The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-21
Democrats Hardly Responsible
for Switch in Primary.
Furnish Their Own AIibi With
q Heavy Ticket Vote.
REPUBLICANS STAYED At HOME
yet There Was a Gain in Ballots
for the Governor.
Socialists BIameIess - Who
Knows the Answer?


It may be necessary to find a new
explanation for the recent primary
returns. The Democrats seemingly
provided their own alibi. They regis
tered a heavier vote than in 1913 and
may be expected to go into the cam
paign with records of the two pri-
maries in an effort to prove that the
Bourbons really didn't cause all the
trouble this year.
Immediately following the state
wide primary, it was explained that
the Democrats had cast a compare
lively small vote and that such mem
bers of the party who went to the
polls asked for Republican ballots.
This situation was held to be particu-
larly true in the Industrial districts.
While the records show an enormous
labor vote in the Republican primar-
les, the returns also show that the
total state vote was but slightly heav-
Ter than normal.
Two years ago the Republicans cast
1872 683 votes in four cornered guber-
material contest. This year the AL
len-Snow governorship race registered
164.214 votes-an increase Of 1881
Now there may be sound reason for
doubt as TO whether the Democrats
have consistently and persistently in
vaded the Republican polling places.
If they took chips in the game this
year-a situation clearly apparent in
many districts-then many Republi-
cans stayed atA home or Democrats
voting the Republican primary ballot
have been playing the same game for
a number of years.
It is certain that the invasion didn't
cut down the Bourbon primary show
ing. Four years ago the Democrats
recorded 36976 votes in the Gray
Lansdon governorship contest. This
year in a four cornered fight a total
vote of 1858 was cast. That is an
increase Of lib as against a gain of
1881 in the Republican primaries.
Socialists Not to Blame.
Nor is there much opportunity to
lay the blame at the door of the So
cialists. They seemingly went their
Two years ago the Socialists cast
/, 241 votes for governor. In their pri-
maries this year they cast S11 votes,
or a slump OF AL for the entire state.
This change represents an average o.
four votes for each of the los coun-
ties in Kansas.
While there IS a deep rooted con-
viction that the plan and purpose OF
the primary was overridden in.the re-
cent voting, there is nothing in the
records to give a clear and convincing
version of the matter. If the Demo-
Gratis left their party to vote for Snow
and the labor slate, then there should
be an explanation as to the new voters
who filled the gap and registered a
heavier party vote than two years ago.
If the Democrats merely voted in the
Republican primary thru years of
practice and education, there is a nat
ural interest as to the candidates
whom they supported in 1918.
Returns of two years ago show that
94.6S2 votes were cast for Governor
Allen. s. NJ. Brewster received 1e,447;
w. Y. Morgan, 57,2s5, and James A.
TrOutnnan 1928
This year the governors vote
jumped to 122.1sT. But George B.
Snow. under parole from the state
hospital for the insane, ran far ahead
of either OF Governor Aliens oppo-
nents two years ago. He polled 42,027
votes.
Who Knows Answer?
Now there are several new ques-
lions in minds OF political observers.
If the Democrats ran the Republican
primaries. where did they find the
extra voters? Also, why should the
Republicans alone have stayed at
home? Again. was the heavy Snow
vote really a slap at the administra-
ton from within the party? Or have
the Democrats been following the
policy of jumping to the majority par
ty primaries? If so, where did they
cast their votes two years ago? Above
all, what is the relief from the present
nominating system?