The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-02-16

u
leaders are interested in?
that.
q. You haven't been consulted
| with reference to that?
q. And Mr.. Reyes as far as you
know is not treasurer of this new or
/ ganization?
A. / don't think so.
/ q. Now Mr.. Lemke asked you a
question on direct examination with
| reference to the funds of the Consum-
| ers United Stores CO., and ne put III
/ this way: you haven't any right to
use the funds of that concern at all
| you said you hadn't. Now / am ask
ing you whether you have any control
over the funds of that organization
| for other purposes than your own
personal purposes?
A. Indirectly
q. What do you mean by that?
A. Well, Mr.. Brinton is manager
of that Consumers stores Co. and Mr..
Brinton is very closely associated
with and understands the purpose for
which it was organized and he is
there working out the purposes of the
corporation. Now through Mr.. Briu-
ton 1 can direct in a measure the use
of those funds for the purposes of the
organization.
=. This corporation is only incor-
porated for small amount?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And only few people that hold
stock in it?
A. Yes, sir.
.. Do you know who they are7
A. No.
o. Mr.. Elliott one of them?
A. ] presume he holds some of Ii.
] don't know. left the management
to Mr.. Brinton.
4 4 No. 5ou DON'T mold any STOCK IN 1t :
.. But the understanding with the
men that put the money in is that
used for actual store purposes and
the rest OF il may be used for carry
ing on what you call educational
work and propaganda?
A. Let me state ii more fairly. BY
the agreemnt. with the farmer a GER
tain percentage of the money must be
used for the purposes of establishing
a store, but 1t doesn't say that all of
the money may not be used; that any
Of the money above this percentage
that must be used for the organize
tion of the same may be used for edu-
cational purposes or to further the
work Of that organization.
Q. have before me one of your
printed blanks, a buyers certificate,
and ii reads in substance thus:
1T is expressly understood and
agreed that the purposes for which
we pay the said sum of 500 are: that
90 per cent. of all money subscribed
herein shall be used by said company
TO establish a store at ......... until |
the sum of $4,000, in cash or notes. |
shall be so applied. All surplus sub
scribed over the said sum OF 1000 |
may be used by the company, either |
to establish and maintain a central |
buying agency or wholesale estab- |
ltshmsnt, or to carry on educational |
work or propaganda along all lines
deemed by the board Of directors OF |
the Consumers United States Co. to |
be in the interest OF or beneficial to |
farmers, and for the assistance OF |
farmers organizations such as relate |
TO the economic, educational or polit- |
lcal interests OF the farmers, or both"
That Is the substance OF #?
A. That is correct COPY,
O. And those are printed in Eng
ish and German?
A. don't know about the German.
q. Don't you know as q matter of /
-act that 1t had been printed in
A. No. don't know II.
.. Now for these general purposes,
aside from the money that is used
or the actual operations of the store,
hat have been mentioned here. you
POSES?
A. With my associates / can.
=. l wanted to show, Mr. ToWnley, |
o be frank with you, that your rela-
ion with this organization and the
'thers is quite close, and YOU are |
more or less of general manager and
director of them all, in the distribu-
ion of the funds and otherwise for
hese purposes?
A. For the purposes stated in the
.greement
Q. And that is a fact, isn't IT?
A. Yes, sir. / am not, however, as
loosely connected with that as / am
With the political organizations. Ill
ont handle any money and don't
.. The detail is taken care of by
omebody else2
A. The detail and all the work. Ii
Q. You can't tell me whether Mr.. /
Aeyes is treasurer or cashier?
A. You said he was presidents
q. / said / had a report that he !
7as president?
A. know he is not both of them.
.. or course that is possible, but
ne chances are that he keeps the
anne position with that company :
hat was the intention to have IL all {
and Reyes is the kew to | I
be whole thing? Isn't that the idea? /
A think so. =
RRecEoss-examination by Mr.. Lemke: !
@ Now, Mr.. Townley, what Ia the /
eneral purpose Of all Of these organ
.ations-for the purpose OF making
A. No.
Q. Tell in a few words what the :
or what?
A. The purpose OF this organfza-
on is to forward and protect the 9
,ork OF this progressive movement,
r this movement that looks to the
Iembers as progressive.
Y. IL is for the interests of the !;
sople who belong to this league. or 4
ather for the masses than the few.
.ore equal distribution OF the good :
ltngs of life?
A. It all aims at a proper arrange
ent OF the marketing system. 3
Redirect examination by Mr.. Muir :
9. That is with reference to the
consumers company?
A. All Of these organizations.
". That Is with reference to the !
opposes or this organisation It might <
stter be stated as to what you con
I'VE 70 pc the interests OF the con-
.mers you ana your associates !,
ght or wrong 1T is what you con
i've to be their interests7
A. what 1 and my associates. ana :,
associates are the farmers.
y. They have nothing to saw abouf
% actual distribution of the fInds5 2
ae man who signs one Of these notes
Is nothing to say about where the
oney goes2
4. He has q right to say whether
81. But what want 10 get at
Ger he signs and pays his money IN !,
2 alstrlDution Of that money Is un-. =
y the control OF yourself ana your
sociateS and not In the farmers
a. he signs q contract and aRraa-I !.
emit by which he agrees Ia ~ - y
1ch---gives a note for 81OO-and Wa q
rec 70 protect him in 50 far as we
mas al
q, And he agrees to taxa vorr
dgment in the distribution OF this
A. Yes, sir. a
81 And you exercise that iudR-
snt and when you say this IA ali
r the advancement OF the farner. In Il
what your judgment dictates Is Il