The Ordway new era., 1920-10-01

ers and many boss politicians since
tho days of her declaration of inde-
pundence. but none have attracted
the attention OF the nation nor been
more successful in gaining power
and financial support than Arthur C.
Townely. president of the so-called
farmers National Nonpartisan league.
In five years he has built per-
Honal organization with a following
of 100000 dues-paying members, cap
tured one stale government which he
has absolutely dominated, has threat
cHed the overthrow of the three ad-
joining and has stirred to alarm the
population of at least ten other states
The initial activities of his organi-
sation in state are well known. HIS
.nctivities are centered principally
upon getting members and money
organizing newspapers and creating
general dissatisfaction with organized
..Ccicty as 1t at present exists, laying
the foundation for future campaigns
To be waged upon promises of po-
litIcal and Industrial reform through
legislation. This Is in line with all
radical political organizations and
therefore does not cause alarm nor
& We an insight into the real dreams
Of Townley the dreamer. the hopes
OF Townley the promoter or the am.
u,tions Of Townley the boss poltti-
r.3n.
SO the writer will take you to
a.crth Dakota, where the dreamer has
realized his dreams, the promoter has
organized hIs schemes and the boss
politician has perfected his political
machine.
rownley Activities
First wo will relate to you the ac-
tiyities of Townley, the dreamer and
promoter. before he became Il politi !
cIun. He was born and schooled in |
minnesota. Finishing his school days
~ Alexandria, he went to Beach, !
NCrth Dakota, then n frontier town. |
doomed by real estate companies that
were opening up the adjoining terri |
tory to homeseekerg. Townley, the |
dreamer. went to Beach and was soon
trying to outdo the entire neighbor-
hood as a developer of land. 1t was
here that he became a promoter. He
d scarded the slow horse-method of
farming. He bought a big traction
engine to do his plowing He plowed
for others and dreamed of greater
activities in plowing, sowing and
"caping.
1t was here that the activities OF
;ne real estate promotion companies
attracted his attention. One real
C. tate man, with engines, had put in
= 2,000-acre crop and netted $4,000
profit in Il single year. Townley. the
tcamer. wanted to do more. He
knew the real estate men wanted
their lands developed, so Townley.
the promoter, joined with them and
took contracts to plow, SOW and reap
their acres. He bought engines and
machinery. oil and seed. He plowed.
.owed. but did not reap.
First Attempt Failed
He was o failure in his first at
tempt, but the game was attractive
10 Townley, the dreamer, and fascina-
ling to Townley. the promoter. He
made new deals with other real estate
promoters. He went to Cheyenne
Wells. Colo. With others he acquired
Gnother vast tract of land at a very
low price and then to attract buyers
at higher price he and his associates
planned on great development and
stain growing activities. While sale
men were bringing land seekers to
Cheyenne Wells, Townley. the pro,
moter. bought engines and machin>
ciy, oil and seed. He plowed, and he
.owed but again he did not reap. His
dream proved a nightmare and his
promotion scheme financial failure
He returned to Beach, North Da>
kCta, and there entered into another
promotion with real estate men-this
time larger than cvcr-like the pro-
noter and gambler he is-doubling
his bet every time he lost. This time
Iownley and his new real estate az
srciates planned on Il 10000 acre fax
crop. And again Townley plowed
and sowed-and again he failed to
reap. His failure was so great this
time that he was unable to make new
attempts rs power farmer and real
estate promoter. Townley, the pro-
r-oter, for Z short time lost his cum
iling and his ability to get new asso-
cintes. His failures had been too nu-
merous His activities had attracted
;.ttention end drew pages in the wild
egt-read publications in America-his
plowing and sowing-not his failures.
But he had not gained his ambition
money So he turned his failures ov-
CT to his creditors and moved.
Dreams Of Politics
1t was then that Townley, tho
dreamer, became active again. Town
Icy, the promoter. had been a failure.
He had for time lost interest in
zeal estate promotion. He now
dreamed of politics and the powers or
the politician, and, incidentally no
doubt. of the easy money always at
the command of the political boss
Townley. the dreamer, forgot his
debts. They didn't worry Townley.
Following his financial failure he
became candidate for the state
legislature-on the socialist ticket.
In his early life-like many dreamers
he had read Carl Marx and others
of that school and was now a pro-
pouced socialist. He did not know