The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-03-27
erendum petitions.
"Cowards, Fools, Traitors"


bers:
1T is my duty to warn you against
a vicious, cowardly attack upon the
organization from the inside.
"Men who have enjoyed your full
confidence, men into whose hands you
have placed tremendous power, are
this very hour secretly, cunningly
plotting to turn upon you and rend
your organization.
Every forward movement in the
world has had, among it's trusted
workers and leaders, towards, fools
and traitors; SO with the league.
When the piunderers cannot win
against the people in a straight fight
they use secret methods to make the
people fight amongst themselves. They
get the people to fight among them
selves by going to the workers and
leaders of the people. There they
confound the fools, intimidate the
towards and buy the traitors.
Just Dubs," Says Townley.
"Fools and Cowards do not make
efficient traitors. They are just dubs.
A traitor must have courage and abil-
ity. He must also have the confidence
of the people he would betray.
"The enemy can do nothing from the
outside. They must work from with
in, either to disrupt the movement or
cripple the administration, so that the
league program cannot be carried out.
"How much do you think it is
worth to those who have spent mil
lions in vain effort to defeat the
league to find traitor who is in a
position to spike the machinery that
is to carry out the league program
pect?
"Of course, the traitors will not op-
pose the whole program; flour mills,
elevators and all. They will oppose
four or five league measures signed by
Governor Frazier and agreed upon al
most unanimously by league lawmak
ers'
Eositzky Not to Be Muzzled.
State Auditor Carl Kositzky is one
of the most outspoken against Town
ley dictation.
Il was elected by the people and
shall serve the people," Kositzky is re-
ported to have said. ~ do not propose
to hold myself responsible to any po-
litical czar who assumes to club me
into line Townley and his retinue of
socialistic carpetbaggers executed
their own selfish designs and not the
will of the people during the last leg
islativc assembly and l decline to ap-
prove their action"
Asked whether he would take an
aggressive part in the campaign to
defeat the measures to which he is op-
posed, Mr.. KOSitZky said:
"Do you think l would sit back and
seen them put over something like
that without asserting myself? Not
much. l shall get out and fight them
Already | have oeen asked to speak
in four places and | intend to do So
Would Gust Townley Regime.
Kositzky, LANCER, Olson and Hall
declare their attack is not directed
against the principles for which the
farmers of North Dakota believed they
were fighting; it is an attack, they
say, on the autocratic principles that
Townley has sought to incorporate in
the so-called league program without
popular Endorsement.
Concerning this feature of the stu
alton, Secretary of State Thomas Hall
has asserted that the voters of North
Dakota have no intention of relin-
gushing the self-government they
have striven so long to attain, but, on
the other hand. they will retain self
government, even though it be neces-
sary to turn the Nonpartisan league
inside out and sever their relationship
with the Townley regime in doing it..
How Olson Offended.
State Treasurer Obert Olson's first
serious split with the Townley regime
came about when the state treasurer
became president of the aFrmers' In
surance company, recently incorporat-
ed with home Offices at Dickinson. The
purpose of the company, as announc-
ed, is to- keep at nome for reinvest-
ment in North Dakota I<emium pay
ments which had been diverted else
where. 1t is nonpolltical organza-
ton, capitalized at $250,000.
This enterprise was construed by
the Townley leaders as cutting in"
on the Townley field of activities, so
the boss promptly attempted to chas-
tise the state treasurer, accusing him
Of using his public office to ALLEVIATE
the good will and certain support of the
farme~. which he contended. was
rightfully due the organization
Olson promptly advised him that
he would run his own business. and
that he didn't propose to submit to any
dictatorship in that or in anything
else. Thereafter relations We're strain
ed.
Grievances Against LANCER.
Aside from the fact thet Attorney
General William LANCER expressed
disapproval of certain measures en-
acted by the last assembly, Townley's
fire against him yesterday undoubted-
,ly was drawn by reason Of the attor-
ney generals attitude, supported by
Thomas Hall. secretary of state, and
member Of the blu. sky commission,
toward the Consumers United Stores
company, by which the Townley store
chain enterprise was enjoined from
further sale of membership certificates
until it's financial status might be thor
oughly investigated by the commits
sion.
1t is also probable that Townley
read the handwriting on the wall by
activities in connection with the Val
ley City bank deal, investigated by a
f-Io .>I ~ L.