Evening star., 1936-06-12
Landon Adds
Vital Spark
toG.O.P.
Has Written History
Even if He Loses
at Polls.
BY SAMUEL G. BLYTHE.


CLEVELAND, June IL (NANA)-
The Landon bandwagon made its tinaI
rounds yesterday morning and before
1t had proceeded further than from
Alabama 70 Arkansas it was necessary
to hitch on a string OF trailers because
OF the great crush Of delegates crowd
ing. pushing. nghting TO get aboard
The drivers were John Hamilton
and Roy Roberts, two prairie boys.
who started out a year ago with a
couple of burroS and landed in Cleve-
land with great. gorgeous and Sol-
den chariot drawn by Is milk-white
steeds, and with the symbolic figure
OF a deep-bosomed, eorn-fed, broad
hipped girl, typifying the crusading
spirit of the West, occupying the re-
splendent throne in the middle OF the
respondent car.
Bowls Over Old Guard.
1t was an amazing spectacle. 1t
was such triumphant political page
ant as this country has never seen
before. 1t was the striking evidence
OF the birth Of a real liberalism in
the Republican party. 1t was q jug
sernsut running ruthlessly over the
feeble and futile remnants OF the Old
Guard that has governed the Repub-
lican party for a generation II was
the token TO the country that the
control, the dominating force, OF the
Republican party has moved from the
East TO the West.
And so what? This: Whether the
Republican party, with Iandon the
Kansan. can win this election, or
whether 1t cannot, which remains to
be proved next November, there is no
doubt that the party has definitely
divorced itself from its past, and has
gone on a great adventure TO build
a modern future.
When one considers the history Of
that party. that had it's first victory
with Lincoln and remained in power.
with the exception of 20 years, since
1861, a history that comprehends a
political conSerVa tism that grew with
the years to be almost a political i'm
mutability. this result at Cleveland
and the succession of events LEADING
up 10 1t. is one of the most remark
able demonstrations of the now and
ebb Of American political opinion and
action we have ever known.
Shows Spirit Lives.
When we consider the medium
through which this Transformation
was brought about, which. in effect.
is a revolt against an old order, the
relentless casting off of the dead hand
OF tradition. convention and prece-
dent. with its symbol a modest Kan
san. who two years ago was not known
outside of his State. and now is non1i-
mated for the presidency OF the United
States by the unanimous acclaim of
more than a thousand delegates from
all our States and territorial posses
Sions, it is an Illuminating index that
the spirit that made America great
still exists. 1t marks the beginning
of a political revival Of vast impor-
tance
1t is not for these nonpartiSsn dis
patches TO conjecture whether this
campaign will succeed or fail. What
has been written here is a news rec
ord OF an astounding and most sig
nificsnt demonstration Of the muta-
bility Of American politics. We have
seen something here at this Cleveland
convention that never was seen before
in this country. We have seen a party
raise itself from the moribund to the
animate. Whatever may happen at
the polls, this is significant and a
momentous event.
tCopyright 1885. BY the North American
Rewsps per Alha nee IneJ