Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-03-12
TOWNLEY cAMOUFLAGE
From Thursdays Daily

1O"Nl6V SA"oOV 1V-
From Thursdays Daily
Although the Geographic reports 40
not make it certain. there is little
doubt that the American Association
of Equity, which organized an iowa
branch at Waterloo yesterday IS the
same association which the late
George S. Lotus of Minneapolis estao-
lished among the farmers OF Nortn
Dakota and Minnesota to night the
Minneapolis Chamber Of Commerce
and establish a board Of trade, an
elevator and flour mill in st. PAU.
This association was the genesis
Of the Nonpartisan league, although
the two enterprises are not formally
united. They obtained their member
ship and backing from the same
farmers in the beginning, but the
Equity association under Mr.. Lotus
was purely business organization,
whereas the Nonpartisan league IS a
nolitical movement which has deyeE
oned a business phase simply De-
cause SO much money has poured into
the laps of Townley and his ieliow
officials that they have been forced
tn find methods for investing 1t ana
for turning it into channels where It
can multiply. 49,
The Equity association and the
Norma rtisan league joined hands when
the formers organizer conceived the
idea of building an elevator IN 81:
Paul to be owned by the state OF
North Dakota. AS soon as the scheme
was preached it developed that North
Dakotas constitution prohibited the
state from going into business, par
ticularly in another commonwealth.
Obviously. the way to get around
that difficulty was by re-making the
constitution. And that was where the
Nonpartisan league came in. us
legislators proposed new constltu'
ton, taking the lid OF for North Da'
kota and vesting the state officials
with mower to enter into any sort OF
business. anywhere. with public mon
evs Indeed. should the treasury run
low. the proposed constitution wouid
enable the officials to borrow cash
from anyone who would furnish 1t,
without the bother Of legal limits OF
other safeguards which ordinarily
are thrown about public funds.
This constitution failed to pass last
wear. but indications are that the NON
partisan league will have enough
representatives in both house and
senate at next years session OF tne
legislature to make certain the enact
ment of any measure the league may
father.
II is somewhat new to find the
EQUITY association venturing so bold
" into the field Of politics. II this is,
indeed. the same organization which
Mr.. Lotus formed, there is ample
reason to believe that 1t merely Is 90
ing missionary work for the Nonpar'
tisan league.
There is a familiar ring about the
speeches at the Waterloo meeting. a
Minnesota woman, for instance, at.
tackled the Iowa State college az
Ames. declaring it is "a training
school for the big corporations. JUS!
what she meant is somewhat dlmcuit
70 fathom. The college at Ames Is
known throughout America as one OF
the most successful institutions OF
ito kind: its connection with politics
never has been alleged by any OF the
many Iowans who know SO wen us
history, its aims and its achievements
It's splendid standing among educa'
tional institutions is such that no sucn
attacks rs the Minnesota woman MADE
can injure it. Her TRADE serves only
to discredit its author.
II the Equity associations name Is
mere camouhage for the Nonparasan
leagues operations, it is not the nrs'
time that the league has adopted an
assumed name since it entered Iowa
In southern Iowa counties its doc
trines have been preached by organ
izers working under another title than
, the one which has been brought into
disrepute by La Toilette, Townley
Gilbert and many others whose ideas
OF loyalty are so open to question.
It is well for Iowans-farmers and
others-to scrutinize closely the III
erature and the motives of organizers
and promoters who solicit their sup
port. 1t decidedly is not to their in.
terest, to say nothing Of the interest
of the state at large, to become iden'
tilted with political movement found
ed on baseless prejudice and drawing
its inspiration from men whose writ
ings and public addresses TEEN with
attacks on the government and the
efforts il is making to win the war.