The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-16
WON'T STAND BURTON.
A Voice Representing the Re-
publican Moral Element
Raised Against the Endorse
ment of j. r. Burton.
Even PETER With His "Unblemished
Personal Character" Preferred
to Burton.
The following letter explains itself:
TopeI<a. Kan. Jan. IA, 1897.

The following letter explains itself:
Topeka, Kan, Jan. IA, 1897.
Hon. H. G. Larimer, City:
Dear Sir:-It is with a good deal of
surprise, not unmixed with disgust, that
1 read in this mornings Capital that
the Republicans in the legislature in
tended to give ]. r. Burton a compli-
mentary endorsement for senator.
hope it is not true. In does not seem
possible that the Republican politicians
can have so soon forgotten the protest
made only a few years ago against his
nomination. The matter was taken up
by the churches not only in this city,
but all over the state and his attempted
nomination was denounced as dis
grace to the state. If then, why not
now?
speak as a Republican and one who
voted the ticket straight this year And
in saying that, 1 believe 1 not only
speak for myself but for hundreds of
Republicans in this state who voted for
certain candidates on the ticket under
the strongest kind of inward protest.
Had it not been for the issue at stake
which involved the financial and moral
| honor of the state and nation, hundreds
of votes which were cast for certain
candidates on the Republican state tick
ct, would have been cast against them.
1t is needless to specify in regard to the
particular candidates, but it is fact
which every one acquainted with the
political situation well knows
The Republican papers almost unan-
imouSly denounced the MethOdiStS for
taking ground against Governor Morrill,
and yet 1 venture to say the opposition
to Governor Morrill, within the ranks
of the Republican party was not one
| hundredth part as strong as their re-
pugnance to j. r. Burton. 1t may be
said that this nomination means Moth
ing and is only complimentary. This
may be true, but it seems to me that
| this is not the time for the Republican
party to endorse candidate as COM
| p1iment whom they would not be will
ling to elect if they had a chance to do
| so. 1t may be that in spite of the re-
cent election the would-be leaders of
| the Republican party in the legisla ture
/ feel themselves strong enough to diSre-
gard the wishes of a large part of the
voters Of this state and feel that their
! influence can easily be dispensed with
! Possibly they can, but it would seem
| that the day of the yellow dog poll
| tician was fast going by, and that the
| moral as well as the mental qualifica-
] lions of a man have got to be taken into
consideration when he is a candidate
| for office.
The church vote may not be the pre-
dominent factor in any party in the
| state. but it is equally true that no
| tomato part of that vote, can hope to
| win if they disregard it. If the Repub-
lican party is preparing to go down the
| toboggan slide of defeat two years from
now they cannot get a better start then
| by endorsing J. r. Burton for United
| States senator From talks which I
| nave mad with some OF the most prom
inent men of this city. and who I be-
| lieve represent very large Republican
element Throughout the state, they would
rather see man of unblemished per-
sonal character like Senator PETER in
spite of what they consider his finan-
cial vagaries, occupying the sena toriaI
chair than to see occupying it a man
| who stands condemned by the moral
| sentiment of the state.
one OF the leading papers in the
ttplutocratic east" had strong edi-
torial within the last few months COM
pairing PETER with ingalls,. and this a
paper, by the way which was most bit
ter in its denunciations of Bryan and
I the Popocratic platform. In this edi-
torial it stated that in spite of the fact
I that Senator PETER was all wrong in
his financial notions, yet they would
/ much prefer to see him there than Sen
ator ingalls,, and citing Senator's PEI
fer's unblemished character as a reason
therefor. ingalls, personal character
| as a political acrobat. further saying
that they believed PETER honest, though
mistaken in some of his political views
= and the people knew where to find him
! | and that he could be depended upon tc
vote in accordance with his convictions
on all questions.
Is the Republican party so destitute
of sound timber that they cannot FIND
in it a man of good personal characte1
and one whose reputation morally re
quires no apology or explanatio
so, the party is certainly in an unfor
| tunate condition and the admission O
that fact would drive from its rank
| today thousands of voters who support
ed its ticket and platform N the las
election.
We have just elected a man of unim
{ | nsachable character and great abilit,
~ an the presidential chair for tn
II coming four years Will the state lowe
las standard of requirements for sena
s<r,< s,elow that demanded for our pres