The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-03-05
POLITICAL GOSSIP
The Election Returns of 1905
1918 Are Tangled Skein.
They Make the Dope for 1914
Hard to Read.
DEMOCRATS MAKE NO GAIN
Their 1912 Vote Was No Larger
Than That of 1908.
II Was Faction in Republican
Party That Won for Bourb0ns.

II Was Faction in Republican
Party That Won for B0urbOns.
Returns from the 1sos-1o-12 elections
furnish but cold comfort for the poll
ticians who would seek solace In the
1914 campaign from the records OF the
mast. Not since 1908 have political
conditions in Kansas been at all nor
NAL. And in that campaign the Demo-
Gratis polled normal vote OF put o'vVV
less than the high water mark OF the
Democratic ticket in 1912. Ana now
with three tickets In the field, the SIT
uation Is doubly uncertain.
The normal Democratic male vote IN
the state IL somewhere in the neignnor-
hood of 162, 900. The normal Repuohcan
male vote was between $4,000 and
200. 900. But that was six years aso.
Tsord,tion. have changed and there Is
added uncertainty. Most Of the Pro-
rressive party vote is gathered from
sccordinr to ordinary methods of arith-
metic. a slump Of $4,000 Republican
votes should put the two parties on an
even footing.
ures that may help to prove almost
anything the politician hopes TO prove
and still disprove any assertion he may
In 1908 a normal year. Stubbs was
elected by IS, 307. In 1910 he was re-
elected by 1910. In 1912 Arthur Cap
per. Republican nominee for governor
Yet. And here the politician may be-
gin to revise his calendar and take up
unfinished business.
Some Election Figures.
In 1912, Governor Hodges-in the face
OF a so-called Democratic landslide
polled but 5,052 more votes than oio
Jeremiah d. Botkin, running against
w. r. Stubbs in 1908, a normal year.
Again. In 1912 Arthur Capper received
5.327 more votes than did Stubbs in
1910. Stubs in 1910 polled 54,5lI less
votes than in 1908. but was elected by
1927 more votes than did Stubbs in his
second campaign-and was beaten. In
1910 Hodges came 1857 votes nearer
the defeat Of Stubs than did Botkin
in 1908 But Hodges in 1910 received
1894 less votes than did Botkin.
in 1910, 1862. 1S1: and the Capper vote in
1912. 1877. 40s. In 1908 Botkin received
1885 votes, Hodges in 1910, pol1ed
1904 votes and 167.437 in 1912.
What is the answer?
Perhaps there is none. Maybe it only
political dope sheets. A rather wise
politician has said that the answer Is
in the stay at home" vote. Perhaps.
The records show 359,077 votes for the
Republican and Democratic guberna-
torial candidates in 1908. In 1910-an Off
year-5O.855 Of these voters apparently
stayed at home and the Stubbs- Hodges
vote was only 30s,222. Two years ago
the campaign was one Of the most
bitter in recent years and there was
every inducement for the voters to go
to the polls. Oficial returns. how
ever. show the Hodges-Capper vote to
have been 334.S45-or N.232 less than
the Stubbs- Botkin vote in lifeless,
listless campaign.
Possibly. after all, your own answer
is just as good as that of the wise
politician who sits in his office and fig
ures political futures from records OF
the past. Possibly the stay at home
vote Of the last two campaigns must
be reckoned with the coming fight. But
II 2l,232 men who voted for governor
in 1908 refused to vote for either Will
son. Roosevelt or Taft or for either
Hodges or Capper in 1912, who will they
support next November?
Seth Wclls-True Harmonizer.
Seth g. Wells. of the Erie Record.
Is one of the most ardent and en-
thusiastic of Republican thermometers.
Time was-in the days when Wells was
state auditor and the convention sys-
tenn and other evils were abroad. in
the land-that the Erie editor sought
peace with his enemy with q padded
club. But those days have passed. The
Progressives have resolved to put
third ticket in Neosho county. The
court house crowd views the Demo-
cratic tariff as a calamity and the
Progressive party as misguided 5udg-
ment. And Editor Wells pleads the
cause Of harmony. u = b -
Some weeks ago Wells suggested that
Curtis should withdraw from the SEN
atorial race and give the nomination
to Bristow. Now Wells has written
for his Erie paper an editorial in which
he makes frank confession of new
political convictions in the hopes of
saving the election. Not only is Wells
Willing to accept Bristow, but will swal-
low a few platform planks as well-if
only the court house boys can be saved.
Quoth Wells in his Erie Record:
THE Record has been insisting for
some time that there is no difference
between the two factions of the Re-
publican party except the initiative,
referendum and recall, and inasmuch
az the last two Republican state plat
forms had declared for the L., r. and
r., we had got used5to swallowing
them and not being as much afraid Of
them as we used to be, we had con-
cluded that 1t would be better to in
clude them again in the Republican
state platform, If it would assist. in
averting worse calamity-the cleo
ton Of another Democratic governor
and the filling Of every court house
in Kansas with Democrats"
VIII Have Clear Field.
It is probable that J. H. Schlicher