The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-03
BAKER Is CERTAIN
LeavenWOrth Man Has the
Pole in Senatorial Race,
RATIFIED THE BURT0NITES
When They Withdraw 0ppO-
8ition 10 George Barker
RATIFIED THE BURT0NlTES

Topeka. Kan, Jan IA very decided
change has taken place in the popular
estimate of the senatorial situation.
Immediately after the election the Bur
ton forces. claimed an overwhelming ma
jorfty OF the Republican caucus, placing
their figures at from 6S to 81 votes. For
more than a month and a half Burton
has maintained headquarters in the state
treasurer's Office and assisted by the
state officers who are for him, has been
laboring earnestly to create the impress
sion that there was no doubt whatever
about his success. Their efforts have
been 50 persistent and constant along
this line that they were successful in a
great measure in creating this impress
sion IN the meantime Senator Baker
ana his friends have been saying but lit
tie They have not maintained any lob
by at Topeka; but the developments Of
the past few days furnish abundant evil
denca that they have not been idle by
any means. These developments have
surprised the Burton forces, but not the
Baker people. Many members of the eau
Gus who have been constantly claimed by
Burton as his earnest supporters are now
known not only not to be for him. but
to be positively against him. Further
more, many Of Burton's plans for cap
turing support have miscarried, among
the most conspicuous Of which is his ef-
fort to capture the organization Of the
house
Representative Geo. J. Barker of law
renee early announced his candidacy for
the speakership. Although Barker was
not pledged on the senatorial question,
yet he was universally regarded as
favoring Baker rather than Burton.
Merry F. Mason Of Garden City. an
avowed Baker man, also aspired to be
speaker. About six weeks ago Mr.. Bur
ton, figuring that the Baker forces. would
line up Tor Mason, called Barker up by
long-distance telephone and informed
him that be had q constitutional majority
Of the house caucus and desired to have
Barker for speaker. He calculated, Of
course, that in this way he could win
Barker and his personal following ever
to himself in the senatorial contest The
fact that this proposition has been made
soon came to the knowledge Of Senator
Baker and his friends. Knowiag EIr
Barker as they did, they had no fears Of
the effect of such an offer upon him.
They investigated the situation carefully
and became thoroughly satisfied with Mr..
Bankers attitude on the senatorial :lues-
ton.
Mr.. Mason was In Topeka this week
and after a conference with Senator
Baker and his friends announced that
inasmuch as many Of the Barker sup
porters thought it better policy to sup
port Barker for speaker that he would
not be q candidate himself. At the same
time the Baker forces announced that
they would support Barker for speaker.
This announcement dunfounded the Bur
ton people and they have not yet recov-
cred from the Shock OF course they
figure and figure correctly, that not only
Bakers vote is lost to them but that
with that vote goes the prestige that the
control of the organization of the house
will give. They are literally between the
devil and the deep sea To line up for
Barker will do them no good, because
even they admit that Barker has always
been a Baker man rather than a Burton
man. The only alternative left them IS
to put up an opposition candidate and
lnlS tney dare not 90, Tor the reason that
such a procedure would show their weak
ness and the holIowness Of their claims.
The simple truth is that Baker has a |
good big majority Of the house caucus
and the senator and his friends are anx-
ious to demonstrate this fact n the first !
caucus to be held, which VIII be the Gre
to decide upon the organization % the |
house The Burton people know better
than anybody else that they have been
playing a great big game Of bluff all the |
way through and have no desire what /
ever to have their hand called.
Those who have been watching the sen |
atoral contest appreciate the significance /
of the present situation and the fact that /
the Burton people have permitted two /
days to pass by without getting their
breath sufficiently to indicate what they /
propose to do has caused a large number
of those who take an interest in the
senatorial contest to look more carefully
into the status Of affairs and the farther
they investigate the more RaSer stock
goes up ana Burton stock goes down