The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-11-02
EARLY RETURNS =
ARE FOR HARDING
Topeka, Kan, and New Ash
ford, Mass, Count First.
First Election in U. s. History
With Women Voting.
WATCH WEATHER ANSI0USLY
Early Indications Point to Cast
ing of Unprecedented Vote.
Unsettled Weather Watched
AnxiOusly by Politicians.
1T is FIRST DRY ELECTION
Both Major Parties Start Day
Predicting Victory.
Socialists Claim Debs VIII Get
Biggest Vote Ever.

New York, Nov. 2.-The heaviest
vote ever cast in a national election
was being polled today, according to
all reports.
First returns were from New Ash
ford. Mass, and from Topeka, Kan.
New Ashford. first to report, gave
Harding rs votes and Cox 6. Four
years ago New Ashford cast 16 votes
for Hughes and for Wilson.
Out of the first 136 votes counted
in Topeka, 81 went to Cox, 54 to Hard
ing and 1 to Debs.
Every registered vote in New Ash
ford had been cast within two hours
after the polls opened and the count
was begun The early count in To-
peka was made possible by the dual
election board system.
For the first time fin American his
tory. every woman citizen had
chance to vote for president. ana re-
ports from the polls were that nearly
as many women as men were in tho
early lineups
Weather conditions thruout Tho
united States were unsettled. In tho
cast tnere was threat of rain: in the
middle west there was rain and Some
snow; on the Pacific coast 1t was clear
ana the south reported the weather as
generally fair with rain in some places.
Unprecedented Vote Expected.
Early indications in the east wera
that an unprecedented vote wonld he
polied. At a. m, when the New
fork polling places opened, knots Of
voters were waiting at the doors Of
many of them and by $3.50 there were
lohg hnes of people marching past the
clerks. Many women were among the
first in line.
election day here dawned cIoudv
and chilly with a threat of rain. There
was chance that rain might keep
uown the vote total which seemed
lkely 10 break all records.
Prepare for Long Siege.
VIII II. Hays. chairman of the Re
pupncan snational committee and
George White, chairman of the Demo-
cratic national committee, from their
headquarters here got in touch with
the situation all over the east at an
early hour, TO get line on how the
voters were turning out in districts
counted safely Republican or Demo-
cratic. kilograms poured in from all
parts of the country from lieutenants
and field commanders Both Repub-
iican and Democratic Headquarters
were preparing for a long night. SO
there was not much activity around
| their suites until toward mid-morning.
Weather reports were carefully
scanned at both headquarters. Snow
falls were reported from Wyoming.
Nebraska, South Dakota and Mime
sofa, and rain also was general in that
area. according to overnight advices.
Tammany Hall was a scene Of great
activity early today, much Of II being.
devoted TO getting out the vote for
"Ar' Smith, the Democratic candidate
election against Nathan L. Miller, Re-
publican.
Democrats Arc Confident.
Democratic leaders here said that
Governor Cox was sincerely quite con-
fident of winning. They have been IN
| frequent communication with their
candidate during the closing hours OF
| the campaign and said that he be-
lieved the result would be a surprise
and that the great mass of people
would vote for him and the league OF
nations. The White House Also was
said to be quite confident
Republican headquarters. on the
other hand. reflected the attitude OF
| Senator, Harding. VIII ch he himself
described in the final statement 40
| being one of "compIacent'' waiting for
| the verdict. Republican Chairman
Hays has seen no cause for changing
his prediction that a Republican VIC
| tory will be as great II not greater than
Roosevelts over Parker in 1904. II
was the belief az Republican head
quarters that weather conditions would
have no bearing on the result. which u
was said, VIII not be close enough to be
f, Influenced by the elements
Socialist leaders here predicted that
Eugene V Debs would receive the
biggest vote he ever drew. They were
looking for an especially heavy vote
in the congested centers of popula-
ton I'm the east Farmer-Labor party
lea ders turned the'r faces to the west.
where they have hopes OF carrying
| several states.