The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-01
Each viii Have is Delegates in
Chicago Convention.
The PRESIDENTS PLURALITY
On the Popular Vote Is More
Than 5000.
Clark Has Big Majority and
FOss the Delegates.


emerged today from her first presi-
Dental preferential primary election
to find that the Republican voters
had expressed a preference for the re-
nomination OF President Taft but not
withstanding had given Colonel Roose-
yelt Is of the SO delegates to the ma
tiona1 convention.
Roosevelt leaders said the Taft pref
erence would have no effect on the Is
delegates chosen '''for Roosevelt and
that the expression of the voters for
Taft would be disregarded.
The Democratic voters of the state
expressed a preference for Speaker
Champ Clark, although a majority of
the delegates to Baltimore will go
pledged to Governor Foss.
Just how Massachusetts, could SEND
an evenly divided delegation to Chi
cago while on the preference vote Ta1t
has a plurality of $500 over Roosevelt
is partly explained by the wording or
the state preferential primary law, en-
acted two months ago. BY that law
every voter, to have his vote recorded,
was compelled to mark each delegate
at large of his party; there being IN no
circular for voting by groups. The
law enabled hundreds of voters to
mark the eight names in the delega-
ton headed by G. S. Baxter ana styl-
ed ''for Theodore Roosevelt and
another part of the ballot
The Democrat Vote.
On the Democratic ticket, although
10 of the 15 candidates for delegates
at large to Baltimore, were either
pledged to or indicated to De Ior
Governor F'oss, there was no Foss
name in the presid entail preference
column. Speaker Clark, whose name
did appear in the preference ana VINO
defeated Governor Wilson by a vote
of 2 to /, did not have single pledg-
ed delegate on the list. Many OF the
Democrat district delegates were also
elected pledged to FoSS. Another IN
cident which some observers say may
have had a bearing on the selection
of a Roosevelt delegation at large with
a Taft preferential was the sandwich
ing in of the name of former state
Senator Frank Seibertich, pledged to
Taft between the Roosevelt and Taft
rroups Mr. Seibertich says he was
i'll treated by the Taft managers ana
therefore ran independently.
Reports from many precincts snow
that hundreds of ballots were thrown
out because voters had invahdated
stead of eight names beginning with
Seibertich and going through the en-
tire regular Taft column OF eight
names. The space between the name
of Seibertich and the Taft group was
slight. Every one of the 8 Taft dele
eafes is pledged for Taft while all
of the IS Roosevelt delegates are ''for|
Roosevelt.
The Returns.
Returns from 1,077 out OF 1.OSO
election precincts give:
ReUubfican presidential preference
LaFollette, 1,756; Roosevelt, 71,2OS'
Taft, 74,S0S.
delegates at large-Baxter, heading
Roosevelt group, 7A,12l; crane, mead
ing Taft group, 65,S16
Democratic presidential preference
19,903; Wilson, 9,206.
Delegates at large-Coughlin, pledg-
ed to Foss. 1850; Williams, Tor pref
erence primary, S,256.
roosevelt delegates include the eight
at large and two each from the
Fourth, Fifth, Seventh, Ninth and
Fourteenth districts. The Taft dele
rates are those from the First, Second,
Third. sixth. Eighth, Tenth, Eleventh,
twelfth and Thirteenth districts.
Neck and Neck Race.
From, the report of the very first
town. shortly after noon yesterday,
until an early hour today, the preferen-
ffal race between Taft and Roosevelt
was a neck and neck aHalr: RooseVeit
had the better of the contest during The
early evening but toward midnight the
president forged ahead and gradually
increased his lead until he had a COM
Portable majority at daylight.
On the other hand the contest be-
leaders of the Roosevelt and Taft dele
Gates at large states, was close only
for q few hours. Baxter drew away
until at q. m. today, with 40 precincts
missing. he had lead of more than
1900 votes.
A tabulation of the returns from %
out of Ss cities for all the Republican
candidates for delegates at large shows
very little variation from the Baxter
and Crane votes
The political writer's paid considerable
attention today to the candidacy of
Frank Seibertich of Boston, a former
state senator, who was pledged 10
Taft and who appeared between the
Roosevelt and Taft delegates at large.
Many Ballots Void.
Reports from many voting places
were that many ballots We're invaIi-
dated because nine names were marked
instead of sight, and the Taft managers
claimed today that hundreds of their
supporters were disfranchised by voting
for Seibertich and eight Taft delegates
at large whose names appeared be-
Meath
While the contest for the delegates
at large was settled early last night
the struggle for the Twenty eighth dis
trist DELEGATES continued for more than
twelve hours and at a m today the
Eighth district was still in doubt. with
a ward in Somerville unreported.
the small vote for LaFollette was
one of the features of the primary, and
town after town reported without a
single vote being recorded in his favor.
TO polI less than 1000 in a Republican,
primary where over 10000 votes