Grand Forks herald., 1917-03-31
Socialist Field Day Drew Crowds
OF Curious To Hear Townley In His
Tirade Against The Herald And Others

Thomason whom he referred to him
as "Friend Stron.me," saying, Don't
cali me your friend: know you as a
crook" Mr.. Thomson took this as
his text for referring to Wendell
Phillips. the great slavery abolishion-
list. and Abraham Lincoln. the eman-
crucihed, as having been victims OF
similar epithets.
The Start of Frenzied Financing.
Mr.. Townley told his story Of the
origin Of the league and its financing
he hadn't q cent to his name and had
no credit because he had gone broke
in his dream Of being the "fiax king
Of the country.
He told Of how the first handful of
farmers in one locality had named the
executive committee Of the league and
made him president and how every
member signed a pledge to abide by
the decision of these few men who
grew to 10000 members of today.
land we will be the committee and Of
ficers until next December" he said.
He declared that the credit for the
first financing and life Of the league
was due to Howard Wood, whom he
named as his successor when a change
is made, and F. B. Wood, who gave
the first note to buy the first automo-
biles.
Mr.. Townley told of the automobile
deals at Conway when he purchased
unlimited cars with notes signed by
farmers Of the vicinity, and how he
had borrowed 100000 last summer
on notes by farmers and secured
100000 in one bank in Valley City on
the notes of twelve farmers in that
vicinity.
The "FYnancial Statement"
Mr.. Thatcher Of the Equitable
Audit company Of st. Paul, read items
from what he purported to be a finan-
cial statement of the league. but
which merely was a recital Of cor
tain receipts and expenditures and
did not even presume to give an ac-
counting Of the assets and liabilities
OF the league and omitted entirely an
item contained in a previous state
ment of 100000 paid to the Nonparti-
san Leader. the privately owned organ
Of the league. Among the items pre-
sented were $43,S91 to solicitors for
members; $61.950 for commissions:
$20,o6S for officers salaries; and 9TH
ers ranging up to $6.555 for the audit
Of the accounts. The total amount Of
receipts up to December 4, 1916, was
given as $309.s40 with a balance on
hand at that time of some $4,000.
These figures in no way touch the
finances Of the League Exchange, the
million dollar organization of which
it is said some 100000 worth Of stock
has been sold to farmers and others
Mr.. Thatcher also explained that he
did not consider the private accounts
OF Mr.. Townley or Mrs. Townley, and
II they had bank accounts other than
shown In the league books it was none
OF his business and he intimated It
was no one else's. cloud applause.)
Mr.. Townley made a typical grand
stand play in asking the members Of
the league how much they would take
for the organisation, saying he had
Wood and A. E. Bowen and others
that he would not sell out without
consulting them and tho members. It
was one Of his characteristic plays to
his audience until he got someone to
say 1.-The sky is the limit" and thus
got a laugh. And then he launched
into a tirade against his opponents
in the ststs saSn y Nors alS pakota
would be so unmindful Of their duty
to posterity in their lust for gold that
they would kill the organization.
What insanity is this" he shouted,.
that men would tell you $1,000 men
rose up in their might without a cause,
without a reason, simply because a
few Socialists told them to-"
Socialists and Other Things.
Socialists! Well. we'll, do you
know that am supposed to be a So
cialist, an I. w. W., an atheist, q free
lover what is the rest. Junkin?).
and that all the league organizers
and workers are socialists. I. w. W's
atheists, free lovers and all the rest?
Now for the purposes Of argument
am going to assume that the gen.
tlemen that call US those vilifying
for the purposes Of argument, that
am all those things and more, and
that all the organizers that have
sworn to the people to build this or
ganization are all those things and
more, as much more as they would
have you think.
II am going to assume further, for
their satisfaction. that whenever a
farmer-whenever a Lageson. or Ha-
gen, or stair. or any other farmers.
quits milking the cows and foregoes
feeding the pigs for a day and gets
into Ford automobile and goes ont
to help build this organization. he
becomes at once and Immediately q
socialist, an I. w. W.. free lover. an
atheist and everything else az they
would have you believe?
That hasn't got anything to do
with the fact that you are losing
SIS. 100000 a year. has It.? And II
eminent, highly respected Christian
republicans and democrats who have
been running the state Of North Da-
kota up to this time-men like sor-
lie and Jerry Bacon and the rest, II
they were either 50 blind and dumb
and dull and devoid Of principle that
they haven't discovered this robbery
and this loss, or II as We have reason
to believe, because We have been tell
ing them the truth about 1t, they are
in the employment of the men who
are getting the $55, 100000, say, II
eminent, highly respected Christian
gentlemen like sorlie and Bacon and
the rest have for either ona Of these
reasons 30 far neglected in the man.
agement Of this state to protect the
toiling hundreds and Thousands OF