The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-22
Called on President Mckinley
and Made the Demand.
NOT WHAT EXPECTED.
Politely Told That It Was None
of His Business.
Office Not a Part of the Sena.
tOriaI Patronage.
Action Indicates That BristOW
and Leland Are Secure.

When Senator Burton tried to square
an old debt by spilSing J. L BristOw, toe
present fourth assistant postmaster gen.
eral. the new senator from Kansas ex
perienced his first turn down 1t was the
first show down also of an open warfare
On those that are intrenched in federal
places and ait variance with the avOwzd
intention or '-harmonizing" the Repubi-
can party in the state of Kansas. In 9TH
er words the machine slipped a cog
Since his triumphant election life has
been one rosy, delicious dream. Beng
dined and feted and cumming with
TEDDY Roosevelt is one thing Storming
a strong political fortress is another.
The trouble is. apparently. that not all
of the Republican party viii consent to
be harmonized. The old machine is not
rs completely overturned as its lack Of
success in the last big fight would iPdi-
cate. Partisans claim that it is only a
matter Of time when it win be on its
feet again and in the meantime Burton
Will find a limit to his power.
The Bristow incident shows up this
way: Mr.. Burton went to the president
with request to have Bristow dismissed
and Burton man put in his place Tue
president declined to agree that the place
of fourth assistant postmaster general
was part of Mr.. BurtOn's patronage be-
sides testifying that Bristow's conduct
Of the Office had been most satisfactory.
In Kansas the politicians not only look
at the record Of efficiency made by BrIs-
tow. but they follow the old fight to its
source Bristow belongs to the other
faction He has been a follower Of Ls-
land and so his undoing is sought. From
the looks of things neither Bristow nor
Leland can be ousted- They are both
popular with the national administrs--
ton
B1rton's attempt at deposing Bristow
shows plenty of nerve 1t is neither a
written nor unwritten law that the place
Of fourth assistant postmaster general
belongs to a kansan. Still the admins
tratlon'S endorsement Of a Kansas man,
who is already there, by keeping hirs
there, is, by a logical course Of reason
ing, an endorsement of those who put
him there. II BristOW is popular ard
strong. Leland is popular and StrO-E <.
The Topeka pension Office does not deal
with the whole United States. but it does
belong to Missouri, Iowa and Oklahoma,
as well as Kansas, and their interests
must be consulted
Nobody got by Bristow when he was
private secretary to Governor NOrr.E.
he was an indefatigable worker and eV-
erything that went he had his shoulder
to and did big share Of the pushi T.
Some of the crowd We're sore at the way
they were kept out. but that did not
make any difference to him. Only orSe
did anything get by his vigilance and
that was when. in the absence of Brls-
tow from the city. Governor Morrill, ga -
out his famous interview saying that
prohibition could never be enforced in
Kansas unless public sentiment were te-
hind It, Bristow could never get that
tangle Strengthened out Evidently re
isn't going to be passed again.
Editorially the Cleveland Plain Dea-
Ter summarizes the Burton BristOw in
cident as follows.
The hope that President Mckinley.
row that he has entered upon his sec
ond term and has attained all that he
can reasonably look for in the political
field. may develop greater Independence
OF politicians who seek to use him fer
their own purposes. receives encourage
ment from two or three incidents since
his Inauguration.
The other day Senator Burton, the
new senator from Kansas. made lD
party of his facticnal friends to cali at
the White House in regard to the Office
of -ourth assistant postmaster general
The position is now filed BY Mr. Brls-
tow. the Official who went to Cuba ana
unearthed the Rathb0ne and Neely
crookeoress- Mr. Bristow is from Kan
sas @nd, II seems, was not favorable to
the senatorial ambitions of Mr.. Burton.
The purpose of the call upon the press-
dent was to demand the head of AIR
Br1stoW and the appointment Of a friend
OF the senator, the latter claiming the
place as appertaining to his patronage
A Republican report of the meeting says
She president quietly reminded the sena-
Tor that the appointment rested with hini
and not with the senator from Kansas.
that he had absolute confidence in Mr.
HristoW's administration Of his Office
and then asserted that for the good OF
the service he regretted that so efficient
an official as Bristow had proved himself
TO be could not be obtained for all the
o-Llces unnar the al-riL-i at-a tic.-, p