The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1919-05-29
TO THE T0WNLEY|zED PRESS

TO The T0wNLEYlzED PRESS
You hs,. repeatedly stated that tn. Independent Voter. Association Il.
dependent for its campaign fund upon iadinduas, organdsatons and %
porstons that are enemies Of tn. farmer. Of North Dskoa. You know that
such q charge is a deliberate lie, produced for the purpose OF prejudicing
voters ito the extent that they will do themselves the injustice Of considering
everyone even their asshbora bs they farmers Or businessmen, IS their
enemies If they happen to disagree a. to the possible effect Of certain laws
and political actions. You know that the Independent Voters Association
solicited. You will. Of course. admit that those who ar opposed to that
peculiar brand of socialism which Tovsley and his eotsrs Of imported
organizers ire trying to fasten on North Dakota, have a right to 20 out
among the people and use all honorable means to convince them of the
dangers ahead and % solicit funds 10 help deray the expense Of carrying on
the campaign. Or ae you afraid that If the people have a little time to look
int this socahed reform movement they will discover that under the guMs Of
reform a cunning effort is being made to h.v. hem help establish [. brand Of
red radicansm which has nome to be known Is Bolshevsm In Rusua and IS
Townleysm in North Dakota.
You have repeatedly stated that tn. Independent Voters Association in
North Dakota taxpayers to test the consututsnsMty # one o more phases
Of the present industrial and taxing program Of North Dakota. The 1nde-
pendent Voters Association has nothing to do with the lawsuit I'm question;
had nothing to do with its starting and will have nothing to do with it In the
future. If you had taken any pains to inquire from the officials Of the
Independent Voters Association a to the Association. connection with this
case IS all ordinary decent newspapers generally do before making such
statements as you have made you might have had u. information long ago.
as the Anutsoci'l't Union has been imported into North Dakot. by the indie
state. This is not true. You have no foundation for any such statement
You have also repeatedly charged that all those who ar. lot shouting for
Townleysm in North Dakota are enemies Of the farmers and laboing men
You know that all the businessmen in North Dakota do not constitute more
voted alone Oh n side they could control nothing. You know that there ar
of the biggest businessmen from other states have come in here and shouted
for Towneyisn.
Your effort to make tho people Of North Dakota believe that all the
laborers M farmers ire lined up or n side Of the present political issues
ret the he governor 90 euem into 't thu notion nas va" OF having nvt~ ths ' rsssr.nd n1aD s,ecr ,~' two .o1 weeks =.
earlier than pettoned for, fearing that II. the people have time enough to
get themselves Informed. they will discover that you have been misrepresenung
facts when you calmt that you ar. the only friend that the farmers # North
Dakota have and that all those who re opposed to you aree enemies Of the
farmers.
With only . few businessmen in the state. and these divided politically, 1t
Is evident that there NJ farmers o both sides of the issues. You are there
fore, in the absurd and ridiculous position Of charging that thousands Of
Intelligent farmers re their own enemies.
The present political battle in North Dakota ii. lot a lineup between
farmers and businessmen. Men who are raisedi in the state or have lived here
the greater portion of their lives and have thdr homes families and property
~ of s exnertmsnr with tn.or,.. PRODUCED by men who w no PROPERTY Who's
homes are in other sateso r nowhere-men whose principal ambition in life
in the past has been to get rich quick by big farming or otherwise and whose
principal experience has been * fail and drag othersd down with them. This
same leadership is continually suggesting and nursing ideals in the press, on
the platform and in private conversation which, when carefully analysed is
found to he full of deadly poison against q stable government our homes,
schools and our churches.
You have repeatedly charged that tn. laws initiated by tho Independent
Voters Association al. not workable. and. therefore. not initiated in good faith.
initiated laws that make them less workable than the laws that weree enacted
during the latle legislative session.
You have repeatedly Infatuated, whatever your motive may be, that
LANCER, Hall, Kostzky and other members Of the Nonpartssn League who
have rebeled against Towneys political boshsu. have been bought of by the
Independent Voters Association and that they are taking orders from that
organization as to what to say and write. and when and where to do it., etc
I hereby want to say to you in behalf Of the Independent Voters Association
that 81 far as " know these men arr acting OF their own initiative and
exercising a right which belongs t any citizen OF q free government anyone
who undertakes to abuse and malsn another for exercising that right IL al
government. /
You pretend to be snow white apostles protectors and friends Of the
purest democracx.g guardian of the common people, when. as a matter OF fact
yu re strainng every effort, rssozing to all forms of political tickery. and
casting truth and honor Il Il. winds ii order to get the people to approve an
Industrial Commission law and q State Bank law which. together with other
inteaocking laws enacted by the last legislature, will make o than half oil
our banks beggars for business out Of tho governors hands; compel every
Intelligent mar who differs with him politically to choose between political
silence or personal abuse and boycott; make u public school system. ths1
lost sacred Of all our Institutions. q political tool, and destroy a large portion|
speech. the safety valve Il popular government Wit these Law In operadonl
our governor will have more people eating out Of his hands than has tsl
sovereign Of any civilized country In the world In proportion to the number Of
people oerw which he rules. |
II your proclamausns Il devotion to the principles Of q square deal andl