The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1920-09-02

STATEMENT FROM
| DIR. PLAT0U
Fargo, Aug. Pin desperate at
tempt to stem the rising tide of op-
position to Townleyism in North Da-
kota the nonpartisan league managers
have thrown the question of religion
| into the campaign. They are espe-
cially trying to corral the Norwegian
vote and as they cannot make a spe-
cial appeal on having shown them a
fair recognition in the choice of can
didates for state Offices they are try
ing their hands at religious propa-
ganda.
To this end newspaper published
:. in the Norwegian, language by the
. Grand Forks American recently have
printed articles purporting to show
that DR.. L. S. Platou of Fargo, one of
the democratic leaders in this state
has stated that he cannot support j.
F. T. O'Connor, the anti -Townley can
didate for governor, because he holds
different religious views. ..
DR.. Platou was one of the candi-
dates for the democratic endorsement
for governor at the Fargo conven-
ton May 10, but when majority of
the delegates declared in favor of the
Grand Forks man he moved to make
the nomination of O'Connor unani-
nous. At the meeting of the commit
tee of twenty-one in Grand Forks in
June he again stated that he was in
favor of all the anti -Townley candi-
dates as well as the whole democratic
ticket for national officers.
In reply to the stories printed in the
league newspapers DR.. Platou today
issued the following signed state
ment: .. 49, ...
my attention has been called to an
article in the North Dakota Tidende,
a Norwegian language weekly pub
lished by the Grand Forks American,
purporting to show that am opposing
Hon. J. F. T. O'Connor for the gov
ernorship for religious reasons. In
cidentally my progressive tendencies
and attitude on issues in the past is
being used to convey the impression
that l, in a measure am favoring
Townleyism.
'"This imputation is malicious mis-
representation. While a good many
OF us differ on religious questions, and
while denominational affiliation, ev-
erything else being equal, may have
some bearing upon individual prefer
ence as to candidates for public Off
ces, it has been generally conceded
that it is unfair politics and poor
Americanism to throw questions of
religion into discussion of public
measures and public. men. l deplore
very much that this has been done now,
as believe, for the first time in our
state, and regret still more that
vulturine political writer's should have
tried to make me the carrion of their
desires. @.e5
+ "My position as to candidates was
plainly stated at the meeting of the
committee of twenty-one at Grand
Forks last month. I said then, and
l repeat it now, that I stand for ev-
cry anti-Townley candidate on the
fusion state ticket and for every
democratic candidate from TOP to bot
tom. .>
II have never supported Townley-
ism in its present form; no sane Pro-
'gressive can do that. have opposed
the nefarious and vicious political
propaganda of the league leaders on
the stump as we'll as in the narrower
circle of private discussion, and
shall continue to do 50. ~ ,.
II believe in progressive reforms
along constitutional lines, but l do
not believe in constitutional upheavals
such as contemplated in House Bill
"A. believe in better and more
equitable rural credits legislation, but
| do not believe in political banking
laws such as the enabling act for the
Bank of North Dakota.
81 elieve in a fair trial of the real
farmers program, such as terminal
elevators and flour mills, but do not
believe in the spoils system under
which the league leaders are planning
to go ahead and thereby inevitably
make miserable farce of the whole
agrerian program. ~
81 believe that North Dakota needs
thorough revision of her tax legis-
lation, but this cannot be done rightly
in the slip shod, haphazard manner in
which the league legislative bureau
has gone about it, under the guidance
Of Professor Boylance.. i believe aboce
everything else hat the future well
fare of our state demands that all
good ciizens lay aside all petty or
minor differences and unite on the
one and only paramount issue, viz. to
crush Townleyism at the election next
november. (Signed)
l.. s.. PLATOJJ. -