What a day! What a day!
Can you imagine 500,000 people lining the streets of Indianapolis to see our Kansas governor? Eight and 10 deep on either side of the street for blocks they stood to watch the Republican standard bearer and the parade. Every window was filled with faces. Business had a 2-hour breathing spell on Saturday afternoon.
It took the parade exactly two hours to pass our vantage point. Two lines of cars and floats two hours long. Bands and drum corps too numerous to count interspersed the parade. Legion bands, auxiliary bands and drum corps, kid bands, school
bands, town bands and the spirit of 76 was there. Delegates from practically every county in the state. Voters enough in the parade it seemed to carry the state for Landon. We thought as we crossed Indiana last Sunday that the situation did not look so good. So few sunflowers were in evi-dence. But sunflowers lined the streets today as thick as they grow along fence rows and township roads in Lyon County. Indiana may have looked like a doubtful state yesterday or last week. Tonight it is in the bag.
And one thing about Republican parades in this campaign of 1936. They are purely voluntary demon-strations. There are no orders or threats of fine.
It is remarkable how much satisfaction and confidence people gain by even a glimpse of Landon. The farm folks were gathered in assembly hall. The candidate was ushered in for a brief moment. A wave of inspiration and enthusiasm settled upon the audience.
The Coliseum was so packed that the doors were closed at 7 o’clock, one hour before the speaking. Thousands listened from outdoor speakers on the fair grounds. An eager at-tentive audience. One wonders at the boldly placarded Roosevelt march-ers that are in the crowds. They apparently are not listening to the radio address. Do they adore crowds? With stolid mien they march along, not slow, not fast, a measured trudge.
We turn out the light tonight, weary but thrilled to the toes. This day is something to tuck in our memory book.
