The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1918-06-26
(Chas. Cheney in the Minneapolis
Journal)

L
Returns from the Minnesota pri-
mary election are a mighty interest
ing study. They show clearly the
strength and the weakness of A. C.
Townley's Nonpartisan league. It's
heavy vote was cast in central and
northwestern Minnesota, but even
there its showing was spotted. Its
war program" made Roadway last
year in several German counties and
in others with a mixed German and
Scandinavian population, where pac-
| ifist sentiment was strong. In those
counties the heaviest percentage of
Lindbergh vote is to be found.
Brown and Carver, two of the
strongest German counties in the
state, gave Li1dbergh about a two
to-one lead. So did Sibley, which is
both German and Swedish. In
Stearns county, in spite of the hard
fight made on the league by Bishop
J. F. Busch among his people, Lind
bergh ran strong. Scott, another
German county, went for Burnquist.,
and evidently is not fertile field for
great battle-ground the loyalty work
ers he'd the Towneyites pretty even,
oOIIlc lOCdllClSS SOiIlS dliiioSI SOllu OIIe
wav, and others the reverse.
The other counties going strong
for Lindbergh are Douglas, Isanti,
Chippewa, Clearwater, Kaldiyohi,
Kittson, Pennington, Red Lake and
Roseau. There was big Lindbergh
vote in the former populist strong
holds of Polk and Otter Tail counties
but it was well Sc. off by the vii
ages and the more conservative farm
ers. Most of these counties have a
strong Swedish population, and
Douglas, Chippewa and Kandiyohi
also have a good many German vot-
ers.
These are the counties where the
Tow1ley propaganda has taken the
frmest root. Other counties ad-
joining or in the same sections have
resisted it, due 70 more effective
absence of pacifsm.
The Minnesota valley marks about
the southern limit of successful work
by Townley organizers. They have
made some showing in Wabasha and
Waseca counties, but as rule the
southern counties have thrown eff |
the Townley blight just as they did
populism rs years ago. The German
farmers in most of the southern coun
ties have resisted the appeal.
That Townley will quit work in
Minnesota no one believes. No good |
mine is ever abandoned when good ,
pay dirt is in sight. All those SIG |
memberships taken in Minnesota ex-
pre- Dec. 81 of this year. Though .
taken generally on verbal represen- !,
tatio1 that they were for two years, !
the memberships are only for "this
campaign" and of course the organ /
izers will be back next year for an
other SIG per member. To get and |
hold members requires constant po-
sumed that Towlley will continue
the fight to control Minnesota.
The league membership il Mime
sofa has been claimed at $4,000 and
from that up to $4,000. There is 10
way to get at the cold facts, but a
recent statement furnished to an adj
vertising agency by the Nonpartisan
Leader gives light on the subject. It
states the papers circulation by
states, and gives the Minnesota list
at 27,963, while 1896 papers go to
North Dakota, 16,819 to South Da-
kota, and 1851 to Montana. The
rest of the circulation, totaling about
10000, is scattered through num-
Der of states The statement was for
the months of February, March and
April of this year. AS membership
in the league entities one to a copy
of the paper, these figures ought 70
show the leagues strength i. Mime
sofa at the time the statement was
made.