The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-11-08
Few Reasons Why G. o. F.
Failed to Garry Kansas.
"HE KEPT US OUT OF WAR;
ssDidn't Raise My Boy To Be q
Soldier Sentiment.
Then, of Course, the Eastern
Women Hurt the Cause.

"He kept us out of war;" dollar
corn, two dollar wheat, the woman
vote, the Adamson bill, energies Gil.
rected for local candidates instead OF
for president. Those are links today
in the Republican alibi concerning the
Kansas landslide to Wilson.
Shortly after midnight the fight was
over so far as Kansas was concerned
Governor Capper and the Rep9pncan
state ticket were miles ahead of Dem
ocratic opponents. But the steady in
crease in Republican state leads mere
Iy added to the irony of the situation,
| as far as national results were con-
cerned. State leaders looked for an
| explanation. Probably the workers IN
| the country districts were doing like
wise. They had been stopped in their
| tracks and the news from outside DIS
tricts was scattering, indefinite, specu-
| latiyo and uncertain.
1--WE have elected both members of
the legislature" came telegram from
| the county chairman of Butler coun-
ty 1t was so tragic it was deep COM
| edy. Not a word about president. Not
a word on the congressional fight But
the county chairman had looked over
| the wreckage for some little salvage
And two members of the legislature
was his offering.
1t Was a Landslide.
Kansas had hit a landslide. Moth
ing was more apparent than the fall
ure of the workers to send returns
bulletin board filled with figures would
| not have been more analytical OF re-
| suits than this sudden, unexpected and
unexplained quiet.
Even the Democrats were befuddled
| At their state headquarters, the Bour-
| bons were taking a new hope in the
| reports that middle western states
| were showing Democratic tendencies
They chung fervently to the hope that
hn
that the loss of New York would be
overcome elsewhere : they didn't
know and didn't care where.
Then the news began to dribble II
from Kansas. The old reliable, bed
| rock Republican counties took Demo
cratic swings. Later the news turned
to an uncertainty, then to a Wilson
leaning.
/ st told you So" piped a Democraf
who freely admitted he had placed
$40 on state results Other Demo
| Gratis also remem bered they had to1C
someone and each began to REMIND
the other of prediction forecasts. Blu
the Democrats were clearly as sur
prised as the Republicans. They were
az joyously happy as the Republican
/ were detected and disappointed.
Kansas had simply hit a slump Sht
had slid off the reservation on th'
national ticket7rleaving the state tick
ct high and dry and safe.
All prediction guessing had gon
to pot. The labor vote didn't hi
Hughes quite so hard as the Demo
Gratis predicted But two dollar whea
and dollar corn had swung the farm
ers. They looked at their presen
| bank balances and SHE'D at promise
of future prosperity thru a change il
the national administration.
With the farmers had gone tn
women. They went in a wild frantic
spontaneous stampede. They had rea,
of the horrors of war. They had bee
told Wilson kept the nation out O
war. And the women didn't vote O.
the tariff or the federal reserve act o
the labor question. They voted t
save a husband or brother or sweet
heart They not only forgot, but prob
ably resented the advice and intrusio
2 of their eastern sisters.
All night it continued. The influ
ences that make for votes had bee
working and Wilson was swingin
, ahead and gaining where the Republi
cans had expected big majorities. Gu
over the state fights had been made t
save county clerk and coroners an
, ! township trustees. Kansas had sin
ped away from the Republican rank
l with almost equal surprise to both Re
publicanS and Democrats