Barton County democrat., 1914-08-14
OFFICIAL COUNTY PAPER
BACK IN SADDLE.
SWOn Every Fight in Statewide
Primaries.

For the first time since the
enactment of the statewide pri-
mary election law in 1907, the
progressive wing of the Republi-
can party took a genuine beating
at the hands of the regulars in
Tuesdays primary. Every con-
tested office was won by a regu-
lar over a progressive Republican
it seems, and the nominations of
Capper and AkerS to places on
the state ticket may have been
due only to the fact that they did
not have opposition within the
party.
: 1t is quite apparent on the face
Of the returns that the Progress
SiveS did not flock to the Repub-
lican primaries. Or, if any Pro-
greSSiveS participated in the Re-
publican primaries, they forgot
to aid BriStow and progressive
ly inclined Republicans. In every
congressional district where a
contest was held the old line Re-
publican candidate won over the
one disposed toward progressive
{. principles. In most of the other
districts the Republican nominees
are. Republicans of the old school.
This situation is important in
that six years ago BriStow wiped
the Chester |. Long machine off
the map in the first statewide
primary. 1t is important in that
Stubs and Jackson rode on the
wave of reform and proclaimed
victory for the people," In the
primaries of 1910, the effort to
beat the StubbS crowd in the Re-
publican primaries was a joke.
In the primaries of two years ago,
the Roosevelt supporters ran two
to one ahead of the Taft adherentS
in Kansas.
And now Curtis cleans house
with BriStow. Calderhead re-
turns to his own in the Fifth and
/: wipes out all opposition. A RooSe-
: welt supporter of two years ago
f. is bumped on the head by a
Staunch Taft follower in the Sec
ond district, and an old-line Re-
publican by tradition and deep
rooted conviction pushes a pro-
gresSively inclined Republican
from the trough in the Fourth.
In the First, Third, Sixth, Seventh
: and Eighth districts, where no
congressional contests were held.
the old crowd in the party con-
SlStently fought for the places on
the ticket-and received them.
i. AS a fair exchange and evidence
OF good faith, the Roosevelt SUD-
POrterS of two years ago get can
didateS for governor and state
:, treaSurer-nOminated without op-
position. But the fight between
The old regulars and the progress
Sive Republicans has again been
settled.
This time the old crowd holds
the balance of power.
The $4,000 men who voted for
Roosevelt two years ago either
did not 60 to the primaries Tues
day and have repudiated all at
temptS to perfect a harmony pro-
gram, or they have suddenly
changed their political conyic-
mons and lined up behind the men
whom the progressive wing of the
party had fought in Kansas for
u years. The result of the pri-
marieS Tuesday means that Can
per must ardently support not
only Curtis, but Calderhead and
Martindale, Anthony, Dykes and
Campbell. Some of these men
openly fought Capper two wears
ago. And now these men must
support Capper and Akers. They
as the living evidence of the as
Sertion that the Republican party
must point to Capper and Akers
Is the progressive party and that
the peoples hopes are in that or
ganization.
But there is no denying that the
old crowd have come to their own.
They now hold the balance of
power. the whip hand. They can
dictate once more the party
planks that shall be nailed in the
platform this month and Capper
and Akers must stand on them or
get off the ticket. White and Al
len and MuFdock and Stubbs will
not participate in the party coun-