The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-07
STARTS The TALK
What If Senator j. r. Burton
Should Resign.
Would Put Mr.. Hoch in Embar-
RAISING Position.
THE FIELD is FULL.
Many Candidates Including the
Governor Himself.
AppOintee Would Have Advan-
tage Before Legislature.

Ihe reported intended resignation OF
Senator Burton, which Senator Burton
himself is tacitly understood as denying.
has set the politicians to figuring on
what would happen If he should resign.
There has been more or less speculation
along this line for months, but It has
not been seriously believed that Burton
ever would actually resign. Such a
thing seemed beyond the limit Of the
possible.
If such a thing should happen, how
ever, 1t would be up to Governor Hoch
to appoint his successor. The fact that
Senator Burton was in Topeka thts
week conferring with some Of his re-
naming friends gave rise to the BELIEF
that his resignation might be under con-
sideration-by the remnants OF the Bur
ton faction.
1t is not at all improbable that Sea-
ator Burtons friends-those who ara
looked upon as his friends-wouId not
be at all averse to his resignation pro-
vided they could influence the appoint
ment made by Governor Hoch- But
there's the rub. When asked today if
he had been approached on the subject
Governor Hoch said:
mo, I have not-not directly. OF
course there has been a. lot Of specula-
ton as to whether Senator Burton
would resign and what would do Il he
did, but that's all. And have positive
" refused to discuss the matter with
anybody or consider it at all.
1T is imnateriaI to me-" continued
Governor Hoch, what Senator Burton
may do. I would not want to influence
him in the matter in the least one way
or another, and for that reason would
not discuss what I might or might not
do in case of his resignation. He can
do as he pleases about it, and If he re-
signs / win do as I please and the
governor smiled.
It might be a shrewd political move
OH the part of the Burton crowd to
I get Senator Burton to resign. OF
leourse that crowd hopes, by means of
some political accident, to be able to
/ control the next senatorial election.
! That is more thar q year and a half
away, and it is impossible to tell what
might happen by that time. Three
months ago w. r. Stubbs would prob
ably have been the almost unanimous
/ choice of the Kansas legislature for
! BUrtOn's Fr1ccessoEs but there is some
question bout 1t now. Governor
I Hoch and Phil Campbell would each
have a big following if the election
were held today. And by year from
next fall the situation may be entirely
1 different.
There is little doubt that the choice
3 OF IDC OiQ burton crowd LOT senator
IS l. W. DIulvane. and if Mr.. Burton
and his friends could be assured that
( Governor Hoeh would name Mr-
/ MulVane as Burton'S successor there
/ is q very strong probability that the
! SignauOn would be forthcoming.
I But Governor H0ch will give no such
promise, and therefore there is no
resignation.
Just now Governor Hoch himself
I has u strong and ever increasing sem
atorial boomIet, ana there is danger
to the Burton crowd that it will over
/ shadow all others. It might be in the
power of Senator Burton to seriously
| en- barraSs Governor Hoch by resign
/ ing. provided the governor has sena-
/ tOrial aSDiT Tarions-Which he has never
/ Indicated. In that case a. would be
/ Up to tEe governor to I'll the vacancy.
| lie could not appoint himself, and
| the only way he could take the SEN
atorshi1 would be to make a deal
with Lieutenant Governor Hanna, re-
/ sign as governor thereby allowing
/ Hanna to become governor, with the
understanding that Hanna would ap-
point him senator This sort Of a
thing is not always looked upon with
favor by the people, and even if Cow
/ ernor 1Ioch were capable of (which
! he probably is mott might not be
ratified by the next legislature.
Therefore Burtons resignation at this
/ time would embarrass any senatorial
( aspirations Governor HOch might have
i-if any. It would practically compel
/ the governor to appoint some other per-
son and it might then be difficult for
1 him to run against his own appointee.
| If Burton should resign it would be
rather difficult to guess who he would
appoint among the candidates might
be D. w Adulvane, W r. Stubs.
/ Joseph Bristow, Congressman Charles
! Curtis Congressman p. P. Campbell.
/ CONGRESSMAN Charles F. Scott, Con-
gressman w. A. CaIderhead, and possi-
bly, others.
Two months ago everybody would
have guessed that Stubbs would be ap-
pointed in case Of a vacancy, but the
puesses would not be so unanimous
now. Stubbs. Scott and Bristow would
be equal favorites. with Campbell and
I curtis close behind. and Mulvane not
far in the rear