The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-10
Place All Electors in Republic
can Column.
Vote for Ten Same as in the
Primary.
DAVE LEAHY FIGURES IT OUT
Must Be Concessions for State
and County Tickets.
Have Circle Opposite Il. R. Men
and Square for Taft.
EAGLE EMBLEM OVER ALI
No Excuse Then to Bolt Repub.
Iican Ticket.
A Referendum Straight Up to
Republican Voters.

I'D just like to be a political boss
for two or three days-and for two or
three days only" said David Leahy
yesterday. He was swapping ideas
with some newspaper friends.
What would 1 do? I would take
the bull by the horns and straighten
out this difficulty in the Republican
party or put a lot of fellows who are
talking to much in a tight hole.
Easy. Why, man, it is easier than
falling out of bed. I could settle 1t
all within AS hours, make every reas-
onable person satisfied, have all the
court cases dismissed and not disturb
a single candidate now on the Repub-
lican ticket. To shift the Roosevelt
electors to the Independent column
would be profoundly stupid and 1t
would not only be fatal to the nation
al interest in this state, but it would
knock the state ticket sky high in
November. By my plan the electoral
vote of Kansas would go either to
Roosevelt or Taft without a question
of doubt, and every candidate on the
Republican ticket for state and county
office would score an overwhelming
victory at the general election.
The complaint now among certain
Republicans is that they have no op-
pOrtunity to vote for Taft. I would
not only give it to them, but l would
give it to them in the Republican col
umn, under the Eagle Others say that
If the Republicans of Kansas knew
that if Roosevelt intended to run on
a third party ticket the day of the pri-
maries, they would not give his lectorS
maries, they would not give his electors
this proposition also by an effective
referendum that would not cost a pen
ny and that would be such a, complete
expression of the Republican will that
not a single person could dispute it.
would have the whole thing so fair,
Just, harmonious and practical that no
man could have any genuine fault to
find with it.
Circle and Square.
How would 1 do it? Very easily. I
would have all Taft Republicans vote
in the circle over his name 1 would
have all Roosevelt Republicans vote
in the squares opposite the names OF
the Roosevelt electors. If more people
voted in the circle than in the square,
7 would have it made a popular in
struction to the electors to vote for
Taft If more people voted in the
square than in the circle, would have
it regarded as popular instruction
to the electors to vote for Roosevelt.
This would give both sides fair Op-
portunity to vote for their men in the
Republican column.
In the event that this additional
referendum would declare Roos svrl- to
he the choice of the Republican parry
of Kansas 1 would still desire to show ,
p startling fairness to our standpat ,
friends by proposing that if Taft re-
ceived within 20 per cent of the total
vote given to Roosevelt, or say 40 p r
cent of the entire Republican vote of
the state, it should make him eligible
T. tie ten electoral votes of Kansas i'll
tie event that he could win in tlia cltC- |
toral cotege and Roosevelt couldn't
Plan Is Legal.
But what means would I find in the |
,aw for count of the Taft ara Rcose- |
veit votes separately?
That problem is so easily solved that |
it is not worth considering 1t can be |
del the present law without the expense /
OF a single penny.
IF the Standpats are sincere they
will accept some proposition of this |
kind If the Progressives are as fair
as l think they are, they will make I
some such a concession.
Try to Reach That Middle Ground.
There is quite a good deal of middle
ground between the factions in this re-
spect and the side that Will Weld to
some plan like this will get the voters
who occupy it.
IF the Taft people think he is the
choice of the Republicans of Kansas
they ought to fear nothing from this. If
the Progressive Republicans believe
that Roosevelt is still the choice of
be repeatedly, how can they object to
it. -
For the life of me, cannot see how
either side can lose in a proposition
of this sort. It is very easy for me
to see how the state and county Re-
publican candidates can win hands
down all over Kansas"