The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-11-07

ELECTION RESULTS.
Both the Democrats and the Pro-
gressives seem to be rather unduly
elated over the result Of the state cleo
ton in Massachusetts,. where the
gubernatorial candidate Of the former
received the biggest plurality that has
ever been attained by the Democratic
party in that state and where the Pro-
gressive candidate ran second and con-
siderably ahead Of the man on the Re-
publican ticket. The real Significance
Of this outcome doesn't show ON the
face Of the returns. In the first place.
Mr.. Bird. the Progressive candidate. is
among tbs really superior men OF
Massachusetts, and the country. He Is
q reformer Of the unusual variety who
begin their reforming with themselves.
He IL one Of the most successful BUSH
ness men in the state, and a manufac-
turer who has not waited for laws and
outside influences to make him do his
full duty to his employees. His plants
are run continuously, or twenty-four
hours a day. But for years he has
been keeping them going with three
shifts of workers. which gives his en-
ployees an eight-hour work-day. and
for which he has been paying them as
much an the same kind of labor in
other Massachusetts, plants receives
for ten and eleven hours of work. This
and many other of his methods OF
courteous and decent treatment Of his
workmen make him one of the most
personally popular of employers in the
, state with the big laboring interests.
Naturally his political following would
be larger than that Of an ordinary
candidate of the theoretically progress
sive variety.
But over and above Mr.. Birds per-
sonal strength. must be considered the
weakness Of Mr. Gardner who ran on
the Republican ticket. He obtained
his nomination in the Republican pri-
maries and Immediately thereafter re-
nounced his allegiance to the Republic
an party in Massachusetts, because
| it did not draft a platform exactly to
his liking. But he continued to make
the gubernatorial race as the Repub-
lican candidate. Under these circum-
stances it was no more than to be ex-
pected that large numbers of the Re
breach of faith and trust by voting
against Gardner and for other candi-
dates in the contest. To expect all of
! the voters Of party to march to the
| polls and cast their ballots for a candi-
date who betrays it. is expecting some
thing that Is contrary to human ma
| ture. And this certain detection from
Gardner Is probably responsible for the
record breaking plurality of the Dem
ocratic candidate and the showing
made by the Progressive candidate.
| Nor does a CAREFUL analysis Of the
results of Tuesday in other states
really warrant 30 much enthusiasm
from the Democrats. or such insistence
that they were significant endorse
ments Of Democratic methods and the
! Wilson administration. Such a premise
can only be based on the cold face OF
the returns And in 1t no considera-
ton is given to the fact that the Dem
ocratic vote in most instances was
about normal with what the Demo
cratic vote has been in the past. This
shows that such strength as the Pro-
gressives polled came almost exclus-
lively from the ranks of the erstwhile
Republicans.
OF course. the Democrats are entitled
| to enthuse over their victories. They
have been working and fighting val
iantly for them for many years. But
the important fact that these victorie!
are being won because of the division
that now exists in what was the Re-
publican party that defeated the Dem
ocrats with great regularity, makes II
impossible properly to construe them
as emphatic endorsements of Demo
cratic principles and policies.