Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-03-22
sfLie to Them, IS Advice 8
Said to Have Been Given
Senator Mees by ToWnley
THIS INSTRUCTION
GIVEN AS REGARDS
TO ONE. MAN TAX BILL
Nagel Reported to Have
Turned to LANCER and
Urged Townley's Arrest
Especial to The Herald. J

Bismarck, NJ. d., March 22.-"Lie
to them, damn it-lie like a
damned horse thief" s
This, says a Nonpartisan league Of
f1cer at the capital, was the advice
which President A. c. Townley gave
Senator f. w. Mees of Morton when
the latter asked what he could say to
his people in defense of the leagues
one-man tax commission bill and it's
other taxation schemes
1t was following a, rather heated
taxes and tax laws, where Senator
Mees had made another stand against
t.( one-man tax commission bill.
IT can't consistently nor consci-
entiously vote for this BILL" Mees had
informed the committee. II have
fought for the defense of the three
man commission for years; I voted
against a bill similar to this one two
years ago; l can't turn around and
vote for it now"
After the committee had completed
their work, Townley, Mees, Simon J..
Nagel of the state bDard of control
and Attorney General LANCER with
drew to one corner.
say to my constituents IL voted
for this bilI?" Mces asked.
''Lie to them, damn it-lic like
a damned horse thief" was Town
lcy's alleged reply. .7
1t is said to have been too strong
for Simon j. Nagel, Haymarsh
farmer, who is reported to have
you ought to arrest that man and
throw him into Jail"
/, This, Afriends of Mees and Nagel
claim. is one of the several reasons
that these two strong Morton county
1eaguers are somewhat anti-Townley.
Both are. .sheavily interested in the
Morton County Farmers Press, one
Of the strongest league newspapers In
the state. Senator Mees, who voted
against several Of the leagues tax
alton schemes in the upper house, and
who also opposed, the leagues print
ing and educational bills, is regarded
as one of the coming league leaders
in the state. He has had many
years. experience in Slope politics as
an old-line progressive.
Farmers Prick Up Ears.
Letters which are flooding the desks
of State Auditor Kositzky, Secretary
of State Hall, State Treasurer Olson
and Attorney General LANCER denote
an uneasiness on the part of the
league farmer The new revolt al
the capitol apparently. impresses hin
as something more serious than tbs
2 spasmodic outbreaksl of irisurgsncy
which have occurred here and there
over the, state during the last two
years. ~ ~
These little rebellions always have
been directed against Townley. and
his autocratic regime rather thar
against any principles of the league
movement The first Of these came
March 8, 191s,' when Townley in an
all-night session endeavored to obtain
from the state board of the Farmers
store scheme which has netted its
promoters $1,500,000 and which is
new being investigated by the blue
sky commission. = -.
]. w. Burch of Burleigh cohnty, w
J. Smith of Hebron, w. j. Motley o1
Dickinson, William F.. Breen of Bis.
marck, Frank Mehring of Melville
and J. G. Ingle of Dawson were
among the we'll known farmers who
were present at this meeting, when
soy their sworn affidavits, in response
to a question from Ingle, member OF
a 100000 store company at Dawson
as to what had become of the $51 ,0O(
which Townley admitted had not beer
invested in the store, Townley said
'fhat is none of your ed busl.
4 iss-you farmers are like set OF
hogs. we We SOl " uAAVS > W. ~ 80
. polls with "a club to make you vote
This conference permanently alien
ated some of the pioneer movers ir
farmers cooperative activities in the
state, and several of the leagues
strongest supporters.
The Valley City bank transaction
which has been aired more recently
did not help matters any. The state
ment of John j. Hastings. Townley's
much financial secre
tary, that the big profits he made II
organizing the American Exchange
State bank and selling to this farmers
institution the American Nationa
bank was absolutely none OF the
farmers business" has left sore
spot in Barnes county. where tht
farmers put up the 100000 from
which Hastings took his $4,000 com
mission.
Then the farmers have been ad
yised Ct a conference between William
Lemke, Townley's legislative mana
ger, and State Treasurer Olson ant
State Auditor Kositzky, during tn
recent assembly, when Lemke sum
marily commanded these league OF
Continued on Page 6.)
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