The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-05
pn1,.ARx OBSERVATIONS.


Of the recent primary. or one OF us
developments in these parts. at any
rate. was the paucity of voters VINO
cslied for the Democratic ballot and
-.articipated in the framing of the
state and local tickets of that party.
Their number was negligible,
mere fraction of the normal voting
strength of the Democratic party In
this locality.
n is ordinarily a decidedly minority
Dartv in Topeka and Shawnee county
- is true. But it musters hundreds
that in the aggregate reach several
thousands, where there were relative
" and almost actually speaking, only
tens. that aggregated a few hundreds
who participated in its end of the pri-
mary.
The conclusion is obvious. there
fore. that many of the local Democrats
s chilled for Republican ballots and
played their part in reaching the nom
mating decisions of their rival party.
Indeed, this is more than mere
conclusion. 1t is pretty well au-
thenticated fact, and one that not a
few Democrats cheerfully admit.
They attempt to sustain their posi-
ton in this respect by stating that
their own local ticket seldom has
much of a chance of being returned
a winner at the general election, and
that. therefore, il they must perform
The duties of good citizenship, and en-
deayor to protect with their ballots
their rights as taxpayers, the only OPP
portunity for them to take part in Sc
1ecting or nominating satisfactory To-
cal candidates for office is to partici-
pate in the Republican primary.
They are Democrats to the hilt In
state and national matters, but they
demand freedom of action in choosing
their local officials.
This may be a valid reason. or ex-
cuse. but its logical sequence would
mean such a general desertion OF the
local Democratic ticket on primary
and perhaps on election day, If the
Republican candidates such Demo
crats may vote for, win at the pri-
arary, as soon to kill their party To-
celly, at least.
And, as a matter of fact, isn't 4
voter who helps to frame possibly q
whole set of nominations in a party
other than his own morally bound, a
least, to stick to that party's candi
dates at the general election? Hi:
vote in the primary may not have
been registered for a single winner
on the primary ticket he voted, but hi
vote cut a figure in the results, not 81
snuch in denying the winner a vote a.
in being to his advantage and the dis
advantage of his rivals, in offsettint
another vote, and particularly in
contest where there are three or NOR
candidates.
This suggestion may be drawing tn
line a little too fine, as the voter il
question raight well reply that he
entitled to preferential vote, even 1
his suffrage laws do not accord hin
that privilege specifically, and that il
the matter of nominating candidate
for office he takes advantage of tn
present primary system to obtain sucl
preferential rights; namely, that Will
he might be better pleased with
man of his own party in an office. h
naturally has second choice, and a
there are no contests in his own party
perhaps, and as his own party nomi
nees have little or no chance of sue
cess at the general election, as is tn
case in Topeka and Shawnee count,
he can only express his second choic
by engaging in the Republican pr
mary.
But from whatever angle this rathe
GENERAL participation of the Demo
Gratis in the Republican primary i
these parts is viewed, it is apparer
that the primary plan. as il exists
Kansas, at any rate. is destructive
the death of anything thar may save