The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-19
POLITICAL GOSSIP.
Falling Off in Republican Vote
Causes Alarm.
Gets Lighter Every Succeeding
Primary.
$4,000 STAYED AT HOME.
These Are Figures for Primary
Held This Month.
The Republican Stay-at-HOmes
May Decide Election.

Kansas Progressives find little joy OF
hope in the vote in the statewide pri-
maries of August 6. From the vote
cast the primaries were a disappoint-
ment to the men who pushed the Pro-
gressive cause in the state and flooded
Kansas with literature and lists of hand
picked candidates. Even the strength
of Capper, the star Progressive in the
primary race. was a disappointment.
His vote fell nearly $500 below that
polled by Stubs two years ago and
the strength of all Bull Moose candi-
dates, as shown by the primary re-
turns. was discouragingly weak.
1t is quoted by the politicians that in
round figures, there are 100000 Repub-
Hcan voters in Kansas. This fact is
verified by the reports from the secre-
tary of states office. So, with this vote
as a basis of calculation, something
surely happened in the recent primar-
les. according to all the wise ones who
watch the uDs and downs of the politi-
cal game.
In the first place. the vote polIed in
the Republican primaries was remarka-
bly, light-too light it is urged, in the
face of such a strenuous campaign as
that just closed. Official returns show
that a bare So per cent of the party
strength was listed in the primaries and
the heavy voting was in the cities and
large towns. Against this vote of Sc
per cent in the primaries just closed
are oficial figures showing nearly 6s
per cent of the party strength in the
1910 primaries and practically 81 pei
cent of Il full vote in 1908 And now
the heads of the political machinery
in Kansas are hunting an explanation
that will fit the trouble
That is not all. The mere loss of Is
per cent OF the party votes in the pri-
maries covering a period of two years
might be forgotten, except that this
slump followed one of the most enthu
1astic and thorough campaigns in the
history of the state. 1t might still be
forgotten If the issues this year had
not been the strongest argument the
voter to the polls, And now look at
the figures.
Figures Cause Worry.
Take the case of Governor Stubs.
Four years ago when the statewide
primary was a new and proud tool in
the hands of the individual voter, 123-
3O6 Republicans voted for governor OF
these votes, Stubs received 1881 and
Cyrus Leland. 52,325; a majority of 49,
655 for Stubs. In 1910, came the big
gest vote ever recorded in the Kansas
primaries. That year 137,1S4 Republic
cans voted for governor. That year,
Stubs received S4,970 votes and Thos.
Wagstaff poIled 52.214 votes. This year.
116,34O people voted for United States
senator. Stubs received 1882, Curtis
5S.5Os. Is there anything wrong? Is
there cause for alarm? Ask the poll
ticians.
Yet, that is not all In the Novem-
Der election in 1908, Stubs received
practically the entire strength of the
Republican party in Kansas, when he
polled 1862 votes against 162,3S2
votes cast for J. D. Botkin. That was
q majority of S4,307 for Stubs. In
the 1910 election Stubs strength di-
Ininished more than $4,000 votes
That year he gathered 1852, 1S1, or pol
votes less than were cast for Botkin
IN 1908, and won the election over
George H. Hodges by 16,167. Hodges,
the records showed, lost heavily from
his own ranks and polIed but 146,O14,
after drawing from the Stubs
strength in the larger towns.
With these figures at hand, the poll
<1cian and his pencil arrive at the
Svents OF the recent campaign. He
calculates In his own mind the cam