Las Vegas optic., 1914-08-25
MICHIGAN Scene
OF POLITICAL
BATTLE
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS
HAVE CONTESTS AT THE
PRIMARIES

OAO1C 49,
tical battles staged in Michigan in
years, the voters engaged in general
primary election today for the selee-
tion of candidates for the state offices
to be filled at the November election.
These offices include the governor
ship, supreme court 1usticeship, su-
perintendency of public instruction,
and two regencies of the University
of Michigan. In addition, candidates
are to be named for II representatives
in congress and members of the state
Legislature. Michigan does not elect
United States senator this year.
There are peculiar conditions exist
ing in Michigan politics at the pres
ent time that make the primary battle
Of more than ordinary interest. In
the first place, the state has demo
cratic governor, the first to occupy
the executive office for more than 20
years. The question that is uppermost
in the minds of the republican lead
ers is whether or not they can defeat
Governor Woodbridge N. Ferris, who
is to be a candidate for reelection on
the democratic ticke,.
Governor Ferris has incurred the
ernlity of the labor leaders of the
state because he sent the militia into
the upper peninsula at the beginning
OF the great strike of the copper min
cr and the union men have been bit
ter in their denunciation of the exc
cutives action, declaring that he will
never received the vote of the labor
ing element again 4sa
On the other hand, stalwart re-
publicans in the upper peninsula, bus
iness men and Influential citizens, who
have always rallied around the repub-
licaa standard, openly declared that
Ferris pursued the proper course in
dealing with the strike troubles. II
the gubernatorial election had been
held soon after the strike it is be-
lieved that Governor Ferris would
have received large proper
tion of these republican votes. Whe-
ther he still stands as strong with
This element, now that tho strikn trnu-
bles are not so fresh m the public
mind, is matter that can be decided
only when the ballots are cast at the
next election. Likewise, in the belief
of the followers of the governor, much
of the enmity of the labor leaders
engendered by the action of the gov
erlor during the strike is likely to
have been forgotten by election time.
In connection with the campaign the
question also has arisen as to whe-
ther Governor Ferris is as strong with
his own party as he was at the last
election. A small coterie of demo-
Gratis, headed by Congressman Samuel
w. Beakes of the Second district, who
style themselves the Original Wilson
men," have expressed their displeas-
ure over the course followed by the
governor in respect to the distribution
of federal patronage. The governor
took sides with National Committee
men Wood and Chairman Shields of
the state committee. These two, ac-
cording to the charges of Beakes and
his followers, tried to block the nomi-
nation of Wilson at the Baltimore
convention, and in consequence Mich
igan is said to have been minus her
full share of federal jobs handed
around since President Wilson took
office. sHsV51e
All this has been carefully consid-
eered by the republican leaders and
they are desirous to pick out candi-
date who will bring the party back
into power. All the elective state Of
fees with the exception of the COVER
ncrship are now filled by republicans,
but considerable patronage is at stake
in the campaign this fall, and the re-
publican leaders are doubly anxious to
win.
The contest for the republican NOM
ination for governor was started more
than year ago with two entrants,
which number has since been in
creased to five. The two original
starters in the race were Secretary of
State Frederick C. Martindale of De-
troit and Alex P. Groesbeck chairman
of the Republican state central COM
mittee, also of Detroit. Martindale
was a candidate for the nomination
two years ago and was defeated by |
Amos NJ Bussulman Of Grand Rapids, |
Those who are seeking harmony in
the party oppose the nomination OF
Groesbeck because he is supposed to
eb particularly distasteful to the Pro
prrssivae Ganroo IT Ellis mavor Of |