The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-25
SEN. BURToN's BLuNDERs.
They Began Directly When He En-
tered Sonata

Ihey Began Directly When He En-
tered Senate.
Washington, JAN 25.-Joseph Ralph
senatorial career has been a
series of calamitous circumstances. In
all the history of the senators of the
United States congress there has not
been his equal for political laundering,
stupidity and indiscretions, which may
result in imprisonment and inability to
hold office of public trust. Senator
cumstances and conditions which gave
him an opportunity to rank high
among the public men of the nation.
During the period in his state when the
movement had swept from
their political bearings a majority of
the politicians who figured in state
affairs. Burton stood loyalty by his
party. His public career at that time
was forming. He had been a legislator
in his state.
Formerly a teacher of elocution Mr..
Burton had acquired the ability to ex-
press himself effectively on his feet. He
dressed fashily, and the combination of
dress and ready tongue made him a
factor in a state whose first demand of
public men was that they should be
noticed. Burton attracted attention.
He was noisy; be was insistent; he
was irrepreSSible. AS a. member of the
state 1egiSla ture he was the readieSt
debater of which his party could boast.
He rendered valuable service to the
richest family in his state and was
adopted by it politically. This family
of state and almost national reputation
in the business world had "a youthful
member who combined all the qualifi-
cations of gentility and political re-
source. He was young, we'll educated
and courtly. He committed the su-
preme folly of devoting his time, his
money and his talents to advancing the
ambitions of Burton. David Mulvane,
the present national committeeman
from Kansas, could have himself occu-
pied the seat which Burton now FOLDS
had he builded from the first about
himself instead of around the hashy
young lawyer from Abilene, who was
in all respects his inferior.
MULVANE'S INTEREST IN BURTON
MuIvane's personal friends from the
very beginning protested against his
policy. He refused to listen to them.
He worked for Burton and Burton
alone In the first contest which came
at time when the Republicans had
succeeded after fierce state campaign
in wrestling the control of the state leg
islature from the Populist party, Bur-
ton was a candidate for the office of
United States senator. There was
nothing to recommend him save glib
tongue, colossal egotisn and an elo-
cutionary training. He was defeated
for the senate by one vote. The field
was full of good men, but the man Sc
lected made & failure as senator.
w nv ne Ia1led is announcer story, Out Idll
he did, and Mulvane, still standing by
Burton, contrived to have him elected
senator to succeed Lucien Baker. He
took the oath of Office in March, 1901
His autobiography in the Congressional
Record is the briefeSt in that publica-
ton. 1t does not indicate the modesty
of the historian, but is brief because
there was nothing in his life really
worth the telling. Here it is:
Joseph Ralph Burton, Republican. of
Ahi1ppa Tinted
States senate to succeed Lucien Baker,
Republican, who took his seat March A.
1901. His term of service will expire
March g. 1907.
Mckinley was president when Burton
became senator. The Kansas senator
began his career with an entirely erro-
neous idea of his office. A senator is
merely given the opportunity to prove
the STUFF that's in him. There is no
limit to his power or usefulness if he
can make good" The field is bound
less. He is the equal in all respects of
the greatest in the nation But he must
be able to maintain the pace. If he
can't, he would better range with the
humble Hvers. By comparison he be-
comes thing. People will compare
him if he is a Republican with Spooner
and Allison and Hanna and Platt of
Connecticut. Nobody will think of in
ator and Dietrich unless that senator
himself forces it.
ATTACKS BRISTOW.
Burton came to Washington with one
thought, first of getting even with the
men who fought him in Kansas poll
tics; second, of making money. He had
thought a senatorship by day and
dreamed of it by night. He was poor
and in debt. He had taste for things
which riches bring. These two ideas
dominated him. He had scarcely taken
his seat until he sought Mckinley.
Bristow, the fourth assistant postmast-
er general, had incurred Burton s
hatred. Bristow belonged to an oppos-
ing faction and was possessed of a per-
sonality which men of Burton's stamp
intuitively hated. No sooner could
Burton reach the presidential ear than
he began to talk about Bristow. The
president did not wait for him to finish,
IT am glad you have referred to Bris-
tow" said Mr.. Mckinley. IF you have
any more men like him in Kansas
please recommend them for office. The
public service needs such men" Bur-
ton did not finish his remarks.
Mr.. Mckinley was assassinated and
Mr.. Roosevelt became president. With
the new administration Burton had
earned the right of fair consideration.
If there was pretext or excuse for IA
voring him he had earned that too.
When the issue in Philadelphia was in
doubt Burton had led a procession
which shouted the name Roosevelt -
1t sought Roosevelt in his hotel and
demanded his submission. Burton made
the speech and it was a good one.