Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-03-13
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B%urnquist's Letter
Denounces League

Governor Burnquist of Minnesota,
IN declining an invitation to address d
National Nonpartisan leag que rally, de-
livered Il sca1hins arrangement of the
league This announcement was made
in IL letter ~ Attorney Arthur Lc-
Sueur, executive secretary of tho Non
partisan leasue. An announcement of
Governor ;R%urnauist's refusal to {. ad-
dress the league was carried in Mon
days news reports. His letter to Mr..
lie isueur>is given here in full:
March IL, 1?1S.-
MIR. Arthur. lie sueur,. Executive Sec
rotary, The Nonpartisan League, st.
Paul, Minnesota.
Dear Sir: YOU invitation to adj
dress the National N~onpartisan rally
is declined by me for the. following
reasons: =" ;
The name Of your league implies
that it is n6n-partisan, but in fact.
there is no OrganiZatio more parti-.
SAN Ff- '
"At this time. when other political
parties arc trying to nut aside. FOR the
good OF the Country. any facti6nal
spirit that might exist. your organiza-
ton is doing everything In It's power
to increase it.
AT the time of our. entrance into
the European conflict your organizers
condemned our government for enter
ing the war. When it became .lppar-
| ent that this course would result in
disaster. they changed their course
and made eleventh. hour claim TO pure
loyalty. but notwithstanding this
claim. the National Nolnpartison
League is a part" Of G;soontent.
"It has drawn to it the pro-Cicrman
element Of our state. It's leaders have
been closely connected with the law
loss I. w. w. and with. the Rcd So
cialktS.. I:Acifists and peace advocates,
whose doctrines are a benefit to Ger
many, are among their number. Those
in charge of the League have catered
to that faction of LABOR which has
violated the law and been opposed to
J compliance with just orders Of duly
constituted authority. The leading
agitators in your party have. through
their speeches and the circulation#of
contemplate. falsehoods. Eads
disrespect for honest and patriotic
men In public positions. These setf-$
appointed leaders with whom you are
associated have been and now are
cndeavoring to get farmers to oppose
employers. They state. in your par
ty principles, that the great thing the
farmers need today TO win is to stick
by NQur, organization, to cooperate
with wage-workers' organizations in
the cities, and together win control
OF the powers Of the state govern
ment and then the national govern
ment.'
That Peoples Peace Council,
You. who sign yourself as the ex-
ecutive secretary of the league, were
connected With the Peoples PeaoA
Council which. through my proclama-
ton OF August 2S. 1917. was barred
FROM holding meetings, in this state.
land thereafter in Wisconsin and I'LL
Il nnfhi HIT 'vVh&n11# v-oe T. In vifnH IN NoofI,
Dakota by tte governor. who was elect
cd through the efforts OF your league.
d. Tho cheering and a~rplauding OF
the Unpatri6tic uttcrances OF Senator
IIaFOllcttr at vou last convention nut
a stamp Of disloyalty on it thai can
never bc erased.
your present publicity agent lost
MISREPRESENTATION at that time bel
cause he supported L~aFollette's uh-
patriotic ideas m ate: his dis
charge by his emplnver. he was cm-
Dlr..~1 -. Vow. N"~,--"--- lc.--.~
"Another Of your leaders. Joseph
Gilbert. called a director and manager
believe, has been convicted. by a
Jury because of his disloval utter
ances. He. together with Mr.. Mana
han. an attorney Of your organization.
iunpatrioticallv used a strike situation
here to advance the political interests
OF the league. These two men have
mali"iously s~landered public-spirited
members OF the Public Safety Com
mission in an attempt to bring to-
eeth~r the farmers and. wa re. earners
for the political purposes OF your po-
litical party's self-constituted leaders,
who arc neither real fst7ncrs nor real
laborors. but self-sceking demagogues
whom the actual farmers and actual
laboring men Of onr state will sooner
or later find arc nothing hut pretend.
ed friends-'woaves parading in