The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-07-08
Claims That the People Have
Not Been Deliberate.
HIS UNIQUE POSITION.
Saws That President Has Been
Placed in False Light.
About 1000 People Gather to
Hear Explanation.
Great Many Leave Before the
Speech is Ended.

There were upwards of two thousand
people in the auditorium last night
when Senator ]. r. Burton began his
defense of his action in regard to the
Cuban reciprocity bill. When he con-
cluded two hours later about five hum
dred remained.
People who expected oratory and fire
works from Mr.. Burton last night were
disappointed. Neither was there a
enthusiasm. The committee on applause
either had not done its work we'll or its
efforts were failure. The only times
there was anything approaching en-
thusiasm in the audience was on the
mention of the name of Congressman
Curtis, and when Mr.. Burton announced
that he would abide by the dictates or
the Republican party in Kansas.
Senator Burton has grown new
moustache since he last visited Kansas,
and he is wearing his black hair a little
longer. He now looks more as ne olo
before his election to the senate.
No one occupied the broad stage with
the speaker except the president of the
Flambeau club, h. E. Lair, who presld-
introduction, too, was very brief. Mr..
Lair simply said:
= Ladies and gentlemen, I have the
honor to introduce Senator ]. r. Burton,
Then the speech began
Four points stood out prominently in
Senator Burton's speech: First, his
defense" of President Roosevelt and
emphatic declaration that he was, IS,
and will be in 1904 for Roosevelt.
Second, his denial that the president
had "snubbed' him or turned down his
recommendations because of recent
events.
Third, his attempt to prove that the
proposed Cuban reciprocity measure
would have destroyed the beet sugar
industry in the United states.
And, finally. his agreement to aban-
don his present position and support
the presidents Cuban measure next
winter If the Republican party of Kan
sanetor Burton made no in,
troductory remarks. He plunged
directly into his speech. Instead
attacks which have been made on him
and other beet sugar senators, the first
thing he did was to claim that these at
tacks were really intended to be d.
rected against President Roosevelt. He
denied that the members of congress
and the president are at 1oggerheads
and cited in proof the fact that one
house or the other has passed every
measure recommended by President
Roosevelt except a Pacific cable bill.
He vigorously denied the story that
the president had refused to shake
hands with him on one occasion, and
told the details of the meeting at which
the slight was alleged to have taken
place.
Il am sorry to say he went on
that the propagator of that story is a
Kansan and holds subordinate posi-
ton in Washington by the grace of g
Kansan in high position. And this ma
1icious slander is in accord with this
mans reputa ation for truth and verac.
ity, as established in the courts of JUS
tice in the county in which he lives
While no name was mentioned, it was
understood that the man in the ''subor
dinate position was A. A. Richards o
wellington, a clerk in the house of rep
resentativeS.
AS to the report that the presiden
had turned down Foley, Wiggam anc
Richter because of Senator Burton's at
titude towards him, Mr.. Burton said:
President Roosevelt told me months
ago that he would not appoint Mr.. Fo
ley and said I would give him anothe
name for appointment before congress
adjourned, which did and the presi
dent appointed him. Mr.. Wiggam wa
not my appointee. That was solely tn
the Indian Territory marshalship wa
solely the patronage of the presiden
himself
The greater part of the speech wa
taken up with an attempt to prove tha
the proposed Cuban reciprocity bill
which President Roosevelt wants pass
ed. is wrong, that Cuba does not nee
help, and that if she is helped America
cdpltdl Will reap the DenenI OF 1t. MI
Burton claimed he is in favor of recip
rocity, but not the kind that was pro
posed in the Cuban bill. He said, how
ever. that he will bow to the mandate
of his party if his party wishes him t
vote for the proposed bill.
Senator Burton talked for two hours
He read liberal quotations from tn
Congressional Record and other docu
ments, and this was the portion tina
wearied people who came largely out c
curiosity. When he spoke offhand tn
majority of the audience listened close
ly- There were, of course, good man
politicians in the audience. Congress
man Curtis came early and spent tn
time before the beginning of the speec
in shaking hands with his friends.
The first part of the speech was large
ly offhand. That was the portion i
which Mr.. Burton claimed the attack
upon certain senators were really al
tacks upon the president, and that tn
president had been placed in a falls
light.
The senator then said: 'I with othe
senators and members of congress, hav
been accused of being opposed to Cuba
reciprocity. This accusation is falls
and is based upon the assumption this
the bill reported by the ways an
means committee of the house, or til
bill that the senate committee propose
to report as a substitute, expressed til
only kind of Cuban reciprocity theI
was.
DEFINES RECIPROCITY
ut is perhaps well at the outstart
inquire what is; meant by recfprocit
Reciprocity, as taught us originally h
Mr.. Blaine, was the admission into tn
market. without duty. all of those a
ticles which we do not or can not pr
duce, in exchange for a foreign mark
for our products with equivalent redu,