The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-07-17
BY LESLIE LARKIN
United Press staff Correspondent


TOPEKA, Kan, July 17.-Kansas
has a balanced budget, an efficient
state government working on re-
duced revenues, and through these
two political phenomena, a Cover
nor whose modesty in the face of
increasing talk of his availability as
presidential timber is but one Of
his many assets.
ALT M. Landon, big, affable and
able, is the Governor who has
achieved a balanced budget at a
time when deficits seem the general
order. Gov. Landon is a successful
business man who entered politics
in an active way late in life.
His friends say he has uncommon
sense. He made a success as an
independent oil man and when he
came to Topeka from his home in
Independence he introduced bust
ness methods into his administra-
ton.
But what about his presidential
aspirations? Gov. Landon answers
that first with the slow smile that
is part of his genial makeup.
Winding Own Business
eve don't discuss that" he said.
'I'll confess it is a pleasant surprise
to learn that voters outside my own
state regard me as a presidential
prospect. But just now I have only
one predominant thought. That is
to mind my own business as Gov
ernor.
kansas has balanced its budget,
lowered taxes and met every relief
need And this in the face of three
major disasters, drought, dust and
floods. So you see, my present job
occupies every minute and thought"
MY political philosophy DEGREES
that I shall never worry about my
political future and I'm sticking by
that credo now" he said. Il think
any mans efficiency is impaired
when he begins to worry about his
future, especially if he is a public
servant. That is why am sincere
in saying my chief interest now is
in doing a successful job as Gov
ernor."
Gov. Landon declined to attack
President Roosevelt directly, : al
though he found fault with numer-
Gus features of the New Deal and
scoffed at the idea Mr.. Roosevelt will
be unbeatable in 1886.
Roosevelt can't be beaten?" he
said. wait and see"
Spending our way back to pros
perity can not succeed, Mr.. Landon
believes.
I've tried to fulfill my duties as
Governor as I would run a bust
ness" he explained. Our costs
never topped our income. The trou-
BILE with most politicians who spend
other peoples money reckleSSly is
that they never have had to meet
pay roll on Saturday night.
Per Capita Costs Cut
Here in Kansas we have cut our
per capita costs from the 1929 peak
of ST. to S51. General property
taxes were decreased 80 per cent and
state and local revenues reduced
from $124,000,OO0 to $79,OOO,00O."
It was recalled that in 1882 Mr..
Roosevelt and Mr.. Landon, in their
respective campaigns, both pledged
a consolidation of bureaus and the
elimination of waste. Mr.. Landon
says he carried out his pledge.
MY party workers raised quite a
howl over it," he said. They said
the way to prosperity was to give
everyone a job in the government
and 1 told them my job would be
a bed of roses if it consisted in CIV
ing every man a job. But spent
the first 10 weeks of my administra-
ton welding the pruning knife"
Farm Program Approved
Kansas has received millions in
wheat benefits from the AAA and
Gov. Landon believes the new agri-
culture setup has much to recon-
mend it. Inattention to restoration
of foreign markets, he believes, is
its chief fault.
Industry and agriculture must
be balanced and foreign trade re-
vived before there can be farm re-
lief" he said. Farm economics
must be widened and farm manage
ment strengthened"
Capitalization of power and gov
fo1iouoc &c
wrong and unavoidable. State,
county and township political sub
divisions must be maintained. he
feels, with the voice of the press
never silenced.
Urges Constructive Relief
1--WE don't experiment with the
taxpayers money in Kansas, and
we don't mortgage their future, :"
Gov. Landon said. I'VE measure our
expenditures by the ability of the
citizen to pay now and not in the
future. No nation or business can
spend more than is earned and ex-
pect to escape bankruptcy"
The forgotten man still is partly
forgotten, Mr.. LandOn thinks.
Relief stops being relief when it
warps the initiative and industry of
people. Those fundamental virtues
OF our pioneering heritage can not
be preserved by moving pile Of
leaves back and forth across the
street. Work relief projects must be
substantial, and therefore con-