The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-05-24
Grant Youmans, Once Biggest
Nonpartisan of. Them All,
Says Townley "GOt Him"
WATERS NOTE IS sAUCY
State Bank Examiner Declares
Big Chief Gave Him Free
Hand in Bank Matter

American National Dank, eHected W
himself and Thomas Allan Box, Mr..
Hastings informed the banking board
under the direction of President A. Z.
Townley of the National Nonpartisan
league, have any more interesting dis
closures of the inside workings OF the
league plan been revealed than are
found in an exchange of letters be-
tween Grant s. sYoumans, had OF varl'
Gus financial enterprises at Minot, ana
Major James X. Waters, former bank
examiner and now president OF the
Bank of North Dakota
Youmans was among the first bank
ers OF the state to espouse the league
cause / Apparently. during the last
three years. he has been very close 10
Townley. He has been using the pres
tige OF the league in his operations at
Niinot,s it Is alleged, and his right TO
do So does not appear to have been
questioned. Anthony Walton, former
member OF the house from Ward coun.
ty. and one of the most influential
leaguers in this section of the state,
has been associated with Younans III
his banks and his tinst company op,
erations Until there appeared IN e tne
North DAKOTA Leader q shoiI tl'n0 aeo
q cartoon whose purpose was that
Youmans was making desperate ef'
fort to shirt his ballast from Langer's
band wagon to: that of Big Chief Town.
lev, no intimation reached the public
that everything was not stlll ioVely
between Art and Grant. NOW the OK
change OF compliments between 1ou'
mans and Town'ey Youmans ana W..
ters and other leaguers IS coming no'
and heavy, .SS Is, 80 IN,
is Two iettars pnblished below, VIII
out comment, are the latest :contrlpu'
tiOns TO the growing league library.
From Grant to jim.
&E,s MinOt, n. -, May 10, 1919. 4
]. r. Waters, .5t.
State Bank Examiner ~.
Bismarck, NJ y, n, -.
~ am ilsl m eFeWttn y "a COPY
Of my letter to- Mr..s IloWnley,. y oateu ).
December 4. receiyed by him Dec. %
and Z copy of Mr. Walton, s letter 70
him dated May ~ ASK thaV YOU
do not make use OF the contents o.
these letters insfany wayi,tnat mignt
injnre thB1 1leagle or 'tne3 league pro'
gram. adr ,s%ss .s5t.l' 5i.ll''ss \. las;:t y.
l think that you are, ehtitieu "
know the cause or Mr.. 'EoWniey AZ
tftude and ,antagonism to"arus Me
and these farmer owned enterprises
Simply because ! could not alloW my
self to, be brought under MS corrups'
ing influences IN the suggestion ne
made on the Hanna case: ne pecan :
O very bitter enemy or mine. ana ma ;
done everything posslDle TO in)ure me
and the enterprises OF Wnich l am
president and manager as the result
Claims res 'n]u'eo.
Just recall one instance alone u
how he tried to injure me ana this
company with the DanKlns poaru'
and injure the banks mat we had es'
tablished. Recall the time iast sep
tember when you notinea me 10 coine
TO Bismarck for q conference WIN
the members of me banking M poaru, t!i
how during the pleasant conference
with the members ~ my room at tne
hotel, when you. told me that
the members OF the board nad
heen led to believe that the Irust
company was carrying some assets
not of the best, and that no more
bank charters would be issued wnere
] was interested. promptly stateo
to you that II there was the sEghtest
questions IN the minds OF the ooafd
and yourself 0f the solVency OF IN"
Savings Loan and Trust company
that ! would wllHngiy surrender my
own fortune, everything l had IN the
way Of property In the world to pro-
tect the stockholders OF the company
I took out OF my pocket at thas
time and handed to you s5o,0oo OF par
value Of shares, in the Savings Loan
and Trust Co., and something IKE
$4,000 OF other securities nanded
them to you, and onered to let you
keep them for the beneht OF the
stockholders OF the Trust GO. Tne
stock and the paper. constituted my
entire fortune In the world. outside
of my automobile and some war
Savings stamps and Liberty Donds:
You. in gentlemanly way, declined
to accept the securities under sucn
conditions. After the meeting was
over, and just as we started to leave
the room preceded BY the Seana other men: mem,