The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-01-03
RUSSELL RI ) S | SEES ''
! } BIC. future.
FOR \. P..L.EACUE
Says it May Hold Balance Of
Power in Congress Within
a Few. Years
HE TELLS OF RISE
OF A. G. !ToWNLEY
Cleaned Up by Flax Market, Says
:: Writer, He Began to Ponder
Il "e on Reforms
BY CHARLES EDWAR RUSSELL.

A terrible electric shock is now
passing over some OF the ablest poll
ticians of the northwest !
The alarming fact has been borne
in upon them that new and tre-
mendous force has been launched in
politics and nobody can say where it
may stop-not this side of the White
House, very likely.
. Anyway, as things shape up now, 1t
stands within two years to hold the
balance of power in cOngress-if its
leaders 50 desire.
The National Non-partisan Farm
ers' league, which swept North Da-
kota at the last election, and filled
every state office except one with
farmers, is now busy organizing on
the same lines in South Dakota, Min
,nesota and Montana.
- Everywhere it is being received by
the farmers with the most significant
enthusiasm.
Suppose the league should grow as
fast the next four years as it has
xS0wn in this state in two. Suppose
the industrial and farming popula-
tions to he aroused in half Of the
Union as they have been here. The
new movement could do anything it
wanted to do. 1t could stand this
country on end.
Or suppose that in the next two
Years it does no more than to cinch
South Dakota, Minnesota and Mon
tana, as it has. cinched. North Da
kota. 1t would then have % votes in
the next cOngress-if it wanted them
: 3 indicating %. votes in the electoral
sGQlleGe.s2~,g. ..,. . ,..r.a So ~
q That would mean practical control
of the house of representative and
a formidable influence in all national
affairs.
If, then. it should start in to insist
upon such wholesome and reasonable
reforms as it has undertaken in this
Mate, there, would be something do
Ing; tOh,s my something
doing! VI" ( - '%
Old High Cost of Living. for in
stance, would take to the woods, and
many a melon cutter and expert gar
4ene of .watered stock would 90 with
him.
Politicians have good reason to be
scaged.' They see a farmer that new
erN1ore had the least experience in
politics, suddenly arise and create
this My fighting army, then lead it
to complete victory, outwitting and
outfighting the ablest generals in the
state. 1t seems uncanny.
.. A. c. TownIey.
This farmer is most eXtraord
larry person and seems destined to an
unequaled career in national poll
tics. His name is A.. C. Townley. He
is 80 and used to till farm near the
town of Beach in the western part of
the state.
All of a sudden. four years ago, he
was ruined by a manipulated fall in
the price of fax.
This started him thinking about the
reasons for; the fact that the farm
ers worked hard and got next to moth
ing for their toll.
1t seemed to him clear as day that
the only reason farming didn't pay
was because of artificial conditions
brought about by government con-
Quoted by the interests and laws
made in their favor.
The only way to remedy this was
te put the government into the hands
Of the farmers and workers, the vast
majority Of the population.
So he hit upon the plan of a po-
litical organization that should not in
terfere with any mans party preju-
dices. but should still enable the
farmers to get hold Of the machine
~ Most of the persons he opened up
his idea to laughed or tried to shoe
him away.
But this man has such courage and
devilish persistence he seems abnor-
NAL. When he started for farmer
~ never let 60 till he got him. He