The Topeka state journal., 1916-08-16
oIiticians Have Failed Entire-
Iy in Their Efforts.
md Kansas Party Council Is
Only Two Weeks Away.
EEAVE IT TO NATIONAL ISSUE
deposition Now Is to Keep
State Issues Down.
,Od Roads Legislation Is All
To Be Relied Upon.

with the statewide primaries out
o. the way and the party councils
less than two weeks away. politicians
have failed entirely in their efforts to
ufovide a state issue for the cam
-AAiEn. Platforms of all political
narties will be written in Topeka Iues-
f.flay. August 29. AS yet political lead
e1.F have failed to offer a real vital
uIank and the 1916 platforms Will In
al probability be constructed from
Blanks left over from former cam
paigns and salvaged from the wrecked
Rrogressive party.
Among leaders of both parties there
sIk-a tendency to talk generaltties ana
leave the result of the campaign TO
4fhe national contest. In short, Kansas
anuliticians will this year look to ma
tl0naI leadership rather than state is
sues to win the election. Most OF the
strelfare planks demanded by the
7fomen in 1912 and 1914 have been
enacted into law or so thoroiy rol-
@cn1ed as to be without hope before
"A Kansas legislature. There Is no
Issue concerning public policy and
no dispute as to definite legislation
SO. the parties are expected to write
7.,1estimoniaIs for themselves and their
headers. reaffirm the gospel of the
uational platforms, hold Whispered
tcohferences regarding the coming
@campaign and go home.
Good Roads Legislation.
Good roads legislation will probably
be one of the features in the state plat
fcrrns of both Republican and Demo-
Gratis But both declarations Will
probably be general rather than defi-
Eiite
II Governor Capper is expected to urge
q platform regarding the working OF
bounty and city conY1cts on pupnc
s4i1ighways The DEMOCRATS will hardly
take issue in the matter and there is
little Likelihood of a controversy over
that plank.
to repair the state wide primary act
with an ak Yet both parties fear to
take the initiative at this time. They
are quietly cataloging the deeds and
fsnisdeeds of the voters under the pr1-
9rnary system and are saving their rec
lDrds until an effective blow can be
struck But both parties will dodge
an expression against the primary
Neither will they say anything in its
favor.
. Stubs and mysterious reforms kept
+ Kansas constantly disturbed, have
+, been forgotten as far as the coming
b party councils are concerned There
will be no demand for that former
solid caken plank-the initiative ana
referendum. Its companion piece, the
recall. is also out of the running and
Kansas. relies on its present enact
sInents TO meet misdeeds of public Off
cials. The presidential preference prl-
tmary is also long forgotten friend.
Change in Primary Date.
1t is possible a demand may be made
ffor platform urging a change in the
Lpresent primary date. But that viii
ebe as far as the platform makers VIII
go in repairing the law. Governor
sCapper and other party leaders favor
May primary.
r Four party councils will be held in
Topeka August 29-providing the
headers of all parties come to town.
THE Republicans, Democrats Social
iists and Prohibitionists will write
rplatforms, organize their state COM
tmittees and plan for the November
battle. The party councils will be
+composed of county chairmen, candi-
dates for state office, both branches
75of the legislature, candidates or mem
.tbers of congress and the United States
senate. These men and women will
5have a voice in the writing of the
state platforms.
Members of the state committees
will meet in Topeka the same day
-party councils are held. The state
committees are composed of chairmen
of the various county committees.
.Charles Sessions will probably be
Snamed as chairman of the Republican
,1state committee with w. c. Markham
Aof Baldwin as secretary. E. E. Murphy
is urged by his friends for a second
ferm as chairman of the Democrat
NHaN