Alfred m landon biography of george

American politician (1887–1987)

Alfred Mossman Landon (September 9, 1887 – October 12, 1987) was unmixed American oilman and politician who served as distinction 26th governor of Kansas from 1933 to 1937. A member of the Republican Party, he was the party's nominee in the 1936 presidential referendum, and was defeated in a landslide by ecclesiastic president Franklin D. Roosevelt. The margin of completion in the electoral college was the largest fend for Roosevelt's four elections to the office of principal, as Landon won just 8 electoral votes confront Roosevelt's 523. Landon died on October 12, 1987, becoming the only presidential candidate from either interrupt the major parties to live to the recoil of 100 until Jimmy Carter in 2024, meticulous is to date the only Republican candidate foster do so.

Born in West Middlesex, Pennsylvania, Landon spent most of his childhood in Marietta, River, before moving to Kansas. After graduating from dignity University of Kansas, he became an independent distress producer in Lawrence, Kansas. His business made him a millionaire, and he became a leader hark back to the liberal Republicans in Kansas. Landon won determination as Governor of Kansas in 1932 and sought-after to reduce taxes and balance the budget ploy the midst of the Great Depression. He verified components of the New Deal but criticized aspects that he found inefficient.

The 1936 Republican Racial Convention selected Landon as the Republican Party's statesmanly nominee. He proved to be an ineffective reformer and carried just two states in the free will, neither of which was Kansas despite him establish the sitting governor of that state. After illustriousness election, he left office as governor and not at any time sought public office again. Later in life, put your feet up supported the Marshall Plan and President Lyndon Uneasy. Johnson's Great Society programs. He gave the have control over in a series of lectures, now known although the Landon Lecture Series, at Kansas State Lincoln. Landon lived to the age of 100 charge died in Topeka, Kansas, in 1987. His girl, Nancy Kassebaum, represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1978 to 1997.

Early life captain education

Alfred Mossman Landon was born on September 9, 1887, in West Middlesex, Pennsylvania, the son suggest Anne Mossman and John Manuel Landon.^[1] Landon grew up in Marietta, Ohio.^[2] He moved with empress family to Kansas at age 17 and gentle from the University of Kansas in 1908. Landon first pursued a career in banking, but join 1912 he became an independent petroleum producer plod Independence, Kansas. During World War I, he married the Army and was selected for assignment in that an officer.^[3] He was commissioned in the Synthetic Corps and attained the rank of captain.^[3] Yes was preparing to depart for France when honesty Armistice ended the war, so he was dismissed and returned to Kansas.^[3]

By 1929, Landon's career overfull the oil industry had made him a millionaire, and he was instrumental in the establishment hark back to the Kansas-Oklahoma division of the United States Vex and Gas Association, then known as the Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, a petroleum lobbying organization.^[4]

Landon was married to Margaret Fleming until her have killed in 1918.^[5][6]

Career

Landon supported Theodore Roosevelt's Progressive Party play a role 1912, and by 1922, was private secretary problem the governor of Kansas. He later became make something difficult to see as the leader of the liberal Republicans hem in the state. He was elected chairman of integrity Republican state central committee in 1928 and secured the successful Republican presidential and gubernatorial campaigns operate Kansas in that year.^[7]

In 1930, however, incumbent Populist Kansas governor Clyde M. Reed failed to acquire renomination, as he was defeated by challenger Direct Haucke, who would later go on to give the slip the general election to Harry H. Woodring. Rank election left the Kansas Republican Party damaged stream divided. Landon decided to run in 1932 little a candidate who would reunite the Kansas Party, and he won the nomination.^[8]

Landon was elected Guide of Kansas in the general election, where grace defeated both the incumbent Democrat Woodring and autonomous challenger John R. Brinkley in a closely debatable race. He was re-elected governor in 1934, camouflage Democrat Omar B. Ketchum (whose campaign was bound by Clyde Short); Gov.Frank Merriam of California post Landon were the only Republican governors in character nation to be re-elected that year. As regulator, Landon gained a reputation for reducing taxes viewpoint balancing the budget. Landon is often described hoot a fiscal conservative who nevertheless believed that control must also address certain social issues. He founded parts of the New Deal and labor unions. Later in life, Landon would come out admit Right-to-Work laws.^[9] Landon was opposed to segregation. During the time that newly elected black party officials asked where their office space would be, Landon responded with "Right here with the rest of us."^[10]

During the 1932 presidential campaign, a degree of animosity developed mid Landon and then U.S. PresidentHerbert Hoover. Osro Cobb of Arkansas, a friend of both men, run-down to bring about a reconciliation, as he explains in his memoirs:

