The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1919-08-21
'TREBLED TAXES TO
AWAKEN DAKOTA

AWAAEX DAAVlA
: St. Paul, Minn., Aug. 16.-The Non
by the feeced farmers of North Da-
kota after they have awakened from
the Townley trance by tripled taxes
this fall, declared Carl R. Kositzky,
state auditor Of North Dakota, ad-
dressing the annual convention of the
| National Association of State Audi
tors, Comptrbllers and Treasurers at
the Saint Paul Tuesday.
Mr.. Kositizky asserted the socialis-
tic laws forced on North Dakota by A.
C. Townley, president of theleague {,
are working out for the benefit of the
pocketbooks of Townley and his IA
vorites, but not for the best inter-
ests of the taxpayers.
There is a gradual awakening in
the state to Townley's dictatorship
and his self-seeking motives, said Mr..
Kositzky.
"Since Townley organized his league
North Dakota farmers have been
fleeced out of millions of dollars" said
lMr. Kositzky. "The whole system of
so-called cooperative elevators, banks,
stores, newspapers and other indus
tries is proving a money Garner for
the league kaiser an dhis assistants
"Just last week the state, carrying
out law prepared by Townleys paid
theorist, designated Nonpartlsan
paper in virtually every county to
publish in full the state public notices
and advertising. The income OF these
papers from this one source will be
about 81 100000 a year. AS they all
are controlled by Townley it is easy to
see where this money of the taxpay-
ers is going. =,
"This arch autocrat has thrown the
fear of God into the farmers and state
officials so they are afraid to say their
soul is their own. They fear this man
worse than the devil himself. Their
greatest fear is that opposition to the
autocrat will brand them through the
medium of his personally owned
, league papers as crooks and raltors.
"When a court must obey the cQm.
mand of an individual; when the state
officials must obey the same com
mand and when the legislature OF the
state must hearken and Immediately
nut into effect the same command
then YOU have a government not Tor
of by the people but kaiserism. That
summed up, is exactly the situation
in North Dakota, under ToWnley's re-
gime.
"In 1919 Townley tossed off his Gov
ering and showed himself wolf in
sleeps clothing. He ruled the legls-
1ature with an iron hand. First he i'm
ported into North Dakota slmonpure
socialist theorists from various paris
of the United States to make over the
government The men were assigned
to particular task. The principal So
cialists, so far as can remember, are
Paddock of Minneapolis, Day OF WASH
! '1lington, Mills of California, Royiance
Of Utah, Lempke Of North Dakota
now of St. Paul and one or two others
whose names do not recall:
1T all started in 1915, during ses-
sion of the legislature. 1t is al clear
to me- absolutely premeditated. -Four
hundred farmers were inveigled to 60
to Bismarck, supposedly in the inter-
ests of establishing line of elevators.
During the conference some man maze
statements that angered the farmers
Several silver-tongued soap box ora
TORS. imported for the occasion, capl-
talized the pre-arranged speech OF the
outsider and the Nonpartisan League
snrang into existence. From that mo.
ment the trimming of the farmers OF
North Dakota began and until this day
it has been going merrily on. =,
"Here is an example: Many financial
nroiects have been floated in the past
three wears with Townley and his min MI
ions as incorporators in each case. Inc
Consumers United Stores company
alone cost the farmers 81 1,500, 900. TINS
is what they got in return Tor the1r
money; 10 per cent interest IN tne
project and the privilege OF trading
at any one of the stores. NOT very
much, is it? Yet they paid $l0o eacn
for the certificate, 10 per cent OF wnlcn =
was for an interest in the store ana
the other 90 per cent for educational
nurnoses to be designated by Town.
III first crossed Townley on mat
tors Of taxation. All of North Da-
kota's tax laws were drawn up by
prof. w. G. Roylance, Townleys I'M
nor+od tax exnert and a red-hot inter-
national socialist.
"This theorist drew up the tax laws
| based enClrely OAA IAoOAy'
cated were these that to collect dol
lar would cost virtually another dol,
lar. After learning of this appeared
before the tax committees OF 1ota a n
branches of the legislature. had had
more than ten years experience IN
matters of taxation and felt qualified
to bring to the attention OF ne com
mitees he flaws in the bills: The bills
were passed, but amended consider
ably. .141 ,a
been before the committee he cursed
me for what he termed meddlng with
something that was none OF my ousl-
ness.
with something that is none OF your
business he demanded of me.
az don't believe in permitting such
villainous laws to go on the statute
books of the state retorted.
"In the future you stay away from
here Townley stormed. We have ex,
-, ~ 1ooL, offor those matters and