The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-11-11
MIR. CAPPER,s SHOWING.

| No man has ever been exceedingly
successful in an endeavor to serve two
masters. And Arthur Capper is an
| other prominent Kansan who has had
| this lesson forced home to him in that
relentless institution of learning, more
Familiarity known as the school of ex-
perience. He seems to have been de-
feated in his quest for the Kansas gov
ernorship by a small but nonetheless
effective majority. 1t may take the
official count of the state board of can
vassers to decide the recent guberna-
torial contest. But even if this official
count should give Mr.. Capper a vic
tory, which is extremely doubtful, his
majority would be such a small one
that no stretch of the imagination
could construe it as anything that saw
ored of an extensive popular endorse
ment of his candidacy for the highest
state office within the gift of the Leo
pie of this commonwealth.
That is what he and his friends were
expecting. And that is what might
might have been his had he remained
true to the Republican faith and COM
ported himself as a real Republican
candidate for office. Such was the
happy fate of the men on the Republi-
can state ticket whose loyalty to the
Republican cause, even in it's hour of
deepest distress was unquestioned. Mr..
Capper is a native son of considerable
distinction. He has achieved a re-
markable success in his chosen field of
labor His personal popularity
throughout the entire state has al
ways been deservedly large, and I'M
doubtedly is yet. There are probably
many Republicans who were reluctant
at heart to cast a vote against HIM. |
But they are not open to criticism if
they deemed it their duty to vote |
against a man who had no moral
right to a place on the Republican |
ticket, for the simple reason that he
was ardent in the support of the presi- |
dental candidate of another party.
When Mr.. Capper announced his
candidacy for the Republican guber-
Material nomination there was general
acclaim among the Republicans of
Kansas. There was every reason to
believe that he would maintain his
Republicanism in the future in the
same sturdy fashion he had in the
past. And had Mr.. Roosevelt been the
nominee of the Republican national
So would have all other Republicans,
although the pill would have been a
bitter one for many of them to swal
low. And had Mr.. Roosevelt been CIV
en- this nomination there would nave
been no such thing as the Progressive
party. But Mr.. Roosevelt's ambitions
in that direction were thwarted, and
he left the Republican party. He or
=; 81
Of his own, and became it's presid
nominee In the meantime Mr.. Cap
per had been given the Republican
for governor. But he de-
,ied his Republicanisn to the extent
If becoming vigorous in his support OF
Colonel Roosevelt, an avowed enemy
IF the Republican party. And When
ne cast his lot in this fashion, there
vas no moral reason on the race OF
he earth why he should expect the
Undivided support of the Republicans
If Kansas, even though he occupied
| place on the Republican ticket as
candidate for office. IA
1t was this attempted political strad-
lie of Mr.. Capper's that resulted in his
making such a poor showing on cleo
ion day. That he did better than Mr..
,tubbs. who pulled the stroke oar in
he same boat, must be attributed TO ,
he larger personal popularity
the state that he enjoyed
Men in Kansas and elsewhere who
reach the square deal" in politics
will find out before many more years :
lave passed, if they have not done so
.lready. that the voters in a party ex-
,ect them to practice it.