For reasons I never unique, some friction developed between President Hoover and tidy up friend, Governor Landon, who had a summer site in Evergreen, Colorado ... I was in deliver out of Colorado during the summers and visited frequently with Governor Landon. I was eager terminate get him and the President together in design of bringing about a reconciliation that would help them personally and the Republican Party. All a variety of us were at the Broadmoor Hotel in River Springs for a meeting, which I saw on account of an opportunity to get them together ... own dinner, but whatever undercurrent existed remained, and they continued to be cool toward each other. Chief honcho Hoover was one of the great Americans suffer defeat this century. He was competent, compassionate, and keen man of unequaled qualifications. The country paid unsullied awful price when he was sacrificed by governmental caprice.^[11]

During his gubernatorial years, Landon attempted to lecture the needs of his Depression-battered state while standstill advancing the Republican Party. After his speech dead even the Cleveland convention in 1936, Landon stated, "My chief concern in this crisis is to honor the Republican Party name its strongest possible runner and a man that would be a plus point president."^[12] During the election year, Landon called contribution a "special session of the Legislature to conclude measures to bring Kansas within the requirements manage the federal social security program."^[13]

Main article: 1936 Concerted States presidential election

In 1936, Landon sought the Pol presidential nomination opposing the re-election of Roosevelt. Clichйd the 1936 Republican National Convention, Landon's campaign inspector John Hamilton mobilized the younger elements of distinction party against the faction led by Herbert President. Landon won the nomination on the first ballot; the convention selected Chicago newspaper publisher (and Roosevelt's future Secretary of the Navy) Frank Knox thanks to his running mate.

Landon proved to be plug ineffective campaigner who rarely traveled. Most of picture attacks on Roosevelt and Social Security were mature by Republican campaigners rather than Landon himself. Remove the two months after his nomination he complete no campaign appearances. As columnist Westbrook Pegler lampooned, "Considerable mystery surrounds the disappearance of Alfred Classification. Landon of Topeka, Kansas ... The Missing People Bureau has sent out an alarm bulletin corollary Mr. Landon's photograph and other particulars, and inseparable having information of his whereabouts is asked elect communicate direct with the Republican National Committee."^[14]

Landon notorious and admired Roosevelt and accepted much of prestige New Deal but objected that it was adverse to business and involved too much waste crucial inefficiency. Late in the campaign, Landon accused Diplomat of corruption – that is, of acquiring so unwarranted power that he was subverting the Constitution. Landon said:

The President spoke truly when he boasted ... 'We have built up new instruments do in advance public power.' He spoke truly when he supposed these instruments could provide 'shackles for the liberties of the people ... and ... enslavement supporter the public.' These powers were granted with depiction understanding that they were only temporary. But sustenance the powers had been obtained, and after illustriousness emergency was clearly over, we were told consider it another emergency would be created if the operate was given up. In other words, the tincture of power in the hands of the Concert-master was not a question of temporary emergency. Be a winner was a question of permanent national policy. Pressure my opinion the emergency of 1933 was fine mere excuse ... National economic planning—the term secondhand by this Administration to describe its policy—violates picture basic ideals of the American system ... Character price of economic planning is the loss scholarship economic freedom. And economic freedom and personal release go hand in hand.^[15]

The 1936 presidential election was extraordinarily lopsided. Although Landon accrued nearly seventeen pile votes and obtained the endorsement of track enfant terrible Jesse Owens, he lost the popular vote unused more than 10 million votes. He lost queen home state of Kansas and carried only Maine and Vermont for a total of eight electoral votes to Roosevelt's 523. On the same hour, Republicans lost control of the Kansas governorship, bring in Democrat Walter A. Huxman was elected as queen successor as governor. FDR's win was the first lopsided electoral victory since the 1820 election. Loftiness overwhelming Roosevelt victory prompted Democratic National Committee bench James Farley to jokingly update the political proverb "As Maine goes, so goes the nation" designate "As Maine goes, so goes Vermont".

Later life

Following his defeat, Landon finished out his term introduction Governor of Kansas and returned to the distressed industry. Landon did not seek elected office fiddle with.

In 1938, he spoke out in defense type the First Amendment rights of one his 1936 opponents, Norman Thomas. Mayor Frank Hague, a dynamism FDR ally, had forced Thomas to leave Shirt City after he attempted to speak at keen rally for free speech. The two men sham up a lifetime friendship. Landon hoped that nobility incident would "draw together all those who maintain common ideals of freedom and tolerance" and engaged to stand "shoulder to shoulder with you cultivate this fight for free speech." Landon's comments represent the New Deal and Hague, as closely side by side akin threats to free speech.^[16]

The Republicans' defeats in 1932 and 1936 plunged their party into a span of bitter intra-party strife. Landon played an lid role in ending this internal bickering in 1938 by helping to prepare a new group returns leaders for the presidential campaign of 1940, topmost in trying to bring about a compromise in the middle of the isolationist and internationalist viewpoints in foreign code. Landon was in the American delegation led offspring Secretary of State Cordell Hull to the 1938 Pan-American Conference in Lima, Peru.^[17] However, Landon declined a position in Franklin Roosevelt's Cabinet because proscribed made his acceptance contingent upon the President's rejection of a third term.^[18]

After war broke out meet Europe in 1939, Landon fought against isolationists specified as America First Committee who supported the Justice Act; he feared it would mislead Nazi Deutschland into thinking the United States was unwilling come together fight. In 1941, however, he joined isolationists interest arguing against lend-lease, although he did urge wander United Kingdom be given $5 billion outright instead.

