The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-12
GOVERNOR sTUBBs' VICTORY.

I
Present indications are that under
4 the peculiar United States senatorial
primary plan that prevails in this
| state. Governor Stubs has won the
Republican nomination for this high
| office, and this in spite of the fact,
that he is committed o the support of
presidential candidate of different
party. He declares that it is the
| greatest political victory that has ever
perched on his banners.
Considering the fact that Governor
Stubs has insisted that the prairies
and hills of Kansas are alive with a
seething sentiment for Theodore
Roosevelt and all questions and all
men that have his endorsement; con-
sidering the fact that Governor Stuoos
is one of the sponsors and most earn
est advocates of the T2ull Moose move
ment; and considering the further TACT
that many of the legislative districts
carried by him were won by most
meager majorities, the victory that
M. Stubbs has adhered does not ap-
pear to be nearly as magnificent as he
claims And, as a matter of fact,
Senator Curtis and his friends are OF
the opinion that there is still an ex-
cellcnt chance for Mr.. Stubs to be
defeated when the official count is
made.
There is a much more important
feature of the Republican senatorial
primary, however. that does not make
the claimed victory oS Mr.. Stubs sucn
a. wonderful political performance.
And that is that Senator Curtis re-
ceived the popular vote in this pri-
mary. That makes him the senatorial
choice of a majority of the voters OF
the state who participated IN the Re-
publican primary. Under all the gem
eral primary pretentions OF Governor
Stubbs and his friends In the Bun
Moose party the popular vote shoulo
determine the outcome of the primary
Thev tore their hair and ragged around |
like wild lions when Mr.. Roosevelt got
the popular vote in the Ohio presl- |
dental primary, but Mr.. Taft's friends
carried enough political districts 10 |
give them control of the state conVen-
ton which selected the delegates at
large from that state to the Repuoll-
can national convention. They were
not nearly so angry, of course, When
similar situation arose in Massachu-
sets. where Mr.. Taft received the
popular vote but where klnk IN the
primary law permitted @dr. RooseYeit
to walk away with the delegates at
large. But that was another story, as
Rudyard Kipling would say. On gen
eral principles, though, Mr.. Stupos
and the Bull Moosers are in favor OF
a primary that awards the nomination
on the popular vote. They are exactly
right in their contentious that such a
primary is the only fair and square
one.
And did the United States senatorial
primary in Kansas operate in the same
way, Senator Curtis would have been
Therefore, the victory |
that Mr.. Stubs has won does not ap-
pear to be excessively large. A pri-
mary plan that permits the thwartlng
of the expressed popular will of the
voters of a party is not primary at
all, in the accepted sense of the term.
But Mr.. Stuhbs has nosed out, appar-
emily, in the first important step to-
wards the realization of his senatorial
dreams under the indefensible rules OF
the game as they prevail for the time
being in Kansas, and there can be no
criticism of his victory. Still it does
not seem to be as great one as he
rir