican Fight Is a
Three-COrnered Affair.

Chicago, April 9.-lll1nolS cltlzens
went to the polls today to cast theii
ballots in the most momentous prl-
mary contest ever seen in the state
For the first time a direct expression
of preference for a presidential can
didate on the Republican and Demo-
crat ticket is possible to the voters
and supporters OF President IaII' III u
Roosevelt and Senator LaFollette, Re-
publicans; and of Champ Clark ano
woodrow Wilson, Democrats, were busy
with the opening of the polls
In the Republican party the vote py
congressional districts will control ths
COMMISSION of the delegates to the ma
tional convention except for the dele
gates at large, who will be selecteu
by the state convention.
The Democratic delegates will be
selected by that party's state cohVen-
tion. The presidential preference Vol1
is advisory and carries with it only
moral obligation.
Next to the presidential vote the CUB
ernatorial nomination in both the great
parties is the center of interest On
the Republican slde thGIe dle I..,1
candidates, Governor Deneen, Len
Small of Kankakee; States Attorney
Wayman of Chicago; former Governor
Richard Yates. State Senator W. :.
Jones: State Senator c. F. HurIDurSn
of GaIesburg; John ]. Brown OF van
dalia, and J. McCan Davis oA SpAAA6-
field.
In the gubernatorial fight among the
Republicans the issue IS dehned py
some as Lorimer and antl-Lorllner-
Governor Deneen's followers have con
tended that a vote for anyone put lne
governor is, in effect, a vote in favor
of the Lorimer forces, who have en-
dorsed the candidacy of Small
State Senators Jones and Hurlburgh
have conducted their campaigns As
man has carried his canvass through
the state and spared neither the Lori
rner men nor the state administrator
in his criticisms
The same trail of Lorimer and anti
T,oriner runs throughout the state Of
fices and into the list of candidates for
congress and the general assernDly
down to precinct committeeman OF
whom 4,26O are TO be elected
The Democrat Side.
on the Democratic side the fight Is
over the control of the state central
committee which forces character1zeo
as the Hearst-Harrison group IN en-
cago and throughout the state as the
anti-Sullivan men. are seeking to wrest
from National Committeeman Roger
c Sullivan
The anti-SuIlivan faction in general
is supporting the candidacy of Champ
Clark and opposed to them are the fol
lowers of Governor Woodrow wilson.
The gubernatorial fight in the Demo
cratic party is between Ben f, Cald,
AIschuler of Aurora; Edward f;
Dunno. former mayor of Chicago, ana
George E. Dickson OF New Lennox-
Each county ana distrlct mas ies
eral sight over the more important
An advisory vote on United States
senator also is tied up in the primary.
sid Senator Ctnl-
Iorn long a representative of Illinois
in the upper house, faces the fight of
his life Lawrence Y. Sherman, for
mer speaker of the general assembly,
and State Senator Hugh Magin are
active candidates against h1m sherman
hos large personal following and |
Magiu has made hi fight as a pro-
lanes Hamilton Lewis of Chicago
is the sole candidate on the Demo-
cratic ticket for the United States
senate.
ticket the voting was slow and fewer
votes were recorded in the city and
country districts in the early hours |
than is usual
in the country districts and campaign |
managers predicted an unprecedented
vote
Serious trouble between negro work |
ers for Taft and Roosevelt was averted |
in one precinct of the Second ward on |
the south side in this city by the |
prompt arrival of the police in re- |
Spouse to a riot call.
Each side accused the other of un- |
fair tactics and several of the leaders /
engaged in threats of violence before |
the police arrived.
Hundreds of voters in the First |
ward left the polls without voting be- |
cause of the failure of officials to get |
the voting machines in operation for |
several hours after the polls opened.
Mrs A o. Erickson, wife of an as
sistant states attorney, caused con-
fusion among workers for woman suf-
frage in the Twenty-third ward by /
appearing at the polls and opposing
votes for women.
ssWomen are too hysterical and
nervous to vote, in my opinion said
Mrs. Erickson. 'I do not believe they
should be allowed to cast ballots with
men,
a heavy vote against woman suf-
frage was cast in the river wards, ac-
cording to the reports received
Only Three Precincts Above Water.
Cairo, Ill, April 9.-The primary
contest caused little excitement here
TODAY. Voters as rule remained away
from the polls, bein- more interested
in protecting the levees.
There are but three precincts in
Alexander county, outside of Cairo,
that are not under water. The voters
in Cache went the polling places in
boats This also was the case in Lake
Milligan, Goose Island, Beech Ridge
and East Cape precincts. The voting
places were in the second stories of
buildings.