The Topeka state journal., 1918-08-06
Nearly 10000 Persons in To-
peka Could Go to Polls.
But Light Demand for Ballots
Indicates Dull Day Here.
WOMEN ARE IN THE LEAD
In Some Precincts They Out
number Men in Topeka.
Out in Country Officials Forgot
This Was Election Day.


of the city by the State Journal this
afternoon showed that the vote
cast in the city this year is very light.
Apathetic interest in the outcome of
the election was the rule in nearly
every precinct in the city. The can
didates themselves did not seem to be
worrying any about getting the vote
out-and apparently the voters took
no more interest.
Most of he precincts visited showed
more women voting than men in the
early hours today. In the east and
southeast sections of the city where
the heavy Santa Fe shops vote is cast
the morning ha1loting was esq ecially
light. Officials in these precincts
were expecting the big vote of the
section to put in appearance at the
polls after four o'clock this afternoon
when the shops close for the day. In
the precincts where there is a big
colored population the voting was as
slow a. in the other sections. Even
the born politicians of the black race
find the war more absorbing than the
mere detail Of electing state and coun-
ty officers.
Officials Failed to Show Up.
Kenneth Raub, county clerk, said
To-Day tnaI many OF the FARMERS Old
not even know that today was election
day. In a number of the county pre-
cincts the appointed judges and cleo
ton clerks failed to open up the poll
ing places today, Raub said. These
places have since been opened and
the few farmers who were not toe
busy thrashing and cultivating the es-
sentials of war, cast their votes.
No trouble was reported from any
of the precincts in the city. The polls
were much like respectable loungins
places. The clerks dozed in their chairs
and stared in astonishFnent at the yot.
ers as they slowly came to the front
Even in front of the polling places
where there is usually a helter-skeltel
of anxious and determined card dis
tributors, the campaign lacked either
fire or heat other than that induced by
the weather. In fact the ubiquitou.
card passer was most noticeable b,
his non-appearance. Incidentally. tn
candidates had very few cars out IL
an effort to get the votes in th'
/ boxes.
In the city of Topeka, the seethint
| turmoil of political battle is over
| temporarily. The dies are cast. Th'
/ horns of the candidates are locked
for the time. In the black shadow
various and sundry political aspira
tions.
/ More persons IN Topeka are regis
! tered as qualified voters this yea
! than ever before. In 1915, the book
! at the city hall show that 12,O56 vote
were cast in the city. Registration
this year holds forth the possibilit.
of 1869 votes eligible.
/ On the other hand. thousands CT tn
votes which would be eligible at thi
election will never be cast or counte
in the results. OF the 10,936 men reg
istered to vote in the primaries today
a large percentage has gone to war t
cast decisive vote in the creates
election of all-they are putting tn
TX" in the space behind "Democ
racy."
Past Draft Age.
The primaries today are to be de
cided by men past draft age and b
the women--very largely by the wo
men, according to indications. TIL
female registration in Topeka an
nounced this morning is 8,733. and G
this number practically 100 per cen
are the relatives of men in the .ervict
Their judgment on the qualification
of the candidates is to be for the pros
ecution of the war and not for .ne ira
ditional "he is the best looking" Som
of the candidates evidently doubte
this from the persistence with whic
they kept their beauteous physiog
nomy before the voters-but The fac
remains unchanged, regardless.
In the registration books used 4
the election two years ago the Pre-
portion of males between tweEty-on
and thirty-one years of age registere
and qualified to vote was about one
: fifth of the whole male registration
This year the books show. for the ne
registration, that less than one-fi
; teenth of the votes qualified to be ca
) will be po.led by men of military {
draft age.
Women Lead Few Precincts.
. In six of the city precincts mol
women are registered than men. Tn
in itself is a peculiar fact and ten(
, to show that his election will
largely decided by the women.
other years it has been a rare thir
s. to have a registration of more wome
5 than men in any voting precinct.
$ the Third ward the excess of men
the whole of the seven precincts
= but 113 In four of the seven pr
cincts the WON n have the call, and
= they all vote, will be the decidtr
! factor.
r The third precinct of the Fourt
ward is in the same condition II
l number of women registered is sixt.
t one in excess of the number of male
This is also true of the first of Il
$ Fifth where the women hold the m;
jority by twentyfour possible ballot
D In the other precincts and wards Il
e men hold their own and lead the rel
istration. but even there the womt
9 are registered in sufficient number
I hold the decision and be the dictate
. of the ballot.
; Still Bombard Paris.
Paris. Aug 6-The German ,onl