The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-18
CRUEL TO Be KIND.
COWley County Republicans Gave
j. Il. Burton Frosty Reception
Refused to Allow Him to Speak
Before Them.
BUT NAMED HIS MAN.
An AvOWed Burton Supporter
AfterWard Nominated.
One of the Queer Events in
Kansas Politics.


the Cowley county convention held at
Winfield last Saturday is reaching To-
pelxa and present reports make this
convention one of the stormiest as well
as one of the most contradictory on
record. While Burton man was nomi-
! nate for state senator the convention
would not hear Mr.. Burton and Senator
Baker was Endorsed.
1t was first reported that Baker had
been turned down and that Burton had
captured the convention. Then came
| the report that the convention had en-
| dorsed Baker and had insulted Burton.
This latter report seems to have the
most truth in it. While the nominee
for senator, c. NJ. Scott, made the race
as ''unpledged'' he was supported by fol-
lowers of ]. r. Burton and John S.
Will1in, an avowed Baker man, was his
opponent.
the instruction of Scott they say that
he can not well turn his back upon the
action of the convention with deserving
the implied and expressed wishes of the
delegates in the senatorial contest He
viii, however, undoubtedly vote Tor Mr..
Burton if he is elected.
But these claims are but the side
lights of the convention. Mr.. Burton
went to Winfield, upon the invitation
of E. P. Greer, who begged" as Sena-
tor Baker once expressed it, for the
appointment as postmaster of Win
field" Mr.. Baker gave Greer the place
and was astonished in a short time by
the discovery that Greer was working
for Burton.
Mr. Burton was present during the
convention, occupying a seat in a place
OF prominence. While the convention
business was experiencing the usual de-
lays contingent upon the reports of
committees, some one made a motion
that Burton be invited to speak. This
was howled down as were subsequent
motiOns-two of them-to the same
effect
presiding officer, Chairman Wolsey, ex-
planned to the convention that there
was no business which could be trans
acted until the committee on creden-
tials reported. I'VE might as well put
in the time hearing Mr. Burton, a
prominent candidate for SENATOR" the
chairman is quoted as saying.
BY this time a delegate, Doc Evans,
arose and made a motion that the con-
ventiOn take a recess for twenty min
utes to await the report of the commit
tee on credentials.
Then another delegate arose in a dis
tant part of the hall and said:
IF Mr.. Burton wants to talk to this
convention there are some of US here
who would like to discuss before the
convention the subject of Mr. Burton'S
fitness for this position of senator. We
would like to know if he is a man of
character suited to this high office"
which ended when the convention took
the recess upon the motion of Mr.
Evans.
This reception did not cool Mr. Bur-
toms ardor and he stayed in the con-
vention hall until final adjournment,
about o'clock in the evening. There
were but few delegates left in the
hall. Mr.. Burton walked down the
aisle towards where the chairman was
standing on the platform and in a good
Eatured voice said:
Mr.. Chairman, I move that we do
now adjourn.
But Mr.. Burton's speech was not un-
corlked in Winfield.
The above recited facts are vouched
for by I. F. Lambert, United States at
torney, who was a convention visitor
and by f. c. Trigg, deputy United
States marshal, who was present.
The Arkansas City Traveller, pub
lished by T. w, Eckert, editorially,
prints the following:
Last week the Traveller announced
that Ed P. Greer had invited J. r.
Burton to be at the county convention
to make a speech.
''Mr. Burton was there but did not
make speech. Three different times
he was called for and three motions
were made that he be invited to the
stand, but the cries of Mo- No" were
SO numerous, loud and threatening that
the chairman dared not submit the mo-
ton. The Traveller admits that the
reatment received by Mr. Burton was
shockinsly cruel and almost heartless,
but he evidently realizes that the action
of the convention was intended more as
a rebuke to Mr.. Greer than any desire
not to show him the usual courte estes
of such an occasion.
1.-THE convention did not stop there.
1t rubbed salt on the wounds and APP
piled turpentine to the exposed parts,
by adopting a strong and ringing resO-
luton endorsing the wise and noble
work and efforts of Lucien Baker, in
behalf of the people of Kansas and the
nation.
1T was clearly and Enthusiastically a
Baker convention