Only 384,478 persons--247,933 men and 136,745 women--of the 678,009 whose names are entered on the City's polling lists participated in yesterday's primary election; fifty-six percent of the men who had registered and fifty-eight per cent of the elegible women cast their ballots.

The result of the Republican primary election is called a landslide for Mayor Thompson, because he received 225,791 votes, while his two opponents, Judge Olson and "Captain" Merriam, received only 101,815. So Thompson won by a majority of 221,761 (sic) votes.

Robert Schweitzer was the victor in the Democratic primaries. His majority--60,983 (sic)--was much larger than that of Thompson, but is not spoken of 2as a landslide; indeed very little is said of it, for Bob Schweitzer's victory was a foregone conclusion; it was generally considered to be certain and self-evident.

Thus it is easily understood why Democratic Chicago cast so small a Democratic vote. There was no reason for an especially strong participation in this year's primaries by the Democrats, since the two Democratic organizations fought for a supremacy four years ago, and Schweitzer had to be looked upon as the candidate of the united Democratic organizations. However, the Republican vote was unusually heavy, when compared with the Democratic vote, because the other Republican leaders had united against Thompson and conspired to overthrow him and to demolish the machine which he had built. The roles were changed. While the Democrats fought their battle four years ago, the Republicans had to fight theirs this year. As the Republican vote in the primary of 1915 was very light, because the result appeared to be a foregone conclusion and the Republicans enjoyed themselves watching the fight of the 3Democratic organizations, so the Democrats could calmly look forward to the result of their primary this year, and take comfort in the fight of the Republican factions.

The history of the 1915 mayoral election has repeated itself, except that the roles have been changed--until now. But the landslide for Schweitzer in the primaries was followed by Thompson's overwhelming victory in the regular election....How will matters turn out this year? Will history again repeat itself--with the roles changed?

Thompson's victory appears to be noteworthy when one considers that the city's large newspapers, which say they are Republican or independent, recommended his principal opponent, Olson, and were very friendly toward Merriam, who, through his title "Captain," tried to obtain the votes of the "war" and "military" patriots; but for Thompson the newspapers had only pitch and sulphur.

It is refreshing to recall that an attempt was made to wave the "bloody shirt" of race hatred in order to induce all who are of a different opinion to come out and vote against Thompson, because, it was said, the unloyal element, the citizens of German descent, were backing him.

This infamous attempt to win the nomination by rekindling and stirring up the fire of race hatred--and certain Democratic elements, too, followed this shameful procedure against Schweitzer--was a total failure. The public did not permit itself to be incited; much less was it won by the waving of the modern "bloody shirt".

Since the attempt was made, the results of the primaries warrant the inference that the public at large will have nothing to do with, but rather abhors, this propaganda of hatred; and that, apparently, is the best part of the whole matter.