River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1920-07-22
NOT PERSONS BUT EQUITY
PRINCIPLES WE 4.PE AFTER
A Reply to Mr.. Hanson

Hanson intimates that my criticism
! of the resolutions passed by the last
Pierce Co. Equity Convention were
hasty and prompted by personal feel
ing against some of the members at
\ that convention. My criticism could
not have been hasty, for after think
ing of the resolutions as they come
to my mind once in while since,
have not changed my opinion of them
the least bit; and, what is more, not
one Of the Pierce County members,
whom have since talked with, have
really attempted to defend or stand
| by the resolutions. They have either
referred to them with sarcastic
smile or an attempt to apologize for
them by explaining that the resolu-
tions were not very well worded.
Neither could my opinion be prompted
| by personal feeling against any of
the members for / can not think of
any reason whatsoever why / should
have any personal feeling against
any of them. My only regret is that
they can not, or will not, see things
in such a light that they will do a
little boosting that will help get and
keep members in the society, instead
| Of knocking continually, as they have
| done for the past six or seven months.
Mr.. Hanson says further that they
are willing to consider any deserving
question and decide upon its merits.
How do they know whether question
is deserving or not, until they have
considered it? On several occasions
an attempt has been made to get them
to consider the present Equity bust
ness plan, but, as they say themselves
in their resolutions, "they will not en-
dorse any business plan organized I'M
der Mr.. Tittemore's administration"
so they are evidently determined not
to consider whether the business plan
is deserving question or not. In
stead they spend the greater part of
the time at their meetings condemn
ing two men.
Mr.. Hanson knows have not
changed my stand Completely" since
last fall and summer. He knows that
at every Equity meeting held in Els
worth last summer and fall for the
purpose of crystallizing the opposi-
tion to Mr.. Tittemore and incidentally
expressing their opinions of Mr.. MINI
los, | succeeded in gaining the floor
and showing up the other faction led
Mr.. Tittemore for the express pur-
pose Of getting control of the Equity
Society, so they could turn the mem
bership over to two other organiza-
tions, both of which have their head
quarters outside of this state. | will
admit that was opposed to some of
the policies pursued by Mr.. Tittemore,
but their resolutions referred to and
which helped to draft at meeting
last summer did not particularly con-
denim the acts Of Mr.. Tittemore's adj
ministration but rather called upon
him to change his policy in regard to
certain matters, mainly with refer
ence to our official paper, or at least
hold it in allegiance until the state
convention.
/ will also admit that changed my
mind to a certain extent on some
things in regard to which | formed
my conclusion largely from my faith
in Mr.. Hanson not then being in
position to learn all the facts first
hand And, although / regret to do
so, | must also admit that my faith
in Mr.. Hansons ability to form a
clear unbiased opinion has been shak-
en- some by the fact that he seems
to be willing to continue to play into
the hands of men, who have for some
time devoted their efforts to breaking
up the membership of our Equity So
ciesr. The Pierce County Equity
men, who are taking such strong
stand against the administration OF
our DIcStlll Dod1up Oii tiiC : tU1iAN3 90
they claim, that the policy of the
board tends to injure the society,
showed just as strong sympathy for
the men, who on June A held meet
ing here in Madison and started a
new organization with the expressed
purpose of trying to get Equitu mem
bers to drop their membership in
Equity and join the new organization.
And here in Pierce County men
should not fail to take note of the fact
that the June A meeting was made
up largely of the same men who conf
posed the clique that has been trying
to turn our State Union over to the
COOPERATIVE Exchange of st. Paul
and the Non Partisan League. The
announcement for the June A meet
ing stated that the meeting was held