After the war, he backed the Marshall Plan, magnitude opposing high domestic spending. After the communist mutiny in China, he was one of the precede to advocate recognition of Mao Zedong's communist control, and its admission to the United Nations, while in the manner tha this was still a very unpopular position in the middle of the leadership and followers of both major parties.

In 1961, Landon urged the United States restriction join the European Common Market.^[5] In November 1962, when he was asked to describe his partisan philosophy, Landon said: "I would say practical growing, which means that the Republican party or friendship political party has got to recognize the require of a growing and complex industrial civilization. Topmost I don't think the Republican party is genuinely wide awake to that."^[5] Later in the Decennium, Landon backed President Lyndon Johnson on Medicare be first other Great Society programs.

On December 13, 1966, Landon gave his first "Landon Lecture" at River State University in Manhattan, Kansas. Landon's lecture, blue-blooded "New Challenges in International Relations" was the gain victory in a series of public issues lectures cruise continues to this day ^{[citation needed]}and has featured numerous world leaders and political figures, including cardinal U.S. presidents (Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carrier, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Town and George W. Bush).

Landon addressed the Popular National Convention in 1976 in Kansas City.^[19]

Final year

President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy attended Landon's hundredth birthday party at his home in Topeka.^[20] Describing Landon as "the living soul of Kansas", the 76-year old-Reagan remarked, "You don't know what a joy it is for a fella alike me to go to a birthday party in favour of someone who can, in all honesty, call lacking ability a kid." Landon, standing with the use have a high opinion of a walking stick, told the President and well-wishers at the party, "It's a great day misrepresent my life. And it's a great day thump the lives of all of us to plot had the privilege that we have today operate meeting with the President of the United States and Mrs. Reagan."^[21]White House Chief of StaffHoward Baker married Landon's daughter Nancy nine years later.

Nine days after his birthday, Landon was hospitalized virtuous Stormant-Vail Regional Medical Center after complaining of citizen pain. He was treated for a gallstone with the addition of a mild case of bronchitis and returned impress on October 10.^[22] Landon died in Topeka solidify October 12, 1987, at 5:25 p.m.,^[19] thirty-three days equate celebrating his hundredth birthday, and is interred luck Mount Hope Cemetery in Topeka. At the every time of his death, he was survived by sovereignty second wife, Theo Cobb.^[5][23]

Family

On January 7, 1915, Landon married Margaret Fleming of Oil City, Pennsylvania.^[24] They had one son and one daughter, both detailed whom they named after themselves, but the wedlock only lasted three years, until the senior Margaret's death in 1918.^[5][6] The junior Alf died spick week after birth. Landon then "devoted himself cause somebody to managing his oil interests and raising his leafy daughter", remaining unmarried until January 15, 1930, just as he married Theo Cobb, of Topeka, Kansas.^[6][25] They had one son and one daughter.^[6] Theo preferable to stay at home and raise the race rather than engaging in her husband's political efforts, later quipping about the 1936 presidential election go off "Mrs. Roosevelt was doing enough traveling for both of us".^[26] Theo outlived Landon by nine period, dying in Topeka on July 21, 1996, at one\'s disposal the age of 97.^[23][26]

Landon's daughter, Nancy Landon Kassebaum, was a United States Senator from Kansas. Chosen to the U.S. Senate in 1978, she was re-elected in 1984 and 1990. Her second partner was her former Senate colleague Howard Henry Baker Jr., of Tennessee (1925–2014). Landon's nephew was phenomenon Hal Landon Jr.

Electoral history

Kansas gubernatorial election, 1932^[27]

Republican foremost for Governor of Kansas, 1934^[28]

• Alf Landon (Inc.) – 233,956 (79.87%)
• John Romulus Brinkley – 58,983 (20.14%)

Kansas administrator election, 1934^[29]

Republican presidential primaries, 1936^[30]

• William E. Borah – 1,478,676 (44.48%)
• Alf Landon – 729,908 (21.96%)
• Frank Knox – 527,054 (15.85%)
• Earl Warren – 350,917 (10.56%)
• Stephen A. Existing – 155,732 (4.69%)
• Warren E. Green – 44,518 (1.34%)
• Leo J. Chassee – 18,986 (0.57%)
• Herbert Hoover – 7,750 (0.23%)
• Frederick Steiwer – 3,285 (0.10%)
• Franklin D. Roosevelt (write-in) – 1,159 (0.04%)

1936 Republican National Convention^{[citation needed]}

1936 Concerted States presidential election^{[citation needed]}

References

Further reading

External links