Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-12-24

in the protection Of your own business
interests, you are opposed to the So
cialistic program of the Non Partisan
League. Therefore we believe that
you are interested in doing some thing
concrete and definite to defeat their
program. We further believe that
something must be done, and done
now, because as Mr.. johnson has, or.
will explain to you, the League, so
far. as Minnesota is concerned, is con-
stantly growing in strength and re-
source, due to three. facts:
/. They are increasing their
strength amongst the farmers.
q. They are uniting and solidifying
the labor vote of this state behind
their program - :. St. ~. :2~..y :. "
3. They are dividing the business
interests of this State into hostile
camps. ~ 2~..=-~.. = e@.~.s- :.
If ToWnley and Van Lear shall be
permitted to unmolested and unchal-
lenged unite the solid vote of the farm
ers and laborers behind their candi-
dates and hopelessly divide the bust
ness men into opposing factions or
camps, it is self-eyident that the state
of Minnesota must fall helpless vic
tim of Socialism, which involves the
destruction of business and industry
as we know it today. 80
May We call your attention to the
fact that in your County-Kandiyohi
COunty-in the last election in June,
1918, Burnquist received I'LL votes
and Lindberg, the League candidate
2449. Burnquist got. the majority of
$40 votes in the villages but he lost
the county by 1888; Lindberg lost the
villages by 610 votes but carried
the county by 73S, so conse-
quently Lindberg carried the county
precincts by 1348 votes. Burnquist
received only 666 votes out of a total
of 1856 country votes. Lindberg re-
ceived 2020 out of total of 1886 votes
or II per cent of the country vote.
This gave him approximately 60 per
cent of the total vote of the county,
including the villages and cities.
Therefore, it is self-evident that the
farmer vote and the vote of organized
labor in this state is a majority.
To meet this situation it is neces
sary to do two things:
1. Organize the business men so
that they will present a solid front,
l. e., educate the business men of this
state to a realization that their failure
to stand as united body will mean
ruination; that this is not only neces-
sary, but imperative, it is easy to un-
derstand in view of the fact that if the
business men do not possess sufficient
intelligence to meet and defeat the
common enemy by united effort, they
| certainly have no right nor can they
consistently question the intelligence
of the farmers for failure to do the
same thing.
2. We must go to the farmer in a
| kindly, sympathetic manner and not
| only tell him, but prove to him that
if We have public ownership Of bank
ing, manufacturing. milling, public
ownership or operation of railways,
| steamships, telephones and telegraphs
| and all other business and commercial
| activities, the public ownership and
operation Of numbering, mining and
power producing industries which are
basic industries-in the natural
scheme of things it will be the logical
and inevitable thing to have public
ownership and operation of the farms
Or in other words, let us go to the
| farmer on his farm, in his own corn
field, hay meadow or barnyard, and
explain to him and prove to him the
futility and fallacy of trying to solve
his problems and improve his condi-
tons by aiding and assisting in the
| establishment of Townley- Socialism,
which is Numerically opppsed to, his
| interests as property owner and mi
mical to his welfare as an employer of
| labor.
Heretofore, those opposed to Town
ley and his Socialistic program, have
| contended themselves with calling
| Townley vile names and pointing to
| the farmer as a bewhiskered fool that
| has permitted himself to be swindled
out of $500 or $1,000 as the case
may be, with the result that the farm
| er has resented the abuse heaped upon
| him in this manner and Townley' s
! strength and prestige has increased
| enormously.
| We are enclosing, under separate
cover, copy of the Northwestern
| Appeal" which carries very illumin-
ating story on the situation which we
commend for your careful perusal
and when Mr. Johnson calls on you
again we trust that you will, as a citi-
zen interested in the preservation of
our country and its institutions, as