The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-21
like A HOT CAKE.
Anti Leland Forces to Drop
Burton.
Will Rally Around Congress-
man Charles Curtis.
HAS BEEN A BURDEN.
Can Not Expect to Win and
Can Not Expect to Win and
Carry the Senator.
Plan Is to Make Topeka Con-
gressman His Successor.
Mysterious Meeting at Which
Details Were Discussed.

The plans have been made and the
work of stringing the wires for a fight
on Cyrus Leland by a large wing of the
Burton crowd and the "snti-Leland".
forces ison. A meeting was held last week
before the legislators went home. The
scheme was instigated by some politi-
clans in the old Fourth district and the
first meeting was held in a committee
room at the state house.
The majority of the Burton forces be-
lieve that they have too large a load
to carry. in the person Of Burton. If
they wish to be hand and glove with the
anti-Lelandites they will have to get
out from under Burton. The plan is,
when the time comes, to desert Burton
and support Charles Curtis for senator
to succeed Burton.
The plan as agreed upon will virtual
" force Dave Mulvane, national COM
mitteeman from Kansas, away from
Burton The plan is to attack I.eland's
record during the last legislature and if
IS apparent that to do this the forces
VIII have to be behind some other man
than Burton. Congressman Curtis was
not at the meeting and had no hand in
1t, but the plans were made known 10
him after they We're fncubated and
while Mr. Curtis is now expected to say
that ne IS not at present a candidate to
succeed Burton that he will be pitted
against him at the proper time
When the supporters fail away from
Burton and join the anti-Leland camp
the scheme is that Mulvane viii have
two courses open, to join the Leland
crowd or desert Burton and join the
antt-Leland wing in the Republican
party The anti-Lelandites are disposed
to be favorable and quite friendly to
MulVane and they will be ready to sun
port him for national committeeman
Several EvIf knT hfr l-,~-
stature Were N The meeting and planned
Lne Scn-hle- IheX expect the iiVeliost
nght between factions Of ne Republican
party tnat mas ever taken place in the
state The primary meeting was in the
form of a close corporation The plan to
get out from under Burton is 50 that the
antts may have clear skirts in the fight
against Leland and when the machine
y ork in the last legislature is shown I'D
that the Leland crowd can not Doint to
the 'get-rich-Quick" politician who donI-
mated the senate" as Ba34e Waeeener
who they think can make the fight from
this standpoint they will lay row. On
Curtis, if that is necessary. and place him
in the field to beat Burton.
Another feature of the plan is that IL the
anti Leland forces desert Burton and the
Leland crowd wins that Burton will be de-
feated anyway. The fight Will begin at
once and the plans are being made to
capture the delegates to the national con-
ventiOn next year. who win select the ma
tlonal committeeman from Kansas. Mort
Albaugh has announced that an early con-
Vention will be held for the purpose of let
Ilns Kansas IN early ia announcing for
Roosevelt. The anti-Lelandites look upon
( this as Leland move and they nope to
block it.
The night will begin in the primaries and
county conventions, where the delegates
are selected to the state convention The
tight viii be Leland and anti-Leland. The
scheme has been started by First and
Fourth district politicians and even now
Mulvane and Frank Grimes are the only
big men IN the Burton camp who are stay
ing by him.