The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-03-14
Maddox vs..
GEO. 7. MURRAY
Hints Lieutenant Governor and q
Railroad Commissioner Not in Fa-
vor With Nonpartisans.

Railroad Commissioner Not in Fa-
vor With Nonpartisans.
The following communication ap-
peared in the Parsnall Leader, Feb.
%:
A letter appearing in the Plaza Pi-
oneer in its issue OF Feb. 14th, bear
ing the name of our old friend, Geo
7. Murray, is such grievous surprise
and disappointment to those who have
respected George 7. as truthful,
conscientious, fair-minded writer, that
we would like to believe the letter
written by some pre)udiced freak who
signed good mans name to give the
article semblance of responsibility.
If I do Mr.. Murray an injustice, /
would be highly pleased to be cor
rected in the matter, but must brand
this letter Of his wholly misleading
and in fact, absolutely contrary to
facts.
To begin, Mr.. Murray states Mr.
McManus introduced House Bill No. S
to reduce the contract rate Of interest
to 8 per cent (falsehood No. y Mr..
McManus did nothing Of the kind; he
introduced House Bill No. to pre-
vent an increased rate of interest on
notes and contracts after maturity.
Mr.. Miller introduced House Bill NO.
13 Jan. 9Th, to reduce the contract
rate of interest to per cent, which
bill passed the House Jan. 11th, with
out q dissenting vote from League
members; and was passed to the SEN
ate, which body amended, reamended
and juggled it around till the last day
Of the session, and then killed it.
Do you find the League or the
Gear" doing any comouflaging on
that bill, Mr.. Murray? -
Murray goes on to state that the
house voted down the emergency
clause to House Bill No. 5, Megsrs.
Wood and Walton voting against it
Absolutely true, and / commend those
gentlemen for so doing, regardless Of
it appearing "camoutiaging" to Mr..
Murray's misty vision. He goes on to
infer those gentlemen voted against
the emergency by Mr.. Townley's in
structions. Untrue. have the honor
of opposing that emergency and
speaking against it on the floor Of the
house, and without any instructions
from Mr.. Townley. No emergency ex-
listed in the state in this matter, and
therefore no emergency clause We:
proper. Most of the rs members vot-
ing for the emergency were League
members and in attendance at the ia
NOUS "secret caucus and must have
received the same instructions from
the "Czar" that Wood and Walton re-
ceiyed. yet voted opposite. Why the
discrepancy, Mr.. Murray?
It seems that he has singled out
Wood and Walton for purpose;! and
that purpose is evidently in conjunc-
tion with a. nefarious compaign OF
anti-League forces in Ward county to
discredit and defeat those gentlemen
by subterfuge and Misrepresentation
/ am sorry if Mr.. Murray has loaned
his good name for that purpose. Right
here l would like to give my opinion
of Mr.. Wood and Mr.. Walton. have
worked with thise men under many
irving circumstances and found them
put under many peculiar ordeals and
have never found them wanting in 9
test Of right and justice and good
iugment in public matters. ! place
them on a par with Jim Sinclair OF
Kenmare, and that is very near the
pinnacle of dependability.
Mr.. Murray goes on to dlscredlt
Townley for selecting Kraabel fo1
lieutenant governor and Walton fo1
"floor manager of the house." l be-
lieve no one regrets more than Mr.
Townley any mistake made in the
Leagues selection of officers, whether
it be lieutenant governor, railroad
commissioner or a "foor manager,
and possibly Mr.. Murray may wake to
find a wonderful unity Of sentiment
among League members, that will
guarantee the reflection of any past
mistake without even rile Of dissen-
sion inside the League. Mr.. Walton
was not selected floor manager by
Townley or by anyone else because
he was the owner of bank stock or fol
other reason. He merely assumed q
leadership on the floor Of the house
through natural ability and recogniz.
ed honesty and integrity.
Mr.. Murray further insinuates that
Townley has now joined hands with
another banker (Ex-Governor Hanna)
because he commended Hanna for that
gentleman's attitude toward the ter.
minal elevator in 1915, and now the
Courier-News (the Cars daily
mouthpiece) commends Hanna for re.
futing the charge against our farm.
ers Of not buying Liz erty Bonds. Oh!
gentle reader, this last charge must
certainly condemn Townley and the
Nonpartisan League to the eternal
bOw-wows forevermore.
Ex-Governor Hanna did commend.
able act in defending the people Of
North Dakota against the absurd
charge Of lacking in patriotism, and
the Courier-News gave him credit fol
his act.
Now, if Mr.. Murray or anyone else
has more of this kind Of conclusive
proof that Townley, Wood and Walton
and the rest Of the Nonpartisan
League is merely camoufaging, and
secretly trying to form union with
bankers and insurance companies fol
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