Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1900-10-04
SAYS LELAND OF BURTON.
What He KNOWS Of the Man Who Would
Be Senator From Kansas.

lished in the Kansas City Star:
81 do not believe the Republicans
of Kansas will ever elect ]. r. Bur
ton to the United States Senate.
The people are not inclined to favor
any man for such high Office nor
for any other prominent position
who does not have now, and has not
had for the past ten years, any visi-
BILE means of support. | am we'll
acquainted with Mr.. Burton, and
the only time in many years that 1
have known of him having any bust
ness, was for a few months in 1898,
during the Cuban war, when, for a
short time, he was agent for some
government contractors. He then
visited the quartermaster generals
office quite often with his samples of
goods from which some manufac-
turers in Philadelphia proposed to
manufacture certain clothing for the
boys at the front. He was success
full and assisted in securing some
contracts for his employers.
"The business of drummer who
carries samples and secures contracts
in Washington for furnishing sup
plies for the soldiers who do the
fighting in war is safer business
than even that of sutler. The suit
Ter at times is more or less in dan
ger of losing his life and also his
stock in trade. The syndicate that
is back of Burton in trying to elect
him to the Senate will undoubtedly
keep him before the people until af-
ter the election. A branch of this
syndicate is in the state treasurer's
department. An annex to the syn
is composed of attorneys of certain
railroad companies who are dead
sore because they failed to land one
of their number as United States
district Judge to succeed Judge Eos
ter, and who, for that reason, are
venting their spleen on the present
senator.
"Burton is always elected before
the election comes off, but after
each defeat he starts up again, know
ing that his hackers would stop put
ting up if he ceased to be a candi-
date. When he was in the legisla-
ture it was public history in Kansas
that he was an unblushing toll taker.
Within the past few months he has
stated to various persons whom he
wishes to convert to his support that
he had reformed and had lived down
his past record; that he had aban-
doned his old prattices and was now
a new and pure man.
ga man of Burton's peculiar pro-
pensities never reforms. He may
borrow sleeps pelt and deceive
credulous people for a while, but
there is no reformation. He is
simply lying low for an opportunity.
BUTTONS FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS.
"The conservative business and NOR
al element in Kansas will never per-
NIT the election of such a man to
represent this great state in the
United States Senate. They know
him to be a man who, to say the
least, forgets when his notes be-
come due, and who tolls not but
spins a whole lot. His defaulted
and dishonored obligations in Kan
sas and elsewere, if paid, would
amount to fortune.
"You may recall that when Bur-
ton was in Colorado a few months
ago to make speech he was sued
for over $40, 900 for unpaid obliga-
tons.
"Again, among the records of the
state insurance department you will
find a history of note for SIS, 900
made by Burton and listed as assets
by the Shawnee Fire Insurance COM
pany of Topeka. In 1895 Geo. I.
Anthony, then superintendent of in
surance, appointed committee to
examine the affairs and standing of
the insurance company. The COM
mittee reported that this note had
been charged off by the insurance
company, but that there was no evil
dence that the company had receiv-
ed anything of value when it was
done.
81 think it will also be found that
certain bank in Topeka now holds
Burton's obligations for many thous-
and dollars.
| POVERTY CANNOT BE THE CAUSE.
considering the great amount of
Burton's debts, significant question
is: How can his creditors expect
him to pay upon his election to the
United States Senate, and pay hon
estly? Burton's past career shows
that his election must be their only
hope for collecting their claims. He
claims his hons in Abilene, but for
years past has failed to pay his taxes
real and personal. Even now there
are tax warrants outstanding against
him for his personal taxes for the
past two years. These things can
not be accounted for on the ground
of poverty, for Burton travels much,
tdresses well, and lives like a prince.
He has money to wager with, but
none to pay debts or taxes.
! "He is lust as prolific in his DO