The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1918-03-14
SAND.
He Has the Courage of His American
Convictions and Bids Defiance
to Disloyal Demagogues.

In Ringing Letter He Paints the
Nonpartisan League Leaders
in Their True Colors.
Through it's secretary, Arthur Lee
Sueur, the Nonpartisan League invit-
ed Governor Burnquist to address it's
convention to be held in st. Paul next
week. Unquestionably the invitation
was not extended in good faith. Be
that as it may there was no pussy
footing on the part Of the governor.
He declined the invitation, and in un-
mistakable language voiced his opinion
of the demagogical and strife breeding
leaders Of the league Annexed hereto
is the governors letter in full and the
Union offers no excuse or apology for
publishing the same:
Dear Sir Your invitation to adj
dress the Nonpartisan campaign rally
is declined by me for the following
reasons:
The name of your league implies
that it is nonpartisan, but in fact
there is no organization more partisan.
At this time when other political par
ties are trying to put aside, for the
good of the country, any fractional
spirit that might exist, your organiza-
tion is doing everything within 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 appar-
ent that this course would result in
disaster for their organization, they
changed their course and made an
eleventh hour claim to pure loyalty,
but Notwithstanding this claim the
National Nonpartisan league is par
ty Of discomfort. It has drawn to it
the pro-German element Of our state.
Its leaders have been closely connect
ed with the lawless /. w. w. and with
Red Socialists. Pacifsts and peace
advocates, whose doctrines are of BEN
eft to Germany, are among their num-
Der.
Those in charge of the league have
catered to that faction of labor which
has violated the law and been opposed
to compliance with just orders of duly
constituted authority.
The leading agitators in your party
have through their speeches and the
circulation Of contemplate falsehoods
encouraged disrespect for honest and
patriotic men in public positions.
These self-appointed leaders with
whom you are associated have been
and now are endeavoring to get far
mers to oppose business men and en-
ployes to oppose employers. They
state, in your party principles, that
"the great things the farmers need to-
day to win is to stick by your organiza-
ton, to cooperate with wage workers
organizations in the cities and together
win control Of the powers of the state
government and then the national
government"
| You, who sign yourself as the ex-
ecutive secretary of the league, were
connected with the Peoples Peace
council, which through my proclama-
ton Of August %, 1917, was barred
from holding meetings in this state
and thereafter in Wisconsin and I'LL
nois, but which was invited to North
Dakota by it's governor, who was elect
ed through the efforts of your league.
The cheering and applauding of the
unpatriotic utterances of Senator La
Toilette at your last convention put a
stamp of disloyalty on it that can
never be erased.
/ Your present publicity agent lost
the position he held at that time be-
cause he supported La Follette's UNI
patriotic ideas and, after his discharge
by his employer, he was employed by
your Nonpartisan league.
Another of your leaders, Joseph Gil
bert, called director and manager. I
believe, has been convicted by Jury
because of his disloyal utterances. He.
together with Mr.. Manahan, an attor-
ney for your organization, patriotical-
ly used strike situation here to adj
vance the political interests of the
league.
These two men have maliciously
slandered public spirited members of
the Public Safety commission in an eff
wage earners for the political purposes
OF your political party's self-consti-
tuted leaders who are neither real
As"A AAASAo A4OA 4SS1l 1dUOI0TS, DuC SELL
seeking demagogues whom the actual
farmers and the actual laboring men
of our state will sooner or later find
are nothing but pretended friends
wolves parading in sleeps clothing.
You, who appear to be the executive
secretary of this organization, were
the attorney who defended the muir
derers in the I. w. w. trouble on the
range two years ago and who has
assisted the l. w. w. organization
which has publicly announced that it
is its intention ultimately to take the
farms from the farmers; whose head
quarters since the commencement Of
the war have been raided by the fed
eral government and whose members
are now taking refuge in such organ
izations as the National Nonpartisan
league.
How, under the circumstances, the
farmers of Minnesota who have been
threatened with the loss Of their
/ farms who howe - r,,.1 :,