The Monte Vista journal., 1920-10-16

In December. 1916. Townicy WAS
ut the height OF his power. lie was
/ flushed with victory and anxious
] and alert for new accomplishments,
lie was the hero Of the hour In North
Dakota. His political victory was
+, hcrsldcd throughout the country by
friends and foes. his friends singing
HIS praise and hts enemies likewise
advertising him by dcnouncinG him
from New York to California. But
Il was not the Nonpar,isan League
that was advertised. II was A. G..
Townlcy. Tho power Of the Nom
partisan League was not recognized.
II was the power Of A. G. Townlcy.
II WAS not the farmers organization
that was given credit. II was A. G..
Townley.
= Hence II was A. c. Townicy who
was Immediately sought by self
seeking politicians who wanted pol
lticai Jobs and favorx on the ono
hand. and promoters and CONNER
cial agents who wished to use the
Nonpartisan League to assist them
In their money-making schemes on
the other hand. Some wanted to
start hog ranches. some insurance
companies: some wanted to pro-
mote socialistic colonization prof.
ects. while others wanted to be-
come associated with Townley In
straight real estate. money making
enterprises. He wus sought by oil
men. land men. men with patents
and men with dreams and ideas. He
was sought for by men from New
York. California. Washington and
Florida. The Florida man won.
Townley had been In big promo
motions before a. the writer has re-
lated-but he never had tho back
Ing. the power nor the opportunity
to put over n real promotion that he
now had In his grasp. He didn't &C.
cept the first proposition put to him.
He had had experience In promot-
ing. He looked over the projects
submitted to him from New York.
California and Washington. He
looked over the one from Florida.
He had been in Florida before he or
ganized his farmer league. He
knew the state had great future.
He knew II would produce prize or
anges. grape fruit and other tropi.
cal products. He knew that land
that produces such crops in a short
time would sell for $3.50. $500 and
more an acre. He knew what Cal
ifornia had done. What the apple
district of Washington had done.
How men bought land at $40, SIS.
and $25 per acre and In three or
four years received $500 to 5000
and more per acre. Here was HIS
opportunity for making money-ip
Southern Florida.
A. c. Townley. the politician.
gained his power in November.
1916. A. C. Townley. the promot-
err. was taking advantage Of that
power and influence to make money
In December. 1916, 80 days later.
Townley. the promoter. didn't lose
any time. He was ambitious. He
was restless with the power of the
organization which he could now use
for the benefit OF A. C. Townley.
Among the men. stock salesmen
and promoters, who had read of A.
G. Townley was Edwin Lundeen of
Miami. Florida. Lundeen had been
n promoter selling orange and grape
fruit groves. He had operated in
Chicago. His company had failed,
He became interested In a sisal en-
terprise organized In Florida under
the name OF FLORIDA Fruit and
Fibre company" II had not been
success. He was looking for new
associates to promote q sisal enter
prise. While at Atwater. MIMI, he
learned Of A. c. Townley. Lundeen
was broke. But that does not ham,
per real promoter. Townis,