The sun., 1919-10-12

tees and purposes. The understand
able causes of its formation, its blind
reliance upon a clique of clever men
in it's efforts to get fair dealing, the
extraordinary financial support, the
political power it seized and still en-
joys-these have been sketched.
Through and through the story runs
the instability of this scheme 10 attain
wealth and happiness by short cut,
instability proved by the wrecking OF
the bank at Fargo. The question now
properly occurs, What is the Townley
programme? There seems to be no
answer. There is no programme
specific. orderly, busnesslike-applied
to all OF the States within the Townley
sphere of influence. There is pur-
pose, and that has been and is to
tablish a Socialistic autocracy which
would in time dominate the nation.
Townley has been quoted as stating
that in time the Non Partisan League,
allying itself with first one, then
another radical organization. will be
able to control Congress and elect its
President. In North Dakota few
weeks. ago I was told that the Nom
Partisan League will be able to send
O block OF delegates to the Republican
National Convention. This block will
be pledged to support Lynn j. Frazier
for the Republican nomination. Town
ley hasn't the slightest notion that he
can accomplish anything except ad-
vertising by this project, but the bare
hope remains that the convention will
be 80 cut up in the support of numer-
Gus candidates that the National Nom
Partisan League might possibly be
able to hold a balance of power.
Reaction Had Begun.
There is no doubt that the fall of
the Scandinavian-Am American Bank will
be hailed with relief and Joy by the
body of steady citizens in North Da-
kota, because the collapse cannot fail
to convince many thousands of farm-
ers who blindly have followed Town
ley that no State and no business or
ganization can be run upon tho prin-
ciples he processes and practises. How
hong 1t will take for the farmers, the
backbone Of the league, to make up
their minds to take their organization
out of Townley's hands, to rescue it
from Socialism and the threat of Boil
shevism, to employ it for the worthy
ends they had in mind to begin with,
cannot be predicted; but that they
will do SO seems assured. The reaction
had set in before the bank failure.
When I went through North Dakota
a few weeks ago there was a strong
sentiment arising among the farmers
to return to their Republican ale
glance while maintaining their league
as an economic organization. They
were beginning to talk among them
selves about this matter, and one
heard very many bitter expressions
against Townley and the management
of the league. The feeling was de-
veloping that the original purposes OF
the league could be served by electlng
Republican farmers to the Leslsla-
ture, and that it would be wise TO cut
away from the radical Socialists that
had been permitted to get into me
saddle. North Dakota is naturally
Republican State and turned from ke-
publican principles only because inc
bulk of the voters believed that their
party was not interested in helping
them get justice In their business
dealings. If Mr.. Hughes. touring
North Dakota in 1916, had made inc
simple promise that the interests o,
the farmers would be protected anu
had pledged himself to advocate SONS
of the square deal laws the Farmers
were demanding, II is very pFooaoio
that he would have received the state
electoral vote. The Repubhcahlsh -
there, but it has been smeucd over
with Socialism. 1t looks as Il nv
smear is being wiped or by the sun
brush Of necessity Farmers are "ho
other people-they are apt 20 10
shocked when banks burst rlE"l ..
their faces, banks run ON So''"''''
principles.
Many sensible people In the s'a'e
outside OF farming interests be!'e'e
that the Partisan League con
Quoted solely as an economic say
guard, a society for securing tar anu
Just legislation, is worth preseFF'"-.
The Rt. Rev. Vincent Wehrle, Roman
Catholic Bishop OF the BismarrN l'''
cese. expressed this opinion saving
IF the Non-Partisan League s','
ceeds in freeing itself from the S''.''
list appendix which tries 20 iNaKr ~
pie believe that 1t is the head anu
heart OF the Partisan League ''H
builds up on the principles Of lu7r,s
and fairness, which means the e"
Commandments. the foundation al a., ~,
Just laws and OF society itself II WIN
be very beneficial to the country pu.
it it follows Socialist leaders ano u's'
to build up upon Sociaiistic la''S $40
will become a greater curse io Wv
! country than capitalism is
But Socialists have run 1t ana ~
cialists are In the way of running ."
The league has been used to collect
vast sum OF money, which has pee"
dissipated $50 far as its eNpenIl'''
can be traced at alb in wild c'op'i%
tive schemes; In banks where prey.
nearly everybody had tho r'sh'
Corttnved on Sirth PdpS