The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-11-07
GoyERNoR sTUBBs's DEFEAT.

GOVERNOR STUBBSS DEFEAT.
Governor Stubb's failure to win
| porular endorsement for his United
States senatorial candidacy is no more
than the usual measure accorded to
man who attempts to carry water on
both shoulders. This is an almost
impossible undertaking in any field of
endeavor. 1t is especially SO in poll
tics. The voters as a rule have little
sympathy for any man who attempts
to effect a doublecross. Indeed, the
crisscross is only successful for gains
on the football gridiron. Even there
the trick is such an old one that an
alert opposition is now able easily to
discern and stop it.
To attribute Mr.. Stubs defeat to
the Democratic landslide in Kansas is
going beyond the facts as they appear
even on the surface. For several of
the candidates for state office who ran
on the Republican ticket and the reg
ularity of whose Republicanism is not
open to question, walked home with
safe victories. Governor Stubs was
the power behind the throne in the
Roosevelt movement in Kansas. Will
liam Allen White was the titular
agent of the cause, and looked after
the details of it's campaign. But Gov
ernor Stubs was it's sponsor. He was
among the seven governors who playei
such a large part in encouraging Col
Roosevelt to decide to become can
didate for a third presidential term.
That was certainly Mr.. Stubbs's
privilege. 1t was also another mark
of his well-known courage in the po-
litical arena.
But when Mr.. Roosevelt bolted from
the Republican party. called it a rot
ten husk." and organized a new and
distinct party of his own, the time came
for Governor Stubs and all other
Roosevelt supporters to decide between
their new political love and their old
one Governor Stubbs practically did
neither. He entered the Republican
primaries, as was his undoubted right
for at that time the Roosevelt fight was
being carried on within the ranks of the
Republican party. He obtained the Re
publican United States senatorial nom
ination regularly under the laws of the
state, even if he did not get the popular
vote. Subsequently, though, when Mr..
Roosevelt's aspirations were defeated in
the Republican national convention and
he left the Republican party bag and
baggage Mr.. Stubs did not follow him
all the way. He assumed a dual attitude.
He campaigned for the election of Col
onel Roosevelt to the presidency as the
candidate of an independent party. and
he maintained his position on the reg
ular Republican ticket as a candidate
for the United States senate. And this,
too, regardless of the expressed wish of
Colonel Roosevelt that no Progressive
candidate-and that is what Mr.. Stubs
labeled himself, even If he was on the
Republican ticket-would remain on
any ticket that appeared on the ballot
under the names of Taft and Sherman.
Inasmuch as the test of party fealty
in this country is the support of the
nominees of the national conventions,
the sturdy Republicans of Kansas who
carry the scars of many hard fought
battles for the Republican cause, can
scarcely be criticized If they did not
see their way clear to vote for q man
on their ticket who did not have the
moral right, at least, to be there in
view of his active support of the presi-
dental candidate of another part
And they evidently did not.
Mr. Stubs has rendered generally
excellent service to Kansas during the
years that he has been active in the
public arena. He has been an ad-
rnirable governor in almost every par
ticular in the discharge of the ad-
ministrative affairs of the state. He
has fought courageousIy and success
fully for reforms that have been worth
while. It is his political methods with
which his erstwhile Republican admir-
ers found fault. And they certainly
registered their protest at the polls in
convincing fashion.