The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-30
GRAB AT STRAWS
Burton People Claim a Victory
in Central Committee.
Say Their Date Was Selected
For State Convention.
DEFEAT OF CY LELAND
Boldly Assert That Troy States
man Was DOwned.
Little Satisfaction For Abilene
Man on Vital Questions.

Between the Leland and Burton peo-
pie there is wide difference of opinion
as to the result of the meeting of the
state committee Monday afternoon The
Burton workers claim a crushing defeat
was administered to Leland. The Lee
land forces claim the contrary.
The issue by which the Burton people
claim to have rebuked Mr.. Leland was
the date of the state convention. This
Burton workers claim that the Leland
people wanted an April convention but
that the supporters of the Abilene man
won the day and demonstrated their
controlling power in the committee by
liking the date in May.
One of Mr.. Burton's prominent work
erS ten minutes before the state COM
mittee meeting told a Journal reporter
that the Burton people would bring on
no test IN the committee meeting. This
same individual also stated that while
some OF the committeeman wanted q
4 May convention that it was not being
| put forward as a Burton issue. If it
was, the plan to do SO was badly bun
gled before the committee meeting be-
| cause the spokesman of the Burton
| crowd wanted the state convention held
after the Ohio and Iowa conventions.
! 1t has been the general understand
ing of the Republicans that there were
I but two propositions concerning which
! a contest might be brought into the
! committee.
The first was the plan of the Burton
managers to have the state convention
nominate the candidate for senator.
! The second was to have two conven-
| lions.
! These two propositions were not SUBJ
| mitted to the committee and upon the
! mere question of a date for the state
/ convention a test is alleged to have
4 been made with the result that Leland
] met defeat.
/ In this effort to give both sides fair
! treatment the circumstances surround
/ ing the vote and the deliberations of the
/ committee at that juncture OF the pro-
| ceedings do no substantiate the claims
| of the Burton people.
In the first place the Burton forces
/ held caucus at which it was decided
| First, to refrain from submitting the
| proposition to the committee to have
| the state convention select the candi-
| date for senator.
Seeond-It was decided that the Bur
/ ton people make no determined stand
! as to the number of conventions. 1t is
now claimed that prior to the meeting
| of the committee the Burton people held
! a conference and decided to stand to-
gether for May convention. The Lee
land forces held no caucus.
! It is since announced that the Burton
| people selected May 16 and agreed to
| stand together for that date. If that
be true D. A Banta of Great Bend
| made a mistake.
| Mr. Banta was the first man to speak
! concerning the convention. He talked
| for late convention and suggested
| that the Kansas convention be not held
until after the Ohio and Iowa conven-
| tions..
I'VE should watt said Banta, until
we hear the platforms of those conven-
| lions. The suggestions which they
| adopt will be good for US, I think.
am therefore in favor of a, late conven-
| ton"
Cyrus Leland secured recognition and
said:
I do not believe in waiting for any
other state. Our platform is already
made. We will endorse the national
| and state administration and that s
the end of it. We We're the first north
ern state to instruct for mckinley and
/ can not observe the wisdom in wait
ing on other states this year.
When Mr.. Banta talked for a date
George w Watson of Kinsley made a
motion that the convention be held
April II. This motion was lost because
it was not seconded.
Charles Yoe was the only man in the
meeting of the committee who favored
| two. conventions. He made a. motion
that two state conventions be held and
wanted this substituted for other mo-
lions but it was not seconded. This was
the original Burton scheme, which was
not presented for various reasons.
Mr.. Leland then submitted his mo-
ton that the convention be held April
IS.
T. r. Kelly of Miami county, present
| ed the Burton caucus date, SO it is
|
| The vote was taken with the follow
ing result:
| For Mr.. Kel1y's motion, II votes; fol
| Mr.. Leland's motion IA votes
! Those voting for May 10: J. c. Pol
! lock, w. J. Fitzgerald, Alfred Pratt j
| S. Simmons. E. W. Wellington, Dave
Mulvane. w. D. Cook, f. D. Smith, J
M. Simpson, T. T. Kelly, J. G. SIonecI-
er, representing by proxy J. B. Barnes
! Alma, Charles Yoe. w. W. Caldwell
D. A. Banta, J. F. Rurrow, T. J. Healy
| d. J. Hanna
Those voting for April IS were: D r.
Anthony, Jr., A. ]. White, w A Nor
baugh. r. T. Battey, B. L. Slime. G. w
| Watson, L. F. Randolph, J. S. Gilmore
| Frank Lockard, D. A. Valentine c. LIE
land. E. B. Jewett.
. Within five minutes after the vott
was announced the Burton people wer'
circulating the report that they haC
licked Leland. The men, who 80 min
I utes before stated that the convention
date would not be test of the power o
the two men, began vigorously to pro
claim that the wagon had been run owe
| Leland.
If Mr.. Leland was licked on the con
VentlOn date, which all the politician,
agree was not an important question
and involved nothing. the Burton peopI
, We're fayed on the vital questions Whicl
) / they have been so vigorously pushing
' the plans for two conventions and tn
nomination of the senator by the stat
: convention.
The Topeka Capital this morning tell
| of the defeat Of Leland. Last F'rida,
| the Capitals editorial column contain
J., | ed this:
r The boss has said he wants only on
: convention and one it will be-
| o. NJ