The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-23
BURTON RELEASED
FORMER KANSAS SENATOR LEAVES
 TRoNTON PRISON.
saya He Win Net Lead Life for ven- gesnce Hut Will do work for Better Government con-
 ditions.

Ironton. Mo, March 2s,--Joseph Ralph Burton. who until his ccnvfc- ton in the federal court was United States Senator from Kansas. was this morning released from the county jail here, having completed his sentence of six months, imposed when he was found guilty of violating federal statute by appearing before gov- ernmental department as the paid rep resentative of an alleged ''get rich quick" concern of St. Louis
 Burton entered the jail October 22, 1906. His release today is due to the law which provides for a deduction from a sentence for good behavior. Burton's sentence also included a fine of $2,500 and the statute under which he was convicted debars him from ever holding an office of trust or re- | numeration under the federal govern l ment.
 ''The fine which has not been paid. will be held over him as a civil judg- ment. On leaving the jail, Burton gave out the following signed state ment.
 This is the first signed statement I have made for publication since the day I was indicted. The impression has gone out that propose to live for revenge. This Is mistake. have no such purpose.
 The wrongs done to me are the | wrongs of others. Vengeance is thought to be noble only by the igno- ble. Vengeance Is mine, saith the Lord,' is the philosophy to which | have always subscribed in the past | and to which I shall adhere In the | am fhousand fguaaa uoorA solicitous that I shall not wrong an- other than I am concerned about the wrongs others have done, or may do. to me.
 "In saying this. however, I do not intend to have more than two checks. Nor do think 1t wrong to rsbuke | hypocrisy. I return to my home at Only my body has been in jail. My mind has been at all times free; sus- tained with the knowledge that I am | innocent.
 T shall take up my iife's work with | malice toward none and charity for all shall talk and write. With l pen and tongue I shall stand for poli- | cies and principles that believe will make for the general good and oppose such as think are bad.
 Tt is bad policies that make bad men and bad government; while true policies make good men and govern ment. My fight shall be against measures. rather than against men. I shall have charge of a newspaper, unless there Is & fraud order issued l against 1t before can arrange for It's publication. It will reflect my ideas. 'Tt Is to be one of the agencies In l the work I hope to do. I shall talk when am not writing and shall write when I am not talking. The history of my case. already prepared. will appear in serial form, first, in the paper.
 ''The story will not be sensational. 1 It will be truthful, 1nterwoven with | the history and a necessary part of it, will be a discussion of certain con- ditions in our Legislative, admnistra- tive and judicial government; that I think have escaped the attention of | the average citizen.
 q will not now go further into my case nor my plans and purposes. The | first statement will be made on Sat- urday evening to my home people. Then there will be more to follow. (SiRned) ". R. Burton4"