Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1920-03-11

these complaints were not well found
ed, but were rather. caused by agita-
tors. W
The idea that legislation can rene,
dy all ills has, in our age, become
rather general, and every political cam
didate makes use of the idea for the
purpose Of getting votes. Thus the
old parties, Republican and Democrat
ic, have for years and years promised
the farmers Of North Dakota. some
remedies for their grievances but new
er brought any real reform. Is it to
be wondered that some shrewd organ
izers, starting on entirely new lines,
easily won the farmers for; their
schemes, working upon the plea tbnt
after so amny disappointments it was
wroth while to work along entirely
new lines? .s.s. Il - Il. s b,
The Organizers and Their Enterprises
The originator and principal leader,
Of the Nonpartisan League is A. CT
Townley. He has professed himself
a Socialist, and secured number, of
Socialists as organizers. Many men
of the highest moral standard followed
them. These strongly, protest that.
they do not want to become Social.
lists, but they look upon the movemen.
as a new political enterprise worthy
of a trial. Their slogan was: eve:
want reform; hitherto ths moneyed
men have ruled; now let the farmers
rule the country; the moneyed men
have taken too much of the profit;
now let us farmers have at least
some Of it. For this reason let us get
control Of every important business.
Farmers Stores, farmers elevators,
farmers mills, farmers packing hous-
es, is what. we want; but no+ being
strong enough to run them as. private
enterprises, let the state run them. =
One thing might have made the
people cautious; nearly every one Of
the paid organizers came from outside
the State; one from New Zealand, an
other from Oregon, another from Kan
sas, etc. They remind one too much
Of the carpetbaggers after the Civil
War; Townley himself has been f.
nanciaf failure, or rather a very pc
culiar genius. In 1917 lie and his.
brother petitioned for voluntary bank;
ruptcy, with liabilities Of SIS, 100000
and assets less than $500. According
to his sworn statement he had $393.39
in bank, wearing apparel valued at
| $4,000, a watch at $40 and a gun at
$1,000. HThis was all.
n And this man, with his organizers,
succeeded, 4 according to his sworn
statement before United States Off
icials, in securing between 1915 and
the first half of 1918, a total revenue
Of $3,515 100000 from all Nonpartisan
activities, and besides this enough to
buy two newspapers, the Nonpartisan
Leader, and the Courier News, which,
he claims, are valued at 100000 each.
The total North Dakota receipts
from membership and profits are $2,-
1875, 900; Minnesota memberships ,$64O,
600; memberships in other states,
$sso,00O.
During the hearing before the Unit
ed States officials they tried to evil
dence that Mr.. Townley had . little
more than the above mentioned ..less
than $500 assets" but they did not
succeed. But it became very clear
that small number Of Nonpartisan
organizers, Fownley at the head Of
them, manage the money Of the differ,
ent league enterprises in most auto
cratic way. III !.
M Nonpartisan Activities.
The first was enrolling men in the
Nonpartisan League, charging each
one Of them at the beginning 5000;
then $500 then SIG for membership.
What return does the member get?
The right to vote as he is told! That's
! ALI AZ 4 s s5y2 e. Il e
The second is the q Consumers Unit
ed Stores Company Upon my in
quiry as to what right a membe bemship,
costing 500, gives to the farmer, /
received the answer: g About the same
as one gets when one contributes to
Ia church or to the Y. NJ. G. a. This
answer was sent to me by. one Of the
organizers. Mr.. Townley admitted in
his evidence before the referee in hank
ruptcy, in the early part Of 1918, that
there was $s6O, ,dOO subscribed for
these stores, and they have been tax
| ing subscriptions ever since. About
q year ago they claimed to have thirty
stores org org si1siizs sii \ Here 4 give some
fscts 4 ding THE Ksnnare store
The org admit that they have
ID total etship i6f 300; this means
Ss0, 900; that TIE stock put Into the
stoTe did not exceed So, 800; that the
farmer gets not . share of stock for;