Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1917-10-12
REPLY TO A. C. TOWNLEY

The editor of The Morris Tribune hereby refuses
retract any statement of fact expression
Of opinion by A Towney in the
printed at the bottom of this and refuses
to withdraw retract said editorials whole
in part, any paragraph, sentence, clause, word
syllable letter therein contained; and does hereby
pressIy reerate rearm every statement of fact and
expression opinion therein made and expressly reter
reafrms said editorials and every paragraph
sentence clause word syllable and letter therein
tanned and the whole thereof and part thereof
The notice to withdraw these editorials
upon The Norris Tribune and j. c. Morrison, its
editor publisher by A. c. Townley, president of
the National Partisan League, is the first step
quired by suit for libel may be instituted
This therefore preliminary to action for
libel by refusing to meet the demands of Mr.. Town
ley editor of The Tribune takes stand where he
may have to himself in such action Mr., Town
ley will institute
we take our stand deliberately and Intentionally,
but in spirit of bravado and with full know
ledge the serious consequences that may ensuemuch
more serious than most of our readers probably
Mr.. TownIey is at the head Of organization
which claims $4,000 members in this state from which
membership collected the astounding of $780,
OOO 1t claims to have in all 100000 members and if
this be the it has collected in membership dues
$2,4OOOOO. If this enormous had been assembled
for the of financing business enterprise
the editor of The Tribune might we'll count the cost be-
throwing down the gauntlet to such aggregation
wealth. but when considers that this money every
of it, has collected for the purpose of further
ing propaganda, and that if Mr.. Townley should
deem it of sufficient Importance to crush The Tribune
he could divert assign appropriate that purpose
thousand two thousand, ten thousand, fifty
thousand, hundred thousand, five hundred
thousand, million dollars, under these circum-
stances, say, the editor The Tribune realizes
nothing, realize nothing the possibilities the
action taking, and will attempt realize nothing
except that the call to duty has to him. Men
being called by the million to uphold the of right
and justice, liberty and democracy in the terrible trial
by BATTLE many even from our own city and our own
county, and I would be a poltroom I to
yield word syllable letter to those who
would stab them in the back. Disloyaty in this country
must STOP disoyalty in act in word in thought Dis
have gone the can't stop it, the boys who
have to training can't stop it, but it is
duty the duty of those of whom the boys
ing the ultimate sacrifice crush out disoyalty where
it raises it's vigorous That duty, and
right and in this case it is my duty.
Control of publicity art in which Town
ley and the Non Partisan League past masters. The
Partisan Leader the official organ of the League
claims to have circulation of $4,000 If this the
case The Leader comes very nearly having monopoly
of publicity in North Dakota And such publicity it
is to guide the public opinion supposedly
Intelligent people, I have never seen but one copy of
the Non Partisan Leader but that copy contained
number of Ees-sIy, foolish, unfounded, premeditated
lies. And the people of North Dakota this
kind of stuff and repeatedly warned not believe any
stories carried the reputable press state
In addition to the NonParsan Leader League con-
trolls certain of the daily papers of the estate
and League members expected to take only such
daes Except for certain notable exceptions
try press of North Dakota has to large extent
senced, and either leaves the League alone
oppose it, Of the minute country editor takes