The Monte Vista journal. (Monte Vista, Rio Grande County, Colo.) 1888-1921, 1920-10-09

member. Or criticism FROM them.

m.mbcrs Or criticism from them.
ON the other hand. like the poli'i'
cal boss. he accepts praise. tribute
and honorary mention aad publish.
80 that freely. but the waste bask"t
In the once Of the "of,eiai' papers
hold. all the criticism which comes
from tho members Who have paid
their dues and contributed to the
support Of Boss To~ni-y aud his
"ofieiai" papers.
10 hero lot me record the coming
downfall OF A. e. Towniey. Nr po-
ilticsi boss: the dowafali that has
ALREADY como to Townisy. the pro-
mosss. and the nlshtmAfr that Ia In
store for ToWniey. the drsamsr. u
!. not because A. Z. Townley II dis
honest: many . disA0asst politician
has ruled without discsvsry. II Ia
not because hc II instnccr-. many
an insincers leader has Gouc down
In history ~ . great man. II IA
not because he II = poor leader;
many . poor leader has been sup
ported BY subordinatcs and has won
glory. hut 4. G. Townley u meet
Ing bis downfall because ~ has been
xlvsn too much autocsatic power.
All history proves this. II WAS
NApolron. the great warrier. who
met his Waterloo. Il was the Car
OF all tho Russians. with all his
power and wealth. that met such An
untimsly defeat. II was the Kaiser
Of Germany. with the greatest or
ganisation Of strength IL all history
who now 4 livias N the Nightmare
Of failure. And A. c. fownley. u
cause Of autocratie power given to
him. II fast Destroying himself.
And here u where our story begins.
When Townlcy. the political boss.
saw his perfected organization and
his power. he forgot bis dssire. u
he ever had any. to assist mankind
or remedy evils Of which the far
mer complicated. He thought only
Of more power. more members. more
duea. more papers and . bigger or
gani1ation to promote industrial or
Gantxations. business enterprises
and promotion schemes that would
BRING wealth and more power.
During 1917 the war and the
hEht made upon Townley and his
anti-war associates. had consumed
and lowered the reserve OF his pol
itical machine. He must have I'M
mediate funds. And 20 he dreamed.
He dreamed Of the Consumers IN
tied Stores company. AAd he organ
lied II. With capital OF 100000,
7Oes held by his personal attorney,
William Lemke this bankruptcy
proceedings stu prevented rownley
from holding anything In his own
name). he soI1 In less than q year
over one million dollars OF "mem-
berHhips" at 500 each to League
members. Thus. through his attorn-
ey. he controlled q million dollars
paid him In money and notes. He
secured these funds through League
organizers who carried credentials
signed by Townley. the promoter,
which stated that the company was
being formed under the auspices OF
tho National Nonpartisan League"
This company was organized along
the lines of the League with all
the control In Boss Townley's
hands: with an agreement with each
member that 4 greater portion of
the membership fee" could be used
in tho head ofhces OF the company.
And It WAS used
Townley. the promoter. had a
financial secretary, n young man
who later gave the political BOSS
moro trouble than q boy gets into
when he runs amuck in hornets
nest. This financial secretary" was
one OF those young men who would
make Rufus Wallingford turn green
and Ponsi wonder In amazement
when It came 70 financial transac-
lions. That's Why Townley, the
promoter. chose him. He was, II
not clever. ambitions and daring
AS Townley's Florida transactions
will later show.
This man was made trustee for
Townley a. president Of his stores
company. while the writer was still