The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-11-19
POLITICAL GOSSIP
Faction in G.. o. p. Presents
Serious Aspect.
What VIII the Harvest Be in
1914?
'WO FULL TICKETS IN FIELD
That's What 1t Looks Like I'm
less One Faction Gives In.
Then Democrats Will Win
From Governor Down.

What is the future of the Republican
party in Kansas? That question is
asked every day by the men who follow
the political game. And the answer is
the cause of much alarm. VIII the
party adjust it's differences with the
Progressives? Or will the 1914 cam
paign see three separate and distinct
dominant parties in the field in this
state?
There is plenty of logic and arsu-
ment to answer any of these questions
in a manner that will suit your own
personal preference. But what VIII the
narty leaders do about it" Their re-
cent quarrel has been both bitter and
serious 1t has effectually eliminated
the Stubbs element in Kansas politics,
and has caused breach In the party
that will be hard to bridge. On the
other hand, the Democrats are content
ed and serene For the first time in IL
years their party is in the ascendancy
in Kansas, and the Democratic leaders
can be trusted to be careful and eau
tious for a few years lest they lose the
power they have gained through the
factional differences of the Repuon-
cans.
William Allen White, national COM
mitteeman for Kansas for the Pro-
gressive party, has issued an ultimatum
in which he declares that the Progress
sive cause in Kansas is a fight to the
finish. He insists that the 1914 battle
will be fought with the Progressive
party rea!, i've and active element in
the campaign. On the other hand.
George A Clark has declared that the
Republican League has come to stay,
and that it's at home sign Will be on
the door 365 days in the year.
Both White and Clark are perfectly
willing to accept the opposition if they
come meekly and humbly to he
mourner's bench and repent of their re-
cent wayward actions and, above all,
accept the oppositions teachings as
real gospel. But up to the present time
the standing room sign has not been
displayed at either mourning bench,
and political paving bricks are being
hurled with as much ardor as at any
time in the campaign.
Suppose this condition continues. 1t
means that the ProgressiVes will put an
entire ticket in the field in 1914. They
will have a candidate for every office
from road overseer to governor. and the
Regular Republicans will do the same
And under any ordinary conditions, the
Democrats will capture e erything in
sight.
There is only one question to be
considered in the declaration that
Democrats will continue to feed at the
public crib in Kansas That question
is what will the women do?" For
in the next general election your wifes
vote will count for just as much as
your own. Will she follow the new
Progressive party, the Regular Repub-
Hcan organization or will she align
herself with the Democrats?
Every politician is considering that
question. And as a result the party
platforms in 1914 will be trimmed
with pink ribbons and seasonable mil
linery to attract the votes of the wom-
en-. There will be stampede of the
old parties and the new ones to de-
clare for the things that please a
woman's heart. She will be resolved to
be the fairest of the fair and to have
unquestioned right to anything and
everything that her fancy suggests.
Things that never found their way into
be put in the party's very display win
dows and the results viewed from a
safe distance.
In this contest for women's votes.
the Progressives will probably have
the better of the argument. They are
not bound by precedents or former
party traditions. But the other par
ties may be trusted to be some
where in sight. Such things as PEN
sjons for mothers, shorter hours for
the working girl and few expressions
about the sacred home and an en-
d dcrsement of moral uplifts in general
will all find a place in the 1914 plat
forms under black face sub-headings.
And So with all these Things in view,
the politicians Of the old school are
making no great effort to coax the
wanderers from the flock back into the
fold. Each seems perfectly willing to
bide his time and to await results. As
for the Demo ocrats they are perfect
ly willing to let things stand just A.
they are. There is not one serious
factional difference that is causing
the Democratic leaders unrest. For
the first time in almost a decade the
Democratic party in Kansas is a going
concern and in the recent election paid
the first dividend in 16 years. So why
should the Democrats be worried if the
factional leaders in the Republican
party vote to continue the war?
Should Hodges win the gubernato-
rial contest, it means the elimination
OF Bank Commissioner Dolley. 1t also
m cans that the Regular Republicans
will probably repudiate Dolley's work
as chairman of the state committee.
II means more. With a shaking up
in the state committee, the already di-
vided county committees will each go
their own way. And when the 1914
opens there will be a new
&C unty central committee on the firing
line. The Progressives will eliminate
the Regulars from their committee
and the Regulars will build a COM
mittee with no Bull Moose followers on
the list That, the politicians claim,
will be the first step in the division of
the party in Kansas.
Already plans are being laid for the
fight which il to be waged against
United States Senator ]. l.. BristoW in
the campaign two years hence. Bris-
w might well thank the gods Of for
tune that he was not candidate in
the recent campaign. Perhaps there
will he a gaueral settlement of fac-