The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1920-10-28
MERCHANTSCALL
TOWNLEY BLUFF
Fred r. Mann Urges Business Men
to Fight Proposal of the
League Head
FARMERS WON'T AID BOYCOTT
President of Retail Merchants Asso-
citation Stands Pat

President of Retail Merchants Asso-
citation Stands Pat
"We'll drive them off the map"
Carrying his campaign into Barnes
county, A. c. Townley renewed the
threat that he has pronounced from
numerous platforms within the state
since just prior to the last primary
election.
Gathering about him about 200 Nom
partisan leaders representing practi-
cally every precinct in Barnes county.
Mr.. Townley told them that they were
defeated in the November election. If
the independents get out and vote, he
told the leaguers, the Townley can
didates cannot win in November.
Townley told them that the business
men who oppose the league must be
punished and declared 1--WE will drive
them off the map"
Just as he did at Grand Forks.
Minot, Michigan and Stanley, and also
many other places, Townley said that
he personally would come back to
North Dakota after the election to
supervise the process Of driving North
Dakota citizens out of their own state
If they failed to support him in this
election.
Many leaguers who left the hall
after the gathering were pessimistic
as to the effect of Mr.. Townley's
threat Of state wide boycott and at
his proposal to dispossess people of
their business because of their oppos-
ing political views.
In an open letter to the members
of the Retail Merchants association
of North Dakota, Fred P. Mann, pres
ident, and w. A. Donnelly, secretary,
answer the threats made by Townley
to drive business men out of the state
because they may have political views
differing from him.
Asserting that the interests of the
farmers and merchants are identical
they call on the merchants to prevent
the league head from driving wedge
hetween two, classes Of our citizens.
The letter follows:
ITO the members of the Retail Mer-
chants association of North Dakota:
Fellow Merchants: Mr.. A.. C.
Townley has repeatedly stated in tho
past few days that if he is defeated in
the election on Nov. 2, 1920, he will
return to North Dakota and put every
merchant out Of business by organic
ing great boycott Of the farmers
against all the business men Of the
state of North Dakota.
"What do you think Of it, men, when
you, a free American citizen of the u.
s. A., are told how you can vote, and
for what political party you can work
by A. c. Townley? If there is an
ounce of true American blood in YOUR
veins you will do everything in your
power to defeat A. C. Townley, the
dictator and false leader Of the farm
ers' movement in North Dakota, and
rid the state of socialism and misman-
agement, putting the Nonpartisan
league back into the hands of the
farmers. where it will be properly
managed, and great benefit to all
the people of the state.
Il am sure that every merchant in
the state of North Dakota is a true
friend of the farmer, our interests
have always been one. We have work
ed together for the upbuilding and
development of the great state Of
North Dakota, and l am sure that
A. G. Townley or any other man can
not divide US into two opposing fac
tions. Very truly yours,
Fred P. Mann, Pres.
w. A. Donnelly, Sec.
A large number of Divide county
farmers have signed declaration as
serting that Townley cannot organize
them to drive people out of the state.
This simply goes to show that the
men on the farm do not propose to
be led around by the nose and forced
to support such an un-American pro-
gram as that proposed by the league
president.
Big Halloween Dance, Friday. Oct.