The Bismarck tribune., 1919-03-21
LYING LIKE A
HORSE THIEF A
LEAGUE DUTY
CONTINUED from Page One.)


Dickinson. William E. Breen Of Bis.
1uarck, Frank Mehring of Melville and
J. G. Ingle of Dawson were among
the we'll known farmers who were
present at this meeting, when. by
their sworn afidavits, in response TO
a question from Ingle, member of a
100000 store company at Dawson, as
to what had become of the $4,000
which Townley admitted had not been
invested in the store. Townley said
That is none Of your G. D. busi-
ness-you farmers are like a set OF
hogs. We've got TO drive you to the
polls with club to make you vote"
This conference permanently alien.
ated some Of the pioneer movers in
farmers cooperative activities in the
state and several Of the leagues
strongest supporters.
The Valley City bank transa ctioll,
which has been aired more recently,
did not help matters any. The state.
ment of John ]. Hastings. Townley's
nuch-motor-carred financial secre-
tary, that the big profit he made in
organizing the American Exchange
State bank and selling to this farm
ers' institution the American Nation
al bank "was absolutely none of the
farmers business has left a sore
spot in Barnes county, where the
farmers put up the $200.O0O from
which Hastings took his $4,000 com
mission.
Then the farmers have been ad-
yised of conference between VIII
liam Lemke, Townley's legislative
manager, and State Treasurer o.
son and State Auditor Kositzky, dur
ing the recent assembly, when Lemke
summarily commanded these league
officials to get back to their holes in
the capitol, assuring them that what
the league purposed to do with taxa
tion matters was none of their
demneI business" and that their
counsel and advice were not required
The Tax Program.
The taxation program now in force
III North Dakota was executed with
out the advice of any of the taxing
officials Of the state, and over the
protest of members Of the state tax
commission, the state treasurer and
the state auditor, all but one Of these
protestants being officials who were
elected by the league. The authors
rt the new tax program are "Prof."
W. G. Roylance of st. Paul and Wal
ter Thomas Mills Of Berkeley, Calf :,
neither of whom is a citizen Of North
Dakota. Having opposed this program
while in process Of formation. State
Auditor Kositzky, State Treasurer o.
sn, Secretary of State Hall, Attorney
General LANCER and Tax Commission
ers Packard and Steele do not feel it
incumbent upon them to defend it
now. They are returning candid truth
full answers to requests which are
coming to them from farmers over
the state These answers are not OF
a type which will relieve the uneasi'
ness which these farmrs are begin
ming to feel.
"Is it true that a horse which was
assessed at $40 last year will be as
sessed at $50 this year," inquiries
farmer.
1T is,' replies Auditor Kositzky.
as it fact that quarter assessed
at $1,000 last year will be assessed at
$3,333.33 this year?'
Under 100 per cent classification
it will" the state auditor admits.
Poor Politics.
Even very good leaguers who are
absolutely loyal in their support to
Townley, admit that he and Lemke
made a political blunder in forcing
through the printing bills for the ben
eft of Job Wells Brinton, who seems
already to have been we'll taken care