Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-11-14
Tho Knocking on Senator Burton.

hAV5e "ot"bA'S""s
same way about the matter, in the
constant little tattle which gets into
the papers and dispatches, with the
apparent object Of injuring Senator
J. r. Burton at the White House.
There is too much method on the
part Of the industrious circulators Of
the stories and the gossip and pur'
ported leakage Of confidence which
manage to find their way into print
and are by mysterious processes Tor
warded to Washington.
A case in point was the story which
appeared last week in the form Of a
Washington dispatch to the Globe
Democrat. 1t was reported 10 this
latest anti. Burton effort that the
Junior senator had been using his in
fiuence with President Roosevelt to
"down" Thomas Ryan, first assistant
secretary Of the interior. We believe
there Is no truth In the story. Inc
Capitals information has been that
relations are pleasant between the
senator and the assistant secretary.
The president. however, knows how
much truth may be in the dispatch
and to that extent its object seems to
be overreached.
1t is also published that Senator
Burton had said some unkind things
about Secretary Hitchcock. 1t Is not
reported that Senator Burton said
anything against the secretary In q
public speech or letter to the press or
public interview. The story given
out by some unknown authority is
that in private conversation with a
supposed friend he uttered bis conf
dental opinion. The Capital does
not pretend to know whether Senator
Burton uttered or entertains any
opinions Of the kind; but there is this
much decency and respectability In
American politics-that when a per-
son usually Anonymously gives out to
the public purported private and con-
fidential expressions Of another per-
son, with the object Of doing him in
jury, the really discredited party Is
not the one supposed to have so spoken
in confidence, but the betrayer OF the
confidence. Either Senator Burton
never uttered the sentiments attri-
buted to him with regard to the secre-
tary OF the interior; or he uttered
them privately. In either case' the
discredit attaches to the anonymous
person who purports to have betrayed
the confidence. II the private con-
versations Of the public men we're to
be given out for publication as prin-
ciple, it would not be long before
American politics would degenerate
into a general vendetta.
When the canvass for the senator
ship before the people ended last win
ter and j. r. Burton became his
party's unanimous choice, every good
Republican laid down his fight. Sen
| ator Burton had been in the public
eve as q candidate for several year,
and 1t was to be expected that thu
shafts Of envy and malice would mo-
escape him. We believe the candle
sentiment OF the state is that no ON
could have withstood these attack
with better grace than Mr.. Burton
He has been uninterruptedly harasse'
ever since, but has gone ahead per
: forming the duties that devolved upo1
him, and 80 far as we know has utter
cd no denials, explanations or retort
! on those who are attempting to d
him injury at Washington and l
U Kansas.
A Mr.. Burton has kept bis temper
t He is not taking up any challenges
Q help disrupt Republicanlsm and d
0 vide It into suicidal factions. In h
personal victory, as in bis former d
u ieats and disappointments, his Id
u seems to be to endeavor to hold Il
+ party together and unity all elemen
l. in 1t. The other day In Nilsson
" papers were served on Mr.. Burton
D connection with old judgments gro'
10 ing out Of boom losses ten years or
ago. The same thing was tried
short time before the senatorial Gle
r ton, and apparently with . simil
object; in the first instance to defe
. bis election and In the second to d
y stroy bis influence at wsshingto
The published reports Of all the
y, ~ little uagging projects to annoy 4
~ junior senator always happen som
lu A