The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-07-06

have been anything but favorable. Especially is
this true in the financial world. No locality,
county or state can conduct its business properly
unless the credit OF the state is such as will in
duce capital from outside the state to come in.
The Nonpartfsan League headed by A. G.,
Townley has had control over North Dakota for
two years and this organization has given our
state a "'black eye' that it viii take long time
to overcome The last. election has certainly not
improved the credit OF our state In many local
1es eastern capital has been invested In loans in
this state. Now parties having these loans that
are due this fall have been notified that they must
be paid when due for the reason that this same
money can be loaned in other states where the
Townley organization has not placed laws on
the statute books that endanger their loans
This however is not all. as all business men
have more or less extended credit to the needy
farmers and have depended on eastern capital in
order to carry the farmers. Now that this capital
cannot be had there is but one thing that the
business men can do to meet their obligations and
that Is to make the farmers pay up their &C.
counts.
At this point is where the real problem starts
and this problem Mr.. Townley can undoubtedly
solve. have no doubt had a. wrong impression
Of Mr. Townley for in the hearing in his bank
ruptcy proceedings a short time ago he admit
ted having collected about FOUR MILLION DOL
LARS in the Dakotas and Minnesota. Then he
wanted to be exempted from paying any Of his
debts running into many thousands Of dollars
He knew that it would be a. hardship on the
dear farmers to get the money to pay their
debts he no doubt planned to come to the
rescue Of the farmers with this four million dol
lars and thus the farmers the expense and
annoyance Of forced collections.
We now see why Townley was so anxious
to have every farmer 90. come in with the six
teen dollar ante and then with the one hundred
dollar bet on the store proposition. This no
doubt to create a sinking fund to save the
farmer when his administration had barred east
ern money from coming into the state 1t will Ger
tainly be great relief to many thousand pusl-
ness men to learn how far seeing and thought
full ToWnley was in providing such aid TO the
farmer
Townley did not want to spend a dollar Of his
money for any other purpose. This no doubt &C
counts for the reason that neither Townley nor
anv of his assistants has ever been known to
head a. committee for the sale Of Liberty Bonds
Red Cross, Y. M. c. A. or War Savings Stamps
Nor have they given our boys any cheer or en- en-
couragement or even a smile at their parting for
the front to fight for our land and homes. IN
stead at such times these leaders have held meet
ings in the back Of yellow barns telling the
dear" farmers about this war being conducted
in the interest Of the rotten rich How the
poor farmer boys are taken into the war While
the rich are excused notwithstanding that such
men as Marshall Field, Jr., one Of the richest
young men in America and hundreds Of other
rich men are at the front today Only short
time ago Of the captains said he had four
boys in his company who were sons OF mil
lionaires.
How often do these league leaders attend
church? There is undoubtedly a reason for this
The collection plate is usually passed and then
they could hardly refuse a quarter to help pro-
vide bread for the minister This cannot be done
for the Sinking Fund belongs to the farmer
and cannot be used for anything else
The fact Of the matter is that Townley and
his agitators interested in the farmers
(pocketbookJ welfare that all else fades into in
significance.
Glen Unin, July 8. ]. T. Nelson.