Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1920-10-08

u AAN 1AAOANAN vi VAAN
Nonpartisan League
in North Dakota
Continued from first page)
the new organization and needless
to say il was voted into power.
Democracy Demolished
Secret Caucus Behind Guarded Door.
and Bossed Bv Imported Socialists
Did the Work Of the Leislatur-
Extreme Of Antocracv.
In the election in November, 1918
Ar. Townley succeeded in electine
all of his candidates for state office
with the exception of the Superin-
tendent of Public Instruction. He
also elected a two-thirds majority OF
the members of both the Senate anG
the House, and thus the Noapartisan
League was in absolute control OF
the legislative, executive and juGicial
branches of the state government.
1t would seem perfectly just
comment to make, to say that with
this control in any democracy there
should be given every opportunity fol
free and open discussion and fair de.
bate on any and all measures, and
all legislation presumed to be fol
the best interest of the people should
come from these duly elected repre-
sentatives of the people,"
But such was not the case Instead
OF North Dakota being democracy
it was resolved into an ABSOLUTE gu.
tocracy-under the control and do
minatiOn of one man, from The gov
ernor to the representatives Of the
most sparcely populated district.
Surely there is no citizen of North
Dakota who is so much In the dark
as to doubt thes existence and the
work of the notorious Secret Caucus
composed of the followers of Mr.
Townley who were bound by Sc
cret areement to vote ON all meas
ure9 in either Senate or House Just
as the majority OF the Secret Caucus
dictated
Nor can any one successfully deny
that this Secret Caucus was abso-
lutely under the control OF Mr.
Townley, William Lemke, Walter
Thomas Mills. Arthur LeSueur and
score of imported experts" in the
employ of Mr.. Townley at extrava-
CANT salaries-paid out or the mon
ey poured into the Tuwnley treasury
by the farmers.
HOW AUT0CRACY WORKS IN Sc.
CRET CAUCUS
t1 =,
all the measures known as the
League program were first sub
mitted after they had peen prepared
by Mr.. Townley's experts" and nm
doubtedly in most cases the bills
were drafted in Town.ey 5 OFFICES in
st. Paul before they were ever seen
In North Dakota.
Neither the Senate nor the House
composed of the representatives of
the people, drafted or o. .sI.ated anv
of the league program oi,... an
were the autocratic york of Mr..
Townley and his staff of experts"
A majority of the Secret Caucus
was sufficient to enact the bills in
~ law. because the vote of the ma
]or1ty of those attending secret
Caucus session bound every member
OF the Caucus. and The Caucus men,
oers In turn were a majority of the
respective houses OF the Legislature.
ELSEWHERE herein is printed the
rules OF the Caucus, prepared by the
Townley experts. which prove the
correctness of these ant, the follow
ing statements bearing on the eau
Gus. 1t is all official, and not a
word of hearsay)
Autocracy was in the saddle. The
was given absolutely no
voice in the proceedings of the Leg
stature, notwithstanding the fact
that the minority stood as represen
fatives OF more than $4,000 voters
)f the state as was shown by the
vote on the various Constitutional
Amendments submitted in November.
when there were 94.055 votes cast
and the votes cast TO- the various
ranged from 41.l21 to
1878. This shows from 44177 to
'2,934 not voting in favor of the
which were advertised
,y til" Townley press as the League
THE STEERING COMMITTEE MA.
CHINE
The Secret Caucus was rot the
'nly machine designed to throttle
he minority and enforce the die
ates of the autocrat There was an
nner circle known as the Steering
of the Caucus which
handled all matters before thev were
submitted to the Caucus with the
Of the PROGRAM" bills pre-
Jared by Townley and his experts"
Every bill offered by a member OF
ne Caucus had to be handled first
" this Steering Committee. which
lnder Townley's Caucus rules re-
commended the fate of the bill.
The power of the Steering Com |
nittee was a big club constantly
Welded over the heads of the com /
nittees of the legislative bodies be-
ause. under the Townley rules. no
louise OF Senate committee could |
mend or change a bill until 1t had |
'rst obtained the consent of the |
teering Committee.
In fact. the Committees Of the Sen
te and House were mere echoes. and i
ommittee meetings where the hills