The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-07-31
Taft Forces Claim County
Clerks May Err.
MIGHT LEAVE OFF ALL NAMES
Then Roosevelt Crowd Might
Win, Regulars Say.
Dawson Is Not Worried and
Austin Has New Letter.

There is a new fear surrounding the
printing of the Republican primary
election ballots and that fear comes
from the Taft forces in Kansas, who
assert that ballots may he distributed
by some ofthe county clerks under a
msapprehension and that names of
ncne of the Republi electoral can
didates will appear thereon. This fear
vas raised when telephone calls reach
ed Republican leaders in Topeka in
which clerks in several counties ex-
pressed an uncertainty as to how 20
proceed under the Dawson telegram of
Monday
That is not the only trouble. News
has come to Topeka that il some of
the counties the Republican primary
ballots are already printed and that
names of all of the Is electoral candi-
dates-faVcrable both to Taft and
Ike osevelt-have been printed. This
VIII mean that a ruling against the
Roosevelt candidates will cause a
1hrther muddle in the printing and dis
trlDut1on of the ballots.
1t is claimed by the Taft forces
tnat IN event of a delay in the de-
cls1on of Judge Pitney, that county
clerks will become impatient will
distribute the ballots and name of
none of the candidates will be print
ed. 1t is argued that this situation
would give the Roosevelt forces the
better of the situation as they have
Hooded the state with circulars giving
the names of their candidates and
that posters have been displayed in
every precinct in the state. This
fear, however is not shared by At
torney General Dawson. He saws he
VIII not permit the distribution of a
single ballot in Kansas until they are
printed according to the law and the
instructions of the court and that the
interests of both the Taft and Roose-
h.
guarded.
Dawson Makes Explanation.
Neither faction is going to be able
to slip one over on the other on this
ballot muddle while 1 am on the job, .
said Dawson. LAS soon as hear from
Washington the proper advice will lei
wired to the county clerks to print al
eighteen names OF the ten Taft names
only. If any county clerk has gone so
far as to print the entire eighteen ol-
ready and that should be held improp-
er b. the court, he can print a new
batch of ballots or he can put pastors
over the illegal names or blot them out
with a rubber stamp or run them
through the press again printing
raised slugs over the illegal names. or
such other way as some practical
printer may suggest. The statute sol
s'Nor will the delay affect the pri-
mary. The statutes prescribing the
time the ballots must be ready are
precautionary and directory only. The
courts have held time and again that
mere Irregularities do not vitiate an
election unless fraud of sufficient
potency to change the result is proved
of course if the Roosevelt electors
names are thrown out, then no matter
how few may be the votes for the TAFT
electors they will be nominated s they
will have no other opponents on the
Republican ballot. My information IS
that the Democratic, Socialist ard
blank ballots are all ready nearly ev-
erywhere."
Taft Forces Not Satisfied.
The Dawson assurances have not en-
+ira1v restored peace and quiet among
the regulars, however. They argue
chat there are many chances to mis-
understand the Dawson telegram and
+bat in the remote sections of the state
+bere NAV be some trouble that will
I-irtualIy disqualify a per cent of the
voters Under no ruling of the court, |
nv any construction of the law, can
the ballots be legally printed and dis
+rihuted without the names of the ten
raft electoral candidates; and it is fear
Of violation of this ruling that Will
cause trouble
As soon as the Pitney decision is re-
ceived in Topeka, Dawson will wire all
county clerks how to proceed. He |
denies that there is the slightest pos
sibility of the distribution of any of the !
ballots before this final instruction is |
sent.
Austin Takes a Hand.
State Printer w. c. Austin today
added a few lines to the Republican /
urinary ballot muddle, when he an |
swered a letter which Fred E. Stanley, |
Republican national committeeman,
has sent to the county clerks. Austin |
urges the clerks to be diligent and /
cautious and to take no false steps
that will result in the necessity of re- |
printing the ballots. He insists that |
If names of any electoral candidates |
are printed on the ballots. they must
be printed in the order certified to
the clerk by the secretary of state |
will invaIidate the printing.
Austin today sent this letter to all .
county clerks:
National Committeeman Fred STAN
lev has informed all the county clerks /
that if they print any part of the Re /
publican primary ballots they must /
print the names of the Taft electors |
and omit the Roosevelt electors, pend /
ing the decision of the United States /
supreme court.
'County clerks and printers who fol-
low this plan will get in mixup that /
will cause the reprinting of all the |
ballots if the supreme court holds in /
cause, in this event. the electors must |
he printed on the ballots in the order
in which they were certified to the /
county clerks by the secretary of state |
Must Follow the Law.
'-The Taft electors and the Roose- |
velt electors are all mixed up on the
ballot. It would not be legal to print |
space for electors and leave suffi- |
cient blank space to fill in the /
CContinued on Page Two,a