The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-31
TOWN VOTE TO BE
FACTOR?
Belief That Farm Ballots VIII
Be Missing in Primary.
Light Rural Voting VIII Decide
Important Contests.
ESTIMATE RESULTS $4,000
Possibly 10000 Republicans,
$4,000 Demos VIII Vote.
VIII Minority Party Leaders
Dominate Majority Names2
ESTIMATE RESULTS $4,000
BY A. /. sHULTz.

| That fatal 'if'' in politics is the dis
ease germ which is today working thru
| the veins OF candidates and their
friends in $500 voting precincts in
Kansas. Next Tuesday the voters give
! their decision in the seventh statewide
| primary held by the parties for nomi-
nation of all officers from road over
seer to United States senator. Several
bitter fights have been waged in the
state at large as well as in congress
sional and senatorial districts. Yet to-
day there is a fear that the big farm
vote may stay at home and give the
decision to the towns.
/ Casting of town vote with light
returns from the rural districts may
decide several important contests.
There is a deep rooted feeling that the
labor vote will get to the polls next
Tuesday even tho it is necessary to call
ambulances or go on crutches. The
| Nonpartisan League, as well as that
branch of the crop raising constitu-
| ency which alligns itself with the
farmer union-labor crowd, is also ex-
pected to define its choice at the polls.
But there is a question as to whether
Mister and Missus Average Voter will
suspend business long enough to mark
a ballot.
L AS tho the mountain of uncertain
ties were not already high enough,
/ there is the fear that minority party
members may dominate some of the
7 majority party nominations. The
beautiful theory of the primary works
well S64 days in the year. But next
Tuesday is the 365th day. And next
"Wednesday morning any number OF
warm and devoted friends of the pri-
mary may awaken to learn the results
r.E Il.
indiscriminate voting. Word has al
, ready gone to thousands of Democrats
to vote in the Republican primaries
If they can do so"-which is usually
quite easy-and then vote as they
burned please in November.
}, G. o. p. Ticket to Suffer.
1t is this danger of outside inter.
: ference which is today making Tue 3.
days primary results most puZZlinE
The Republican ticket alone viii euf-
fer. There is but one real I'emocra1
contest in the state-the gover1nrshiI
: and the incentive is to demand Re.
; publican ballots.
; Extent of Tuesdays voting is very
2 largely speculative. At this time il
seems doubtful if more than 10000
people will vote in the Republican
primaries and perhaps not more thar
$4,000 or 10000 in the Democra
: primaries.
Two years ago Senator Arthur Cap.
per beat the tom toms in an effort t.
= get out a big farmer vote. That yeal
! 17S.471 voted for senator in the con
test in which Senator Capper was one
, of the candidates. There were 1872,
I 6S3 votes in the Allen Brewster Nor
81 gan Troutman governorship fight
: while in a three cornered fight fol
secretary of state only 13O,4lO vote
} were cast-a slump of more thar
) 43. 200 below senator. The Democrat
polled $3.50 votes In the Thompson
= Marble senatorial fight.
t Yet two years ago there were per
haps $4,000 Kansans in war service
: These men have been mustered ou
of service Their return to the votinl
Y ranks may overcome the stay at hom
farmer vote. And should the farmer
:, vote to a considerable extent, there i
- a prospect that the returns may b.
: larger than those of 1918
! Uncertainty In Registration.
An element of uncerta inty is foun,
in operation of the new registration
n law-anot1er condition wherein tn
5 Ifs" of politics work magic. In tn
$ cities the registration has shown
4 slump from the voting lists of tw
a years ago Yet in the opinion of man
$ is largely a determined voting clas
and may mean heavier town deman
!. for votes than in the former state
s wide primary.
: feature to be considered in forecast
p ing the probable size of Tuesdays vote
In some of the state senatorial dis
: tricts bitter fights exist. This situa
tion is also true as applies to severa
congressional districts.
Republican Contests.
Statewide Republican fights in
volve the United States senatorshiI
governorship, one place on the So
ipreme bench, attorney general, stat
treasurer and superintendent of in
! surance. The only interest in tn
n Democrat contests-outside of severs
congressional races-is the Wood-Ds
Il Wis -Potts-Hyatt dispute for the gov
iernorship. Jonathan NJ. Davis has tn
labor or-farmer-Nonpartisa League er
dorsement. a1tho most of these voter
: are expected to seek Republican ba
= lots.
a Gov. Henry J. Allen. Republican.
= accorded repomina ton by an ovei
n wheIming majority in all dope sheet
g Yet George = Snow, who is runnin
20 against him. has adopted the labe
"a union platform. The extent of Snow
vote may indicate in some degree II
, extent of the fight on Governor Allie
lIli p in November.
y SHOWS Vote a Problem.
= Just at this time it looks as III
:. SHOWS vote will probably range froi
y 10. 900 to 20,00e. 1t may be large
= It may be smaller. No organized figl
Iv has been made for his nomination
to heavy vote for snow-say $4,000
Of ,0oO-would put Governor Allen
rs the unfavorable position of being
-tprobable trailer rather than a lead'
Id in his party voting next fall.
y The state issue in Kansas is clear
I'd drawn around the governor with h