The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-06
POLITICAL GOSSIP
Rumor That Senator Burton Is
About to Quit.
Would Have Mr.Curtis Take His
Seat.
PLAN TO FIX THINGS.
Effort Being Made TO Win Over
Senator Long.
BY This Means Stubbs May Be
CircumYented.
PLAN TO FIX THINGS.

out of the undercurrent of sena-
torial talk which pervades the political
crowds in the hotel lobbies comes this
strange story:
J. R. Burton is about to resign his
position as United States senator.
This he will do regardless of the out
come of the case in the supreme court,
the only condition being that the
Kansas legislature can be fixed to elect
Charles Curtis as his successor.
AS the story goes. Curtis is prepared
to sacrifice some of his boss buster
principles provided he can get some
support from Senator Long and SEN
ator Longs friends in the legislature
He viii need this support, for without
It there is little doubt that W. r.
Stubbs would be able to hold a com
manding hand in the senatorial situa-
ton.
Of course Burton would be taken
care of by Curtis It would not be
wholly a piece of heroic self-sacrifice
There would be a good thing in it for
Burton somewhere along the path
way And his resignation would put
him in a nice light before the people
of Kansas, he thinks, especially if he
happens to escape the condemnation
Of the supreme court He can then
''Fenow citizens. I am exonerated.
! stand before you as pure as snow.
Yet I realize that my value as senator
from Kansas has been impaired, and
! therefore tender my resignation be-
cause I believe it to be for the best
interests of the state"
Such a move might enable him to
retain some manner of leadership
with the boss buster faction. 1t might
save him from political oblivion. And
at the same time it might be profit
able from other standpOinus.
It is rumOred that Curtis has been
warming up to Senator Long very no
ficeably of late. He has been doing
his best to please Long, and naturally
enough Long is interested in seeing to
It that someone is elected to succeed
Senator Burton who will be able to
work on friendly terms with him.
Curtis wants to show him that he is
that kind of a chap. And moreover,
he badly needs the help of Senator
Longs friends to curb the rising tide
of the "Stubbs for Senator sentiment.
Long probably figures that he and
Curtis can work together better than
he and Stubbs. and perhaps he is will
ing to turn his influence in that direc-
ton.
So if these stories are true there is
only one thing which remains to be
developed. and that is whether suffi-
cient strength can be lined up for
Curtis to make him the nominee over
Stubs at the present session of the
legislature.
Naturally Stubbs will get the big
end of the "boss buster support. The
legislators who have tied themselves
up to the HOch boom would have to
support Stubbs But there are dozens
of members of both houses who are
Independent of either the "machine'
or the boss busters" And there are
many more who are openly friendly
to the machine" faction Can Curtis
aided by Long, line up enough of the
Independents and machine men to
control the Republican caucus2 If he
can do this, and can do it without a
shadow of doubt, the next thing to
look for viii be the announcement
from washington, Immediately follow
ing the supreme court decision, of the
resignation of Senator ]. r. Burton
for conscientious motives.
The house and senate caucuses to
select the officers for those bodies will
probably be held Monday afternoon at
clock The inauguration will be
held at 1880 and will be out OF the
way by the time set for the caucuses
1t is expected that the caucus business
Will be finished uD in time for Cover
nor Baley'S reception in the evening
The time for the caucuses has not
been officially selected, but some of
the leaders have talked the thing over
and agreed that Monday at o'clock
will be a very suitable time.
The work of decorating the state
house for the inaugural festivities is
in charge of the work and large guam
titles of southern smilax. nalms and
bunting are being used.
D. J. Hanna, lieutenant governor
arrived in Topeka Thursday, and will
be here during the session of the leg
islature- He is accompanied by his
wife. and has just returned from
short wedding journey.
George E. Tucker. senator-elect
from the Greenwood-Lyon district
and J. ". Johnson, one of the leading
pOl'-'-ians of Greenwood county and
FORMER member of the legislature
arrived in Topeka Thursday. Mrs
Tucker will Join her husband Mon
day, and spend the winter here.
rectOrs of the penitentiary, was in To-
peka yesterday and called on Governor
Bailey He was asked how things
seemed TO be lining up in the fight for
the job of warden of the pen, and said:
We had a. meeting of the board at
Lansing yesterday. and both Mr. Jewett
and Mr.. Haskell were there Not a
word was said either at the meeting or
at any other time, so far as I know
about the wardenship- Mr.. Jewett has
of warden, and Mr.. Haskell has many
strong friends for the place, under
stand. I am not taking any hand in
the fight All I know about it is what
I read in the newspapers"
Frank c. Pomeroy. the newly elected
representative from Jackson county.
arrived in Topeka Thursday and spent
the day here. He returned to HOlton
last night. and will come back to To-
term in the legislature