The Bismarck tribune., 1919-04-15
Mees Gives Public the Truth
About .'Lie Like Horsetkief''
L,lident in NJ r. Caucus
ICON .inuetl fronl IN gesiO O1le II


I The Courier.NeWs knows pesitively
that Mr. !. I Towntey had. h,s private
3stshe9rapher- o'Leary- present in
the caucus room n 4 this q articuIar
night and they have 4 record Of every.
thing that was said and done. Why
does not the Courier-News and the
rest Of their controlled press publish
the transcript Of these notes? /
challenge them to publish TIL same
in full. Knowing that they viii not
do this will give the facts as to
what really took place. ~
The committee on tax laws had
had the one man tax commissioner
bill under consideration for several
days, the committee was very nearly
equally divided. for and against the
bill. The membership OF both houses
was overwhelmingly opposed to- the
One Man Tax Commissioner, (this
was ascertained by a personal can
vass Of the membership the day be,
fore this bill was to be voted on in
the senate, word was passed Stotall the
league members that there w0uld be
an executive session OF thescaacus on
this particular bill that evening. Ac-
cording to the appointment, !. the mem
bers met, first in open session, where
Prof. ROylanee appeared before the
audience and denounced an un.pro.
gressive any one who did not support
the One Man TAX Commissioner Bill.
The professor having ft,.ishel, the
caucus went into executive ssession.
The discussion was opened with 0. X
Lagoon, who was not a member OF
either house, except ;as3 employee.
following him were II or Is different
speakers, some members d the legis-
Rture, others who werH nOt,sss a n o1g
Those who spoke for TIE bin We're
Stair, Patterson, Cahill, sLevans. The
points brought out in favor Of the bill
were that they wanted to centralize
responsibility, and the governor rec
commended it. Mr.. Townley, as we'll
as Lemke, Roylance, and many Of
the league organizers were present
during the entire time; After those
who had been appointed to defeat the
bill and create a sentiment In favor
OF same had finished, there was
a. perfect lull for a few. minutes, evi-
IDENTIFY intended for ME to make de-
fehse of my position which Isaccept-
ed. explained just. how. this very
same question had been made the foot
ball Of politics for the last, six years;
recalled how the same was fought
by the progressive element in the
session of 1915 and again in 1877.
when. all the league members stool 70
a man against this bill Che record
is available to anyone), hoW Townley,
Lemke and all of the v leaders two
years ago backed us up in the fight
branding it as an "old gang measure"
and all chat. stated ! to the mem 5ers
present that it was THEY them
selves, who would have to make their
explana tions I to their constituents;
that there would be nos Townley,
Lemke or anyone else to make their
defense for them after they had gone
home. Townley answered me, as fol-
lows: I n
~ have known Mees for several
years, ! know that he is honest
and 5conscientiops in this. matter.
know what te says about fight
ing this bill In the past as an
"oid' gang" measure. L, true. When
Governor Hanna was governor, |
was for the Three. Man Tax Com.
mission, il Goyernorss Hanna or any
Of the old gang ever got back into
power again, would be for
Three Man Tax Commission again.
- ID, Z.