The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1917-11-15
letters FROM Farmers IN
REGARD TO THE SUBJECT Of
T0WMENSM IN MINNESOTA

IU"VlluU
: If there is one thing the city coun-
Gil and mayor have done that stands
out above all others, it is the loyal
stand they took in refusing the dis
loyal head Of the Nonpartisan League
to speak in Fergus Falls.
MIR. U. Sem, ST., takes me to task
for an article I wrote some time ago,
but why, I fail to understand.
He admits the heads of the league
are utterly bad. We agree with him.
How are we to Judge any organiza-
ton, whether political, religious OF
commercial, except only by the heads
Of such organizations? Who are
Townley, Bowen, Thomasson, Prof.
Bohn and other organizers and speak
ers of the League?
Not one of them is or ever was a
farmer, as far as I can learn. True,
Townley tried the game one year, by
putting in an immense acreage Of flax
and he got faxed so that now he is
in the bankruptcy court with nearly
$4,000 in debts and less than $500 to
pay them. His next gamble was the
organization of the league. He con-
cluded he could play upon the credul-
ity Of human nature with better sue
cess than the laws Of common sense
and natural laws. He has succeeded,
If success is attained by necromancy,
hypnotism. Are not Townley and his
disloyal leaders in heart and soul
with the I w. W.? Is not the agri-
cultural workers union a unit Of the
/. w. W., and did he not make an
agreement with them to pay not less
than 81 per day and up to S. for har-
vest work and $50 to $50 per month
with room, board and washing for
general farm work Of not more than
10 hours per day; and did he not pre-
vent all legislation tending to curb the
activities of this lazy, shiftless, muir
derous gang? Did he not go out over
North Dakota during the first Liberty
loan and discourage subscriptions at
'Williston, Minot and jamestown,
Grand Forks and other places? Did
he or did he not advise the farmers
mt IN s,1hscriho3
At Grand Forks, he was reminded
that a citizen he vas assailing had
sent a son to the war. MI. Townley
shouted back, eyes, I know there are
some men who would sell their sons
for profit" "That is a ~disgraceful
statement" said Tracy r. Bangs, one
Of the best known citizens Of North
Dakota, "and must be withdrawn"
MI. Townley reluctantly withdrew the
statement because he feared arrest.
And are not the whole bunch Of league
organizers of the stripe as Townley
himself? Every one of them is iden-
titled with and organizers of radical
socialism. And, MI. Editor, who is
this "Jim" Manahan? He is the at
torney of the league one term con-
gresham whose constituents voted
him out for a second term because Of
his socialistic doctrines. He is said
to be Townley's candidate for the u
s. Senate to succeed Senator Nelson
Just think, what a fall the senatorial
toga will take if, by chance, such as
he gains it! Senator Nelson is 8
much bigger man than Manahan al
the sun is to the tiniest planet.
Now, Mr.. Editor, 1 can't agree with
you when you say editorially that thu
members of the league r "loyal
thoroughly loyal" A great many are
but it is also true that a large number
Of them are disloyal. Else, why d.
they cheer the disloyal speeches o.
the leaders? Why are they agains'
the Liberty bonds and are Directing tt
their sons going into the army? Il
that loyalty?
Now, MI. Editor, l am a farmer;
believe in the farmers right to or
ganize for their own interest and il
justice to all other organizations, or
gained on the principal of "equa
rights to all, special privileges t
none." What little I have in thi
world is invested in lands, live stool
and farm implements. Not a della
invested in any kind of business otae
than farming. My interest is in tn
farmer and for the farmer; but l an
strongly of the belief that the far
mer,s organizations should be oficere
and managed by farmers and not b,
a lot Of bankrupt. discarded po!it'
clans whose only interest is to get IN
to office or control officials.
The League had a chance to elect