The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-11-13
Grief TO CkPPER
Hughes Failure in State Brings
Down Criticism.
Chairman Sessions Made Only
Real Battle Here.
D0DGED NATIONAL ISSUES
William Allen White. Too, Was
Not Over Enthusiastic.
Kansas Could Have Saved Ma
ton, Says Henry Allen.

Failure to make a fight for Hughes
and the national ticket. instead of on
purely state issues, is bringing to Gov
ernor Capper the criticism of both
progressive and standpat Republican
leaders. In the discussion of the re-
suits in Kansas, nue. of the blame
for the Hughes failure in the state $
checked to Governor Capper. As Il
result of a strong personal following
and a five weeks campaigi trip into
every district in the state, Governor
Capper won his reelection by a plu-
rality of 10000. The state ticket
was elected by 10000 to $4,000. At
the same time Hughes lost Kansas by
35 900 and the Democrats elected con-
gressmen in five districts
Even Henry 7. Allen, Progressive
nominee for governor in 1914, has
take. a few chips in the game Fol-
lowing the refusal of Roosevelt to
make the 1916 race on the Progressive
ticket and the subsequent nomination
of Hughes by the Republicans. Allen
came out strongly for Hughes. As an
evidence of good faith h devoted
nearly his entire time to the cam
paign and made a straight from the
shoulder fight for Hughes's election
Now he doesn't understand now Gov
ernor Capper showed such great re-
suits in his personal campaign and
failed to lend little aid to the head
CT the national ticket
DOdged National Issues
Criticism of Governor Capper has
been based entirely on his failure to
discuss national issues. At no stage
of the game was there so much as a
thought that the governor was in dam
ger in his fight for reelection From
the day Hughes visited Kansas, how
ever, it was known that the preslden-
tial candidate was slipping. he SIM
ply failed to deliver and did not talk
the Kansas language. Every politician
who knew conditions, recognized that
Hughes was weaker than the state
ticket Just how much weaker no
one knew.
This condition was known at Repub-
lican state headquarters 1t was De-
cause of this knowledge that Charles
H Sessions, state chairman, directed
almost every effort in the campaign
toward the success of Hughes and the
congressional ticket in Kansas Almost
every dollar spent for telegraph, tele-
phone and postage was in the interest,"
! of Hughes and the congressional NOM
inees There was not county chair
man or worker in the state whom
Sessions had not advised OF conditions
| These men were urged to direct their
I energies for Hughes and the election
of Republican congressman
Made No Votes for Hughes.
In the case of Governor Capper
( however, it is urged that he evaded
national issues and did not endorse or
speak for Hughes in a manner that
made Hughes votes or won confidence
| for the national ticket. Yet Governor
! Capper's speech for his administration
was perhaps one of the most effective
! campaign talks in Kansas in years
, The governors campaign trip was
I made at his own expense. He used his
! vacation period to enter the state
fight But the thing that is upper
most in the memory of every Repub-
Iican leader at this time is the fact
that the governor did not go to tbs
mat for the national ticket
The governors short reference tt
the national ticket was a prediction
that Hughes would win. that he would
I carry Kansas and that Kansas would
elect eight Republican congressman
Then the governor said a couple Of
paragraphs for the congressional nom
inee and mentioned the senatorial an(
representative contests.
Not once during the campaign die
Governor Capper discuss national is
sues He did not mention the Mexi
can situation, the Adamson bill, tn
tariff international complications O.
any of the other issues that found
place in the presidential campaign I
is because of his failure to do thes
things that Republicans have PLACED