The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-01-29
Townley Supporters Pack
Meeting and Try to Howl
Down QuestiOners
UNION MEN HOLD
THEIR GROUND
Governor Frazier Fails to
OVerawe Members of
the Union
tBy n. o. PauIson.l

Bismarck, n. D., Jan. 29.-In an
all night session in a local hotel, A.
G. Townley, president Of the National
Nonpartisan league, sought vaiHly to
appease directors of the Farmers
| union and when the meeting broke
up at 4 o'clock this morning, the un-
ion men had decided TO warn their
members against supporting the
Consumers United Stores company,
condemning the whole movement.
Adopting the favored plan so sue
cessfully employed by Mr.. Townley
when he faced the Equity society
leaders in Fargo less than q year
ago, OF packing the meeting with
ultra Nonpartisans, the list including
no lesser personages than the gov
ernor Of North Dakota, Lynn Frazier,
the NOnpartisan president failed ah-
solutely to convince the union men
that the National NOnpartisan
leagues proposed chain Of retail
stores was for the best interests OF
At midnight, after Mr.. Townlcy
had talked at length, shaking his
fists and swearing at those union men
most persistent in their questioning
Of the store plan, the league president
called for a personal Endorsement.
The league crowd tvoted with him.
but the union men held their ground.
Stick To Purpose.
It was then that the union men in
sisted that the original purposes OF
the conference be adhered 20. the
gathering having been called for the
purpose of permitting Mr.. Townley
to explain to union directors the plan
Of operation cf the Consumers Unit
ed Stores company.
The mnioD directors Efn0d firm and
all but TOwnley and the union di-
Tectors were eliminated. Governor
Frazier left the conference at mid
night.
For four hours Mr.. TownIey faced
the directors alone, making the plea
that he was honest. He was ques-
toned on his gigantic fax farming
operations, his refusal to pay debts
his bankruptcy proceedings, his abb
solute refusal to make any statement
covering expenditures Of gigantic
sums collected by the National Nom
partisan league and finally, his abso~
Lutte refusal to make any statement
concerning the disposition OK
tremendous sums collected in the
stores campaigns.
Every question that went 20 thu
insides Of the store proposition was
parried. Mr.. Townley refused to tell
what is meant by education ana
propaganda" purposes, to which all
surplus sums collected in the stores
proposition are devoted.
Farmers Alone Considered.
Mr.. Townley was challenged by d.
rectOrs to show wherein his plan
would benefit North Dakota. They
charged il meant destruction OF
community life and were met with
the response that no class but farm
ers were entitled 10 consideration
from the league.
Mr.. Townley took the position that
he had done enough for the good OF,
farmers and that his honestly
shouldn't be questioned. He said 600g
farmers had Joined the Kenmara
store, making an aggregate collee-
tion there of $50 900, S50, 900 OF which.
need not be accounted for in any
manner.
The directors cited many instances
in which men, not members CT the
league, had received buyers certi-
fcates, after Mr.. Townley had in
sisted that only league men were
privileged to trade i'm league stores.
Mr.. Townley then blamed organizers
for disObeytng instructions.
When the meeting was opened, un-
ion men were forced TO face the
shouts of league men, who sought 10
drown out opposition or investig8-
ton Of the store plan by the familiar
gag rule applied so efficiently when
Mr.. Townley faced Messrs. Johnson
and Tiegen I'm the famous society OF
Equity conference at Fargo last
spring, when Mr.. Townley bid for
peace after Mr.. Johnson had roundIy
condemned Governor F'razier's VETO
Of the famous terminal elevator bin.
When union directors quit MR,
Townley at 4 o'clock, they served noe
tee on him that their whole efforts
would be directed to prevent their
members from Joining in the stores
movement, declaring Ii fraudulent
and as being aimed at tearing down
business interests and community
life.
Union directors are In session to-
day 70 formulate tseir plans
Steamer ia Torpsdoad.
London, Jan. 2a.-The steamship