Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1918-03-13
BURNQUIST FIGHTS
N0NPARTISAN
LEAGUE
Governor DenOunces Farmers Organi-
cation as Disloyal and Unpa-
triOtic i'm Scathing Letter.

their meetings. In his letter to the
League declining the invitation the GOV
ernor delivered scathing condemna-
ton Of the league and what it stands
for. The letter is as follows:
The Governors Letter.
Dear Sir-Your invitation to adj
dress the NOnpartisan campaign rally is
declined by me for the following rea-
sons:
The name of your league implies
that 1t is nOnpartiSan, but in fact there
! is no organization more partisan At
this time, when other political parties
are trying to put aside, for the good of
the country, any fractional spirit that
might exist, your organization is doing
everything within its power to increase
it.
AT the time Of our entrance into the
European conflict your organizers con-
demned our government for entering
the war. When it became apparent
: that this course would result in dis
aster for their organization. they
changed their course and made an 18th
hour claim to pure loyalty. but, not
withstanding this claim, the National
Nonpartisan league is party of discon-
tent. 1t has drawn to it the pro-Ger-
man element Of our state. It's leaders
have been closely connected with the
lawless I. w. W., and with the red So
cialists. Pacifists and peace advocates.
whose doctrines are of benefit to Ger
maDy are among their number
"Caters to Law ViOlatOrs."
Those in charge Of the league have
catered to that faction of labor which
has violated the law and been opposed
to compliance with just orders of duly
constituted authority. The leading agi-
tators in your party have through their
speeches and the circulation of con-
temptible falSehOods encouraged disre-
spect for honest and patriotic men in
public positions. These selfappointed
leaders. with whom you are associated.
have been and now are endeavOring to
get farmers to oppose businessmen and
= employees to oppose employers. They
state, in your party principles. that ''the
great thing the farmers need today to
win is to stick by your organization to
cooperate with wage workers. organiza-
tions in the cities and together win con-
troll Of the powers of the state govern
ment and then the national government.
Peoples Council Record Reviewed.
You. who sign yourself as the eXecu-
tive, secretary of the league, were con-
nected with the Peoples Peace council.
,11
Aug. %. 1917. was barred from holding
meetings in, this state and thereafter in
- Wisconsin and Illinois. but which was
invited to North Dakota by it's COVER
nor. who was elected through the efforts
of your league. The cheering and the
applauding of the unpatriOtic utter
ances Of Senator La Toilette at your
last convention put a stamp of disloyal
ty on it that can never be erased. Your
present publicity agent lost the position
he held at that time because he support
ed La Follette's unpatriotic ideas and.
after his discharge by his employer, he
was employed by your Nonpartisan
league. Another Of your leaders.
Joseph Gilbert, called a director and
manager, I believe. has been convicted
by a jury because of his disloyal utter
ances. He. together with Mr.. Manahan.
attorney for your organization. pa
triotically used a strike situation here
to advance the political interests of the
league.
"Safety Board Maligned.''
These two men have maliciously
slandered public spirited members of
a the Public Safety commission in an eff
fort to bring together the farmers and
wage-earners for the political purposes
of your political party's selfconstituted
leaders, who are neither real farmers
nor real laborers, but selfseeking dema-
gogues whom the actual farmers and
the actual laboring men Of our state
will sooner or later find are nothing but
pretended friends-wOlves parading in
sleeps clothing.
s'You, who appear to be the executive
secretary Of this organization, were the
attorney who defended the murderers
in the I. w. w. trouble on the range
two years ago and who has assisted the
I. w. w. organization which has pub
licly announced that it is it's intention
ultimately to take the farms from the
farmers, whose headquarters since the
commencement of the war have been
raided by the federal government and
whose members are now taking refuge in
such organizations as the National Non
partisan league. ~.
League Inimical to Farmers"
GLOW, under such circumstances, the
farmers of Minnesota, who have been
threatened with the loss Of their farms,
who have time and again been com
PEELED to appeal to peace officers for
. protection against members Of this law
{ less, anarchistic organization, can now
{. join a league with promoters whose
CONTINUED on page six.)