The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-08-27
PERTINENT POLITICAL PRATTLE
(By A. T. Edmonston.)

vote VI lutSudy, august u, inoet
which reveals, among other features,
that out in Missouri, exclusive of st.
Louis, in which city unusual "gop"
conditions prevailed, the electors of
the "Only Reliable Party" who took
part and expressed their choice for
United States Senator exceeded by
20,465 the total of those who voted
for Spencer, Minis and Davis on the
other ticket.
The figures, however, include the
vote cast by both parties in Kansas
City, where abnormal "gop" condi-
tions also prevail, the same being due
to determination on the part of the
better element of the Republican par
ty there, as also was the case in st.
Louis, to down and forever Danish
from control the crooked "presiden-
tial slush-fund ring" and their cam
didates, a fact which brought out the
unusually heavy vote in both big
cities.
To further account for the heavy
"gop" primary vote in St. Louis it is
we'll to explain that the party
housekeeping" was led by the wobbly
independent "Great Religious Daily"
which for weeks had devoted columns
of news space and all of it's leading
editorials to the necessity of Repub-
lican voters turning out there on pri-
mary day and voting to retire the dis
reputable "gop" machine leaders who
had gained nationwide notoriety just
before and during the Chicago nation
al convention through being recipi-
ents of big chunks of the various
presidential slush funds" in return
for their political support. This
"swat the boodlers" crusade of the
party organ ran the party primary
vote there for the three "gop" sena-
torial candidates up to 1881, COM
pared to 30,622 "gop" votes which
were cast for aspirants for the same
honor in st. Louis in 1918, and A,
995 votes in 1916.
1t was the first real big turnout
of 'gop" voters in st. Louis, Kansas
City and other Missouri places in
which they are strong since state
wide primaries took the places of
boss controlled conventions. The par
ty housekeeping was, however, only
half completed, since several candi-
dates for honors on the Republican
State ticket whose names figured
conspicuously in the presidential
slush funds" scandal, captured nomi-
nations. The real purifiers and reno
vators, the Democratic party, will
cheerfully complete the job for the
"gops" on election day through send
ing the whole ticket down to an over
whelming defeat.
Atkinson Carried 81 Counties
On primary day out in rural Mis-
souri,, Atkinson, as was predicted
three or four times in Pertinent Po-
litical Prattle," ran like frame house
afre, even exceeding prognostica-
tions and expectations. He carried
80 of the ia counties of the State,
with Mayer and Farirs alternating
with each other for second and third
places in the various congressional
districts. In twenty-nine more coun-
ties he ran a good second, with Far
ris and Mayer alternating for first
honors. In only three counties, Buch-
anan, which contains st. Joseph, the
home of Mayer, and Usage and Ste.
Genevieve, Missouri's next Governor,
John Morgan Atkinson, ran third,
In St. Louis city, Atkinson, as was
generally predicted before the primary
ian third, being allowed only 1899
votes out of 20,6l3 cast there for the
four Democratic gubernatorial candi-
dates. The indications are that 1000
votes which belonged to Atkinson
were, through error in judgment as
to who the winner would be, counted
for someone else. Atkinson's total
state vote was 1913.
Farris ran first in twenty counties,
nearly all south of the Missouri riv-
err, and he drew second honors in
forty-six other counties, and ran
third in forty-eight remaining coun-
ties. In the city of st. Louis he ran
second, being out-counted there by
the Mayer forces by only 288 votes
His total state vote was 4S,423, he
outclassing Mayer for second place
by 1907 votes, but, in turn, was de-
feated by Atkinson with plurality
; of 30,760 votes.
Ma yer carried twelve counties and
the city of St. Louis. He ran second
in thirty-nine counties and third in
the sixty-three other counties, includ-
ing Jackson county, which embraces
Kasas City, and Cole county, which
, contains Jefferson City.
Atkinson carried Cole county. Far
, ris ran second there and Mayer third
despite the fact that two-thirds Of the
state officials and employees were foI
him, including the Chairman and 9
majority of the Cole county Demo.
cratic Committee. Not over forty
State Capitol employees were for At
kinson but he drew more than half OF
! the vote CT the prison guards.
The chief penitcntiary officials anc
the Democratic portion of the State
Public Service Commission and its ar.
my Of employees voted almost sohdly
for Mayer, agreeing on this poin
with the head officials in both the
, State Beverage and Petroleum In
spection departments. The State
Fish and Game Department stuck t.
Farris.
, Atkinsons' plurality over Mayer
! the third in the finish, was 34,067
The total state vote for the guberna
!, torial candidates was 1854, includ
i ing about 800 which were cast fol
, Col. Ruby D. Garrett of Kansas City
L Al