The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-09-12
No Snap in Kansas Campaign
This Year.
ALL INTEREST IN EUROPE
And the Election Is Only Seven
Weeks Away.
Few Speeches Lined Out by
State Committees.

unless some new FORCE ana snap are
engend cred into the campaign, the
fight before the state wide election
promises to be one of the most Hstless
and colorless campaigns Kansas has
seen in a number of years. The cleo
ton is but little more than seven
weeks away. None Of the political or
CARNATIONS have as yet got under full
steam and the lack of interest In the
contests is causing party leaders grave
concern.
Not in years has the contest for
control of the state been so admittedly
close. Yet the campaign has gone
nearly half way to the finish and not
a move has been made by any party
that has, occasioned state wide inter-
est or brought to the surface an indi-
cation of snap and spirit. For nearly
two weeks state headquarters have
been open in Topeka. Still the work
Of oreanizing the state has hardly
begun. To be sure NUMBER OF
speakers have made speeches. ana
preached about the virtues OF tne1r
own party and the sins and iniqultles
of the enemy. But the dear voter mas
shown a war1ton lack OF interest NOT
a campaign orator not a party leaoer'
not a state wide publication mas OF
fered a hint or suggestion tnat couiu
he rolled into an issue in the ngnt.
Not a word has been spoken that was
not said weeks before the candidates
were nominated.
War Is the Cause.
Interest in the European war has
made politics a dull and uninterestfng
game from the viewpoint OF the voter.
The bumper crops have distracted the
attention of the Kansas farmer SO 1ar
as any alarm about impending or I'M
mediate suffering was concerned. war
time nrices have knocked tariff argu-
ments galley west. 1t is no longer
possible to raise an issue concerning
the "watchfui waiting policy. the
tax argument was started away back
under the 1913 calendar and was
growing sideburns and whiskers long
before the present campaign opened.
There is such slight difference between
the provisions in, the party platforms
that none of them afford a live. hot
from the frying pan issue. Only the
issue as to the personalities OF the
several candidates remains. And sucn
an issue is attracting such little In
terest among the voters that the head
quarters of the state organizations are
as quiet and deserted the office of
correspondence school undertaken.
Hodges, Capper, Allen and Billiard
are active in the campaign. All ex-
cept Billiard are making speeches.
They are received by fair sized crowds.
Yet not one has said a word that has
attracted more than passing attention.
Not one seems to have been able to
put new life in the campaign.
Billiard Is Visiting.
In his own way Billiard is making a
trip through the state. He is visiting
the wet" towns. But nothing has
happened that has made a political
nh folr oh Of he
Billiard movement and the effort to
initiate the Billiard balloon with hope
has failed, SO far as the judgment of
political prognosticators is concerned.
Congressman Victor Murdoch is the
only member Of the Kansas delegation
who is now in the state. Murdoch is
making a strong plea to the progress
sively inclined voters of the state to
seek refuge in the new party. But in
the more than two weeks succeeding
the party councils, neither Murdoch
nor Allen had been able to stir the
voters to point that has made the
politicians set their alarm clocks in
preparation for busy tomorrow.
It's Up to Roosevelt.
Roosevelt is coming to Kansas. He
will spend two days-maybe three
campaigning for the Progressives in
this state. Seemingly it is up to
Roosevelt to rekindle the political
fires and put Kansas on edge for the
final weeks of the contest
Apparently the Democrats have
rallied in their efforts to bring Presi-
dent Wilson to the state this fall. So
they must content themselves with
VINO are no better campaigners than
the native born and speak the Kansas
language far less fiuently
At Republican headquarters, much
is hoped but little is assured. The
committee has within the week
OnanAd rte
Eighth street and it may be another
' eek before the organization is under
full steam.
Waiting for Murphy.
Edwin Murphy. chairman of the
Democratic committee, may return
Sunday from a week in Washington
He will bring tidings from the nation
al administration. few form letters
have been written in his absence But
Murphy has sent word that he will
organize his strategy board and oper
war as soon as he is back in Kansas
With full working force. the Pro.
gressives have been firing circular let.
tiers at the voters for ten days. Thei,
rapid fire Machines battery OF
monographs and typewriters-are in
trenched in the Shawnee building a
Seventh and Jackson street with .. S
Sartin in charge of the guns
But, with it all, it is a slow. dull
campaign. The politicians and politi
cal writer's have complained bitterly
The elections will be held in a littl,
more than seven weeks. OF course ;
lot Of things may happen in a kansas
campaign in seven weeks. grea
many things may happen. Yet will
three big state wide partiesHRepubli
cans. Democrats and Progressives-
battling for supremacy and Billiard
Independent gubernatorial aspiration
adding to the certainty of things
the result of the election is a matter o
grave doubt and uncertainty. 1t
for that reason that the politician
clamor for new war maneuvers an,
pray for decisive battles that will Civ
some line as to the strength Of tn
warning fo-ces and add interest to tn
campaign.