The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-19
Pre- Election Polls and What
They Indicate.
One From Montgomery County
Has Unusual Features.
COMMITTEE MEETING LATER
Republicans Must Await Result
of DolIey Investigation.
Wants to Know How Commit
tee Stands ON Primary.

Straw votes and newspaper polls con-
tinue to be taken all over the state.
Every county has been polled with
more or less accuracy The value of
these polls in gauging sentiment is
problematical but the result is always
interesting. They usually result as the
editor of the paper wants them to re-
suit A Montgomery county poll con-
Quoted by the independence Star, an
Independent paper, has significant
features. For instance, Roosevelt leads
for president, and Bryan comes next
and then Clark and then Taft. Billiard
leads for governor. Capper comes next,
but he has more votes than Hodges
and Ryan combined.
The Star did not divice the vote into
parties but grouped all the candidates
under the heading for each office.
The vote on suffrage for women was
two to one against the idea
Montgomery is one of the populous
Republican counties of the state and is
located down n the southeast corner.
The Stars vote shows that party lines
have been ignored. Roosevelt and Bill
lard led in votes received and Capper
and Bryan came next.
The presidential poll conducted by
the Topeka Capital, which is a rabid
Roosevelt organ, also shows peculiar
features. According to that paper,
only 80 per cent of its subscribers
voted, or 81 per cent did not vote.
twenty per cent of those subscribers
were Republicans and Roosevelt got
but Is per cent of the subscribers
though he led the other candidates by
a wide margin. Does this indicate that
Kansas is not for Roosevelt, or does
It indicate that the people care little
Tor newspaper polls?
1t is now unlikely that the Republi-
can state committee will be called be-
tore the middle of next month State
Chairman Dolley is sending out letters
to the committeeman to ascertain
their ideas in regard to the preSiden-
tai primary. The whole proposition
seems to rest with the committee. If
the majority favor the plan it will
doubtless be carried out. If the ma
Jor1ty oppose it, then the old conven-
ton idea will prevail IN the selection
of delegates
Chairman Dolley has heard from a
number of committeeman who report
In favor of the plan, but he wants
definite information from all the com
mltteemen. The county committees
are meeting in advance of the state
committees, most unusual proceed
ing, but the presidential muddle is
responsible. The chairman wants to
know how the county committees feel
ABOUT the primary. 1t depends. upon
them whether or not the primary shall
be held They will have charge of it's
they would heaven, which is to say
without pay.
A singer comes from Cowley coun-
ty for the presidential primary. The
Cowley county committee declared
two to one for Taft. Cowley has al
ways been regarded as a progressive
county and strong for Roosevelt 1t
may be, but the committee is for Taft
for renomina ton.
two
J. Will Kelley and L. NJ. Penwen were
almost alone in opposition to the Clark
men at the Shawnee county convention
Saturday night. The convention in
structed it's delegates to the state con-
vention for Clark for president and
passed Clark resolutions. The Wilson
men never had a chance. Kelley and
Penwell, both Wilson men. were elect
ed delegates, but refused to serve uu-
der Clark instructions.
The convention was lively affair if
it was one-sided, for Kelley and Pen
Wen are good fighters. The convention
also favored Billiard for governor and
Judge W. H. Thompson of Garden City
for United States senator.
The senatcrship fight in the party
may resolve itself into a Clark AMI
mute. is strong for Wilson, while Judge
Thompson Of Garden City, is one of
the original Clark men in Kansas
The following delegates were elected
TO the HUTCHINSON convention OF Aiarcn
]. B. Billiard. F. s Thomas, G. w.
Veale, Jr., H. G. Lindsay, J. Gun
ninghan, J. b Norman, w. H. KEN
per, E. B. Stotts, w. H. Kerl, Hoyt
Tedrick, F. H. Souther, G. w. Watson.
Judge S. H. Aller lillian Porter, J.
w. Bell and A. F. Horner.
The Clark resolutions passed by the
convention were follows:
BE it resolved. that we, the Demo-
Gratis of Shawnee county in conven-
ton Assem- bled, do hereby instruct the
delegates from this convention to the
Hutchinson convention to be held on
the 14th day of March, 1912, to vote as
a unit for delegates at large to the
national convention and district dele
gates to sad convention who are I'M
qualifiedly and pnquestionably for Hon.
Champ Clark as the nominee of the
Baltimore convention for the presiden-
cy on the Democratic ticket; and be it
further
Resolved, That the delegates from
this convention are hereby instructed to