The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-10-31
Democrats Gain by Prohibition
Campaign in Big, Seventh.
Kershner Assails Sewing Cir
cles in Republican StronghOlds.
OFFSET BULL MOOSE VOTE?
ShOuse Frightened at Signs of a
Reunited Party.
So Has Put a Strange Fly in
SimmOns'S Ointment.

November election returns will show
that % per cent of the former Pro-
gressives are back in the Republican
party, according to a statement today
by Carr w. Taylor of Hutchinson, Pro-
gressive candidate for attorney gem
eral in 1914. Taylor believes the sit
uation in the Seventh district indicates
that fully SO per cent of the former
Bull Moosers will be behind John
simmons in his congressional fight
and will also support Hughes and the
Republican state ticket. Simmons's
election over Congressman Jouett
Shouse is certain, Taylor believes.
Political affairs out in the big south
west district have kept observers
rently safe lead in September, Con-
gresham Shouse has seemingly
| slumped in the district until every re-
port from the district indicates the
election of Simmons to congress and
| big majorities in the district for
| Hughes and the state ticket. The es-
| innate of an almost solid Progressive
vote for the Republican ticket next
week is regarded as "clincher'' for
the Republican candidates in the dis
| trict. Taylor is in close touch with
| conditions in the district and his pre-
| d1ctlon is based on reports from both
Reno county and localities in all sec
tons of the Seventh district.
| NccdS 1,UOO b. M. Votes.
There isn't a question or a doubt
as to the things the Seventh district
will do next week." said Taylor 1.-TWO
years ago the Progressives gave o. w
Dawson more sthan 1900 votes in his
race for congress. Shouse beat Sim
| mons with a plurality of little more
than 1900. To win the election next
week Simmons needs 1000 of those
$4,000 Dawson votes. In my 1udg-
ment he will easily poll 10000 of the
Dawson votes and L wouldn't be sur
pr1sed if more than IL, 900 of the -
ool Dawson votes went to him. Those
men and women will also vote for
Hughes and the Republican state
ticket"
One fly in the ointment just at this
tlme is the candidacy of Howard j..
kershner, Prohibitionist. This kersh-
ner affair was in evidence when A
State Journal political observer Wis
tied the district a month ago. 1t was
the more apparent when he returned
to the district last week There is an
ar OF mystery surrounding this Kersh-
ner campaign that is causing the poli-
ticlans to speculate.
Campaigns in Sewing Circles.
1t isn't the fact that Kershner might
pc elected 1t isn't the fact that pro-
n1b1t1on is an issue in Kansas or in
the Seventh district Kansas and the
Seventh district are straight on pro-
hibition. But this Mr.. Kershner is
going up and down the district-it's n
big district, too-with speeches in
every county and town and yotins
precinct He is making speeches and
distributing literature and making an
awful noise--in some places He has
a happy faculty of dropping in on a
C rch social or sewing society and
starting a campaign for votes. Almost
invariably, this ambitious and ener
getic Mr.. Kershner is found workins
for Prohibition party votes in precincts
and localities where prohibition is not
an issue but where records show 6
rather strong and general Republican
| leaning.
1t costs money to make campaign
such as this Mr. Kershner is staging
in the Seventh district. And probably
it is only natural that inquisitive poll
ticians in the district have been won
dering why and how Mr.. Kershnel
does it. During a recent trip thru
the district the matter was discussed
in almost every county. One Seventh
districts sage offered the suggestion
81 don't see as how Mr. Shouse should
worry whether it is a Progressive o.
Prohibitionist who takes a few vote
from Simmons"
In the district is a rumor-startin.
from no place in particular and seem
ingly not founded on tangible facts
that the Shouse committee might ever
meet some of The overhead expens'
of the Kershner campaign. Such
rumor is only a rumor. 1t would, o
course, be denied-by the Democrats
But even in the face of rumors and alb
sence of facts, Seventh district poll
ticians continue to wonder why an,