Evening star., 1936-07-24

VII o m axe up
their minds only after weighing the
merits of the campaign as it pro-
crosses? 1t is this vast number who
today hold the answer to the question
of whether Gov Landon gained votes
by his address.
In a normal year, without the ap-
peals of passion or the widespread dis
tribution of Government favors and
Government money, speech like that
delivered last night would win a large
number of independent votes. For it
was simple, Straightforward, honest,
unequivocal AmericaniSm, Spoks-s
without the tricks of emotional exhor-
tation and without the dram of an
artificially stimulated setting.
Contrast Marked.
The contrast with the Franklin
Field scene, where President Roose-
welt delivered his speech of acceptance
Is something that cannot be overlooked
in an appraisal of the two occasions.
Plainly the Presidents words and his
assembled audience in Philadelphia
were part of the plan to produce a
dramatic effect over the radio.
Landon. on the other hand, seems
TO have adopted the opposite track.
The Landon speech was one for sober,
Unconditional thinking for that great
middle class of intelligent people who
do not need to be harangued, but wish
to be reasoned with in campaign.
There was. indeed, very little with
which person devoted to the Ameri-
can philosophy of Government could
disagree. Even many supporters of
Mr. Roosevelt will concede that the
principles of good Government are
substantially as Mr.. LandOn expressed
them.
Where then, lies the difference?
The voter who has lost faith in the
Eig-Zag from right to left and back
again under the New Deal will put his
reliance on Landon'S character and
capacity to carry out with true fidelity
the principles he has just enunciated.
The Landon speech puts in the fCre-
front of the campaign the question of
character in relation to the response
bilities of public Office. Does Landon
mean what he says? VIII he carry
out his promises and platform pledges?
DID he sound like man who would
promise one thing in campaign and
do another when elected?
Character Is Answer.
The average man has no less capac
fly to judge what the answers should
be than the student of Government.
For the answer is imbedded in those
Intangible things called character and
sincerity, candor and forthrightness.
Out in Kansas, these qualities appear
TO be meaningful at least the Kansas
electorate has already had a chance to
decide whether, when ALT Iandon says
q thing, he means it and whether he
can be relied upon 10 carry out his
promises. Thus, in 1882, there was q
three-cornered race for Governor of
Kansas. Landon got plurality of
about 5000 votes. In fact, out of the
total vote of 781, ,907, he got only
278,53l. But two years later, when
Democrats we're making gains in the
congressional elections and when the
New Deal tide was still running high.
Gov. Landon was reelected by about
$4,000 votes over his single opponent.
And in that 1884 election, Gov Landon
obtained 422, GOO votes, or about $4,000
votes in excess of an actual majority
of all votes cast. Also the total ballot
of 100000 was an increase of $4,000
over 1882. This Endorsement is what
attracted nationwide attention and
helped to win the presidential nomina-
tion for Gov. Landon.
Clings to Ideals.
The speech of acceptance will, no
doubt, be weighed as the utterance of
q man of sincerity. 1t was a speech
that Gov Landon himself labored over,
a speech that is typical of his back
ground and his atmosphere. 1t re-
veals that he declined to step out of the
role of Kansas Governor to engage in
THEATRES or to make himself over into
a speaker of an altogether different
type.
The speech is in essence Gov.
Landon's personality and his character,
and on that he can be judged as
readily as on any subsequent speeches
he may make unfolding the details of
particular pieces of legislation. For a
speech of acceptance is candidates
creed and philisophy-it is not de-
signed as q detailed statement either
simplifying the platform or outlining
the particulars of proposed Govern
ment policies. This is reserved for
subsequent addresses in the campaign