The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-17
That Is Baker-LOng Advice to
Frank MiIliken.
Persists In Supporting Burton
and Being a Candidate.
NATIONAL DELEGATE.
That Is the Place to Which He
Aspires.
Long Can Not Afford to Offend
Him.

There is a contest for delegate to the
national convention in the Seventh con-
gressional district, which will be set
tied at the convention to be held in
Hutchinson tomorrow, that is a very
peculiar case, even in politics.
The features of the contest are de-
veloped by the contest between the
Baker and Burton forces in the district
This combination is between Baker and
Congressman Long on the one hand;
Burton and his managers on the other
Some months ago in Topeka, Long
and Baker made an alliance by the
terms of which their workers were to
stand together in the Seventh district
When the time came for the congress-
man to designate the supervisors of the
census in the Seventh district Mr.. Long
offered the place to Frank AIilIiken of
Haskell county. Milliken declined the
place He is now county treasurer and
would have been unable to attend to the
duties of the two positions. He pre-
ferred to hold the home place and de-
clined the federal job.
In the settlement of the complication
thereby produced Ora Morse was given
the place.
When the time for the selection of
delegates to the national convention ar
rived Milliken was solicited by friends
of Long, Baker and Burton to become
a candidate. After some consideration
Millil1en yielded. but now the men who
wanted MIN to seek the place are urging
him to get out Of the race.
This is because the candidacy of
Milliken embarrasses the Long Baker
alliance, owing to the fact that Mill
ken is a Burton man. Milliken has not
yet consented to withdraw from the race,
preferring to complete the campaign
which he began several months ago.
Now the question which confronts
the Baker and Long forces is: What to
do with Milliken?
If they unite and elect Milliken they
work into a Burton deal In fact they
would surrender to the Burton forces.
They are slow to defeat MiHiken be-
cause he is such a warm friend of Long
The Burton forces are holding off in
the matter, waiting to see what action
the Long and Baker forces take. Just
what those forces would do is a ques-
ton because the complication is vex-
atiouS to both sides and an easy way
out would be to get Milliken off the
track but he is not manIfesting an in
clination to do this.
Another feature is the fact that from
a personal standpoint the contending
forces dislike to throw any obstacles
in Milliken's political path. He has long
been one of the prominent Republicans
in the western part of the district and
has been largely instrumental in keep
ing the fragments of the organization
busily at work in times when the OPP
position was sweeping everything before
it. Milliken is essentially one of the
leaders of the short grass forces and
the condition in which he now finds
himself with reference to the delegate
ship is one which not only embarrasseS
him but embarrasses the political friends
of Baker and Long.
Owing to these circumstances the re-
suit of the convention at Hutchinson to-
morrow is being anticipated with keen
interest by the politicians.