The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-16
I, WHY he QUIT.
Complete Story of Senator Bur-
ton and New Jerusalem.
Steps Taken to Use the Presi-
dents Letter.
G
Told Kansan He Would Regard
Him as a Democrat.
Advertising Plates Sent Out
But Suppressed.

The following interesting article ap-
peared in the Chicago Inter ocean
Sunday:
This is the story of how the recently
indicted United states Senator Joseph
Ralph Burton of Kansas stumbled
against the personal honor of President
Roosevelt and was given to understand
he was to be considered a political out
lander. When Senator Burton. young,
brilliant, active man that he is, was
indicted by a federal grand jury a week
ago under charges of having accepted
five checks Of $500 each from the Rialto
Grain and Securities company of st.
Louis for his alleged services in inter
ceding with high postoffice officials to
induce them to allow the Rtalto COM
pany to use the mails, his political as
sociates began asking one another il
they knew how the president came TO
tell Burton that he o thereafter
consider him (Burton) as a Democrat
and not as a friend of the administra-
ton.
It all happened because several st.
Louis gentlemen, headed BY Max
Konta, conceived the idea OF reprOduc-
ing for the e~dihcation of the untravel-
ed Americans a replica of the holy city
Of Jerusalem at the coming Worlds
fair. Konta and his associates had
visions of enormous profits from the
scheme. They were to charge the slght
Heers so cents d head to enter the gates
and something more to pass out again.
The plan needed little boosting 1t
moved forward of it's own accord; in
fact. moved so fast that the projectors
could not keep pace with IT, Inc
Worlds fair officials ran to kOnta with
a concession, signed, sealed, and GER
titled Church people became interested.
Publishers of religious books wanted 10
establish booths within h place, and
on the whole, the city of Jerusalem
looked to be about the most promising
side attraction IN the st. Louis Mid
But. as has been said. the promoters
could not keep up with the growth OF
the plaster of paris Jerusalem. konta
then went to an e~nterprls1ng advertising
agency in St. Louis and asked the ofh-
GERS to rush to the aid of the promoters,
and see what they could do to keep the
city Of Jerusalem from ov~ershadoWlne
the Worlds fair itself. The agency o 70
up the task It began a vigorous al
Vertising campaign. 1t secured the pup
lication in nearly all the religious jour
nails of descriptions of the great reli-
gious exhibit-tO-be. This agency, after
conducting its publicity campaign Tor a
few decks, saw an excellent opening &c
make the city of Jerusalem profitable in
more ways than one. 1t had never oc-
CURED to Konta. and his associates &c
sell stock of the city of Jerusalem, but
the advertising agency looking upoT
the plaster of paris and papier-mach'
replica as a real city, wanted to go t.
Issuing something or other-bonds, Ger
tifcates of stock, or whatever could b.
sold. The City of Jerusalem was theI
incorporated. Agents were sent gu
among the ministers and drew glowing
word pictures Of the city that was to be
Isn't it a splendid educational fea
ture, brother?" the agent would ask tn
minister.
Splendid, indeed: it should have tn
Endorsement of every churchman," tn
preacher would answer.
The agent would go away. Within
few days he would come back and in
form the minister that interest was be
coming so widespread in the city o
Jerusalem that every one who choS
would be given a chance to obtain
small interest in it. The agent had let
ters Of Endorsement from other minis
tiers. He had a table of the probabl
number of people who would pay to Sc
the city. He had the expenses all fig
ured out. The profits at the end of tn
fair, as shown the minister, woul
amount to something enormous. The
the minister was told that he would, O
account of his standing in the communi
ty, etc, be appointed a s~ub-agent to in
dorse the scheme and sell the stock. TIL
ministers were generally willing.
About this time the plan had swolle
agency began looking about for an at
tOrney to act as a sort of corporatio
counsel for the papier-mache city. TIL
enterprising advertisers settled upo
United States Senator Joseph Ralp
Burton of Kansas.
OF course. Senator Joseph Ralph Bul