The Topeka state journal., 1918-08-06
Light Attendance at Polls in All
Parts of State Today.
Action of Farmer Toward Elec-
tion Is Real Vital Point.
REPUBLICANS HUB OF INTEREST
Many Real Contests in Party
Serve To Make Lively Fight
Soldier Vote VIII Decide Win
ner in Close Races.

Kansas must dump an enormous
vote into the ballot box during the
closing hours of today's state wide pri-
maries if normal interest is to be dis
played in the selection of party nomi-
nees for district, state and county Of
fices. Early reports from over the
state indicate sad slump in primary
voting. Only a late rally on the part
of the voters can overcome the early
evidence of general apathy.
Home county candidates for district
and state offices, as well as local
fights for courthouse jobs, combined
to stimulate interest in a number of
counties. 1t was early apparent in
Topeka today that the farmer inter-
est in the primaries was light-very
light. Many observers today believed
early estimate of a total vote of $780,
900 should be revised downward. A
vote of 10000 in the state is but lit
tie more than one-fourth of the total
general election vote of the state in
1916.
Early reports from over the state
indicated much hot weather, a gener-
ally languid interest on the part of
the voter and a slow start to the poll
ing precincts. In the rural districts
the voting started slowly. Some of the
towns and city districts reported prac-
tically normal primary interest. There
is much speculation as to the effect
which the abnormal weather condi-
ton will have on the farmer voter.
Should he decide the weather Is too
hot to work, he may cast a heavy vote.
Should the hot weather not disturb
him and the weeds need attention, he
will stay at home.
The Farmer Vote.
And the action of the farmer voter
today is a matter of very vital con-
Germ in some really important contests.
Every effort has been made to arouse
the interest of the farmer and his wife.
Governor Capper and Walter Roscoe
Stubbs, both of whom claim distinct
advantage from the farmer vote in the
United States senatorial contest, have
appealed to the farmer to go to the
polls. The appeal has been put on the
| basis of love of country, big crops
! high prices, prohibition and nationa
suffrage. ]. L. Bristow also has sought
a farmer vote, while the Charles F
Scott following have never demurreG
to a senatorial decision at the hands
| of the voters in the paved street dis.
tricts.
| Less concern Is attached to th'
| farmer vote in the settlement of othe
contests. Friends of Henry ]. Alle1
! claim he would benefit from an in
crease in the farmer vote cast for gov
| tIIOT. ct lHGy nave u1Spidy6Q
willingness and take their chance
with any vote which might be polled
| Contest Around Republicans.
Practically every contest in today
| primary is centered in the Republican
| party The Democrats have a color
less fight for United States senator AM
governor. But the fight is hardly ex
pected to draw a combined vote 0
more than $4,000. The Thompson
| Marble senatorial contest and tn
Gray-Lansdon gubernatoriaI fight ar
the only rows of concern which tn
Bourbons were able to offer in today
scramble for party nominations.
Against an uninteresting setting OF
the Democrat stage. the Republican
are travelling top heavy with scener
and action. They have fights for prac
tically everything. And some OF tines
contests have been so bitter and har
fought as to insure record voting un
and the calling of $4,000 Kansans t
war activities, made certain the slum
in the days vote as we'll as a lack
interest in general results.
Neighbors Are Loyal.
First reports of voting in the stat
were depressing to state house observ
ers who hoped for a heavy vote Oni
where local interest centered in par
tfcuIar candidate or was stimulated
hot fights for county offices or cor
cerning local issues, were the countie
able to bring a normal vote to til
primaries.
Even Topeka-the 365 day hotbe
of state politics+took her primary re
sponsibilities lightly. Her vote at moo
was disheartening to the candidate
who looked for heavy support in til
city The country voters displaye
the greatest unconcern. Wyandott
county, with a big local fight an
keen interests in the senatorial an
gubernatorial rows, gave the first er
couragement. Based on morning az
tivities, Wyandotte county threatene
to register the heavy vote of the stat
and displayed almost normal primar
interest. Atchison and Leavenwort
county are also voting rather activel
Red hot fights in Cherokee and La
, bette counties brought out a bi
morning vote in the towns. but IL
enthusiasm seemingly didn't exten
, beyond the town limits Douglas, A
, len, Doniphan. Usage, Mitchell, Rook
: Ford, Finney and other counties wit
Z candidates for state Office, are NAL
, ing efforts to put heavy votes in IL
ballot boxes.
, Sedgwick county is polling a heaI
. vote as a result of the interest
Henry ]. Aliens candidacy. Friend
of w. Y. Morgan are working to giI
, him good vote in Reno county.
: the main the western Kansas vote
in a decided SLUMP. while many cas-
ern counties are far behind formt
: averages.
l Vote From Camps.
} In event the vote for several offic'
S should be close-and there is eve,
reason to expect some close contes
from tvday's crowded entries-tf
state may be compelled to await II
official returns from the army camp
= Nearly $4,000 Kansans in twenty-fo,