The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-03-15
|T0WNLEY MUST
FACE SUPREME
GOPHER COURT
League Chieftain and Secretary
Lose First Round in
Legal Battle
DEMURRER IS OVERRULED
Claims of Defects in Indictment
Found Invalid-CenSure
for Organization

Paramount, Mimi, March
l5.-Judge c. NJ. Tiff, sit
ting at the trial of A. c.
TOwnley, president of the
National Nonpartisan
league, and Joseph Gilbert,
state secretary, charged
with conspiracy to obstruct
the selective draft, overruled
the demurrer asked by coun-
sci for the defendants and
certified the case to the
state supreme court at the
opening of court today.
Judge Tiff yesterday heard
the arguments on the de-
murrer, and made known
his decision overruling the
requests made for the de-
Tense.
Arguments on the demurrer con.
,umed practically all of yesterday. Ar
hur LeSueur, attorney and executive.
iecretary of the league, spoke for
hree hours in support of the de-
snurrer and county attorney A. R. AL
en-, an hour and a half against it.
"Reek With Treason
Answering assertions Of LeSueur
hat the league, its officers and liter
ture are thoroughly loyal, the county
ttorney declared that the resolutions
dopted by the organizations at the La
gillette melting in st. Paul last fall
reek with treason and to argue that
hey are patriotic "stultifies the good
Judgment of the court"
Mr.. Allen objected to a request OF
he league attorneys to the court that
a the event that the demurrer is over
uled to certify the case to the SUI
rene court without letting it go tC
he jury. He called this a plan tC
clay decision until next fall or la
er while the doctrines are further
pread throughout the state.
TownIey makes Statement.
President Townley issued the fol
owing personal statement today in re
ly to the recent criticism of Govern
Burnquist on the league and its
cts:
Statements made by Governor
;urnquist in reply to an invitation OF
he Nonpartisan league to address its
convention to be held in st. Paul this
Month must be disappointing to thou
ands OF his friends and to the farm
rs and organized labor of the state
GOVERNOR E'urnquist has lowered the
ignity Of his office by STOPPING to the
actics of the ordinary politician. His
sitter to the Nonpartisan league is a
lap in the face and direct insult to
yer 100000 organized farmers and
heir friends in Minnesota and $4,000
,embers of organized labor in the CT
,es of the state.
"Such an attack and such an atti
ude. would be much more becoming
n the part of Car or king than
,om the chief executive of the state
Minnesota, who was elected by the
eople.
TOlIIlS CIOIlI OCH.
Charges of disloyalty hurled at the
rganized farmers and workers of this
tate are too ridiculous to demand de
ial. Their subscriptions to the Lib
rty loan, the Red Cross and other
1ar relief agencies are we'll known
he farmers, short-handed. as they
re, are now preparing to work hard
r than ever and raise greater crops
> feed the United States and its al
les and support their own sons whit
ave gone over there
"A large part of Governor Burn
nist's letter dealt with matters ia
liliar to North Dakota farmers who
ave asserted their voice in the gov
rnment of that state. Attacks by pc
ticians are an old story to the farm
RS, who are becoming acquainted with
y ttacks in this state also.
1.-THE invitation to Governor Burn
uist to address the league conven
on was sent in the interests of har
lony While the Nonpartisan league
.ay differ politically with Governor
urnquist. the differences are only pc
. teal, and the governor was invited
18th the idea of prosecution of the
1ar, which is our chief concern now
rournf fhof tho oovorn0r rttor1v 70