The Hope pioneer., 1918-03-14
N0NPART|SANS GIVE
REDCROSSFUND
Minnesota League Speakers
Turn In Thousands to Help
Win War.

win war.
Charges made by Big business that
the National Nonpartisan league is q
disloyal organization received another
body blow when announcement was
made that several thousand dollars
had been collected in Minnesota for
the Red Cross, during the past month
under the auspices of the league. A
large part Of this money came as the
result of personal appeals by A. G.
Town!ey. president of the league,
and was taken in collections at meet.
ings that he addressed.
In some parts Of the state Of Min
nesota the league has been obliged to
put up a fight for the fundamental
right of free speech. Evidence has
been unearthed pointing to state
ers. profiteers and politicians, to dis
rupt the league by breaking up its
meetings and charging it with being
disloyal organization. MOB violence
was resorted to in several places to
interfere with league speakers and or
ganizers. In number of instances
mobs were led by officers of the law.
Farmers Demand Rights.
So serious did the situation become
that the farmers determined some
thing should be done to secure their
rights. More than $50 farmers, rep
Sesenting every county in the state,
came to st. Paul and laid their griev-
ances before the governor, demand
ing the removal of thsee sheriffs
and one states attorney whose flag
rant law violations, they declared
had much to do with rousing sen.
timent that threatened serious di.
vision in the people of the state at a
time when all should be united In a
the war.
The spokesman for the farmers
cited over twenty instances Of VIC
lence on the part of local officials
one Of the latter going so far as to
threaten to kill league speaker
|
delegation from organized labor. MOI
receiving assurance from the gov
ernor they laid their case before the
United States district attorney ant
promised to carry their grievance tc
the highest authority in the land Il
the prosecutions were not stopped.
Received Wide, Publicity.
The lawless acts on the parts o
the officials who stopped league meet
ings received wide publicity. which
carried with it the implication thai
the league was disloyal. The daily
press in and out of the state pub
lished unfair and glaring accounts O
the occurrences at these meetings
utterly ignoring the hundreds O
Other meetings being held in the state
which were not being interfered with
In some of the latter city and county
officials We'd with each other in en-
tertaining the league speakers and ir
seeing that the farmers were gjver
the accommodations which they re
quired in the way OF hail.
Where the League is Known.
There was no trouble in those part:
of the state in which the league ha!
been organized for some time. 1
notable example of this was the meet
ing at Thief River Falls, which wa!
held in the city auditorium, followed
by dinner given to Mr.. Townley ant
C., -
club.
Tie many harmonious meetings o
the league, at which patriotism wa
the dominant note and at which large
collections for the Red Cross wer,
taken up, have taken the grount
from under the conspirators and hav'
convinced the people of the stat
that sinister influences were at wOrl
trying to prejudice them against tn,
farmers organization.
Caused League Boom.
The reaction among the farmer
was even greater than among tn
people of the cities The evidence
that they we're rallying to their OF
garization was made apparent by tn
rapid increase in membership. It. !
estimated that over 5000 farmer
Joined the league in Minnesota vo
UNFAIRLY and without solicitation o.
February %, the day of the leagu
precinct caucuses.
Coal Ten Cents Ton.
Colorado sells coal at ten cents
| ko. That L., thu x,rioo tho ctofo got