Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-01-29
SENATOR BURTON
is INDICTED F.!
ST. LOUIS GRAND JURY FINDS HIM GUILTY
OF Participating In det-Rich'Quick Scheme.

Joseph Ralph, Burton, senior senator from,
Kansas, has beenindicted by St. Louis grand
jury for receiving fees from the Rialto Grain g.
Commission Company, get-rich.quick concern
of St. Louis, to keep the postal authorities
from issuing fraud orders against the concern.
The amount which Burton received was $2, 500.
He does not deny receiving the money but in.
sists that it was as attorney for the company,
aud not as United States senator.
But Burton cannot be arrested at present. He
is immune so long as congress is in session.
Meantime, Burton will wiggle out, some way.
But he is a dead duck, politically He will
never again be elected to Office. And he is
notorious dead beat, who has always lived by
his wits. His credit is thing of the past,
and he will now be obliged to 60 to work.
Some of the strongest Republican papers are
roasting Burton to beautiful brown.
The Chicago Tribune (Rep of last Monday
says, editorially
"How does it happen that a state inferior to
none of its sister commonwealths, inhabited by
God-fearing and intelligent people, who have
been faithful, in trying occasions, to the high
est ideals of liberty and Of political responsible
ity, should be represented in the senate by a
man of the stamp of Senator Burton? How is
it that Kansas which has lived down the rep
utation created for it by Subsidy Pomeroy and
Jim Lane, has fallen into pit deeper than
that dug iby either Of them tor its reputation?
"The case against Senator Burton does not
consist cO1e1v ~ the iudctuaut ;oL h., Lo...
presented in St. Louis. Unfortunately, the
Senator has failed almost from the time of his
election to command the full confidence and
respect OF his associates in the senate chamber.
He is of the few senators of whom the
people speak with dropping of the eyelid, or
thrusting of the tongue into the cheek.
"How it happens that Senator Burton should
be considered in Washington man likely to
be susceptible to influences, political, social or
otherwise, that do not reach most of his associ-
ates in the senate, it is perhaps not difficult to
conjecture, but before we come to any final
conclusions on this interesting subject, it would
be we'll to hear from Mr.. William Allen White
and other editors OF Kansas who have definite
convictions in regard 10 the duties and obliga-
tions of public men, The Tribune waits
breathlessly for reply: WHATS the matter
with Kansas?'"
Mondays Topeka Herald, Gen. Joe Hud-
sons paper, contained the following editorial:
lever since J. R. Burton has been repre-
sentative of Kansas in the United States SEN
ate, rumor has peristently connected his name
with various and sundry transactions which re.
fleet on his honor and integrity as man and
public official. The people of his own state
will correctly estimate much OF the newspaper
exploitation to which he has been and will be
subjected for political purposes and effect, and
will properly discount, but that will not in any
way relieve him of his present obligation to
tine people of Kansas. The indictment of
Senator Burton by grand jury at St. Louis,
Saturday, brings him face to face with formal
charge of what has heretofore reached the pub.
lie only by irresponsible rumors.
"Under the circumstances his course should
be absolutely clear. He owes it to himself, to
his friends and the good name and honor of
Kansas to demand the fullest and most thor.
ough investigation of his conduct, and to either
prove that he has done nothing inconsistent
with honor or resign his seat in the United
States senate" b