The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-07

one hundred thousand Republicans of
massachusetts, did not vote at the pri-
maries. If allowance be made for
the normal increase in the voting pop
ulation of Massachusetts, in four years
then it is probably safe to report that
from hundred and fifteen thousand
to a hundred and twenty thousand
Republicans did not vote at the pri-
maries on Tuesday last. A little
more than one-half Of the estimated
Republican vote in Massachusetts was
represented. therefore, in the pri-
maries.
So the questions are asked: sewhat
was the disposition of the hundred and
fifteen thousand Republican voters
of Massachusetts, who did not care to
participate in the primaries? Were
they Indifferent, not caring whether
President Taft were nominated or
Colonel Roosevelt named at the Re-
publican convention fnsJune? Do they
take no fancy to this method of per-
hitting the people to-. express their
preference respecting presidential or
other candidates for i0hfee2'' And it
is also said here that if this sentiment
is a permanent one then much that
has heretofore been said in favor of
the primary must be4aualified. 1t is
known that many party men fear lest
the reforms may go too far, leaving
party organization as perfunctory a
political apparatus as is the electoral
college, which meets simply to regis
ter, in the manner prescribed by the
constitution, the vote cast for presi-
dent and vice president If parties
become mere skeletons, will the poll
t1c1an and boss be eliminated, or will
their activities be conferred upon the
primary rather than upon election?
As 1t Was in New York.
A somewhat similar result of pri-
mary voting is illustrated by the pri-
maries of New York City a few weeks
ago. Not much more than one-half
of the normal Republican vote of the
city was represented at these pri-
maries. To some extent this is true,
relatively, in New Hampshire and in
other states. Reports which have
come to New York from some parts of
the west, if they are accurate, justify
the impression that the preferential
or direct primary must be much
modified or greatly improved if it is
to become the effective apparatus by
which the will of the people may be
registered and enforced.
Some criticism has been heard in
this city and, we hear, has been
strongly expressed in Massachusetts,
to the effect that the preferential pri-
maries are responsible for the I'M
precedented presidential politics now
in vogue. They explain the appear
ance of candidates for presidential
nomination upon the stump, and it is
thought here they in part explain the
personal part which an ex-president
and the president of today have taken
in prevailing politics. At the same
time, it must be reported that the
common opinion is that some method
of this kind is inevitable if the peo-
pie are to be freed from the auto
cratic, dogmatic and often corrupt
features of what is called ''boss rule
The experiences this year may lead
legislatures to amend and wisely mod
ify the primary laws, having especial
care that no one vote at a primary
who is not qualified by party affilia-
ton to do that
Was 1t a Blunder?
Undoubtedly some of the state
chartered banking institutions will set
tn emSelves in antagonism to the de-
mand made by the Pujo committee
swers to questions written by the
committee be made The objection is
based upon the conviction that the
committee has far exceeded its pow
ers in demanding of state chartered
institutions detailed. information as to
their business. This feeling is not con-
fined to bank officers and depositors
in state banking institutions. The
understanding here is that it is shared
by every state banking department,
so far as heard FROM in the United
States. The feeling here is that the
Pujo committee has made grievous
blunder if it be met at the beginning
of its investigation by resistance
WlAACA Will OC CIAOO0ACOs II Unnecessary,
in legal proceedings which will not
be terminated until the supreme court
of the United States has passed upon
this matter.
Much of the information demand
ed by the Pujo committee would prob
ably have been furnished had the
committee made its appeal to the state
banking fund as The Comptroller of
the currency has often, done.
1t seems almost like an answer to
IL - f.
larged the scope of the investigation
into the socalled money trust which
is to be carried on by the Pujo COM
mittee that in two states there is en-