Evening star., 1936-01-30
Text of Gov. Landon's Speech in Topeka

created many new problems ana It's
gross decentralization of power re-
fleets either ignorance or indifference
In regard to our Federal system Of
government. All this, in my judg-
ment, is actually delaying the return
of prosperity.
are people today calling themselves
liberal who regard any suggestion of
economy as reactionary. They seem
to think willingness to throw other
peoples money around without any
consideration of value received is
peculiar sign of pure heart. They
show too little consideration for the
toll which millions of American men
and women will have to undergo in
order to pay off the debt so gayly
incurred. Already the average family
spends one-fourth of its income for
taxes, whether the family knows 1t
or not. It will take much more than
that to pay the bill which political
wasters have contracted in the Amer
ican peoples name. Those in power
responsible for this reckless extrava-
gance are not liberals. They are more
nearly benighted reactionaries.
When the record of the admins.
tration is challenged their only answer
is. What would you do?" That begs
the question. Their program is not
only ineffective, 1t Is destructive Of
the American system. In the face of
that fact, no reasonable citizen should
ask us what to do. The American
people propose to solve their prob
lens under the American system.
Nor is the cry of Tory" sufficient
answer to those who question their
delusions. If know my fellow Kan
sans-and they are good cross-section
of America-they do not approve any
thing smacking of a return to
system of exploitation of the many
by the few. Nor do they want to 60
floating aloft in a stratospheric bal
loon of unkept promises. They think
the alphabet has been overWorked.
They believe it is time to use simple
addition and subtraction. They want
neither reaction on the one hand
nor radicalism on the other. Let
those who insist on the alphabet
remember that America was built on
energy, ambition and enthusiasm, by
courage, character and common sense.
Sound Principles Outlive
Old Order Errors.
The choice ahead of the American
people is not whether to keep on
with the mistakes of the so-called
New Deal or return to the mistakes
longs to the past. but sound American
principles persist. The hands of the
clock of political destiny move for
ward, not backward. But they must
turn a. a steady, orderly pace. We
have had too much palaver about
old deals and new. Performance, to
me. counts for more than phrases.
The action of the Supreme Court
in cutting. away some of the errors
in recent national legislation has
given a healthful impetus to our
entire economic life. The months fol-
lowing the voiding of the N r. A.
registered Americas most marked up
turn since the depression. In contrast,
the four months following the pas
sage of that act we're marked by
drop in industrial production and
employment equaled only by our
greatest panics of the past.
Wha5 our Nation really needs to-
day is better housekeeping. Our
women could show the way. They have
had more successful experience than
any political spendthrift in getting
full abundance out of living and in
managing to put by something for
rainy day.
Kansas has tried to do this kind
of housekeeping.
Through the cooperation Of her
officials, from the smallest political
subdivisions to the state house. Kan
sas has succeeded to a conspicuous
degree.
Taxes and Governmental
Costs Cut in Kansas.
Since 1929 Kansas property taxes
have been reduced 80 per cent. The
per capita cost of State and local
government has been cut s19. or 26