The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1920-10-07
A. c. T0WNLHy!, DREAMER,
PROMOTER, ,'Blt POLITICIAN

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school Of p. He was defeated
but his ambitlt inter political life
was only sharpe. He dreamed moi
only of being elect Ito the Legislature
but of controlling the legislature Of
North Dakota.
In January, 1915. he went to Bis.
marck and attended the Legislative
session as visitor. There q bitter
fight was being waged between two
factions of the legislature, one de.
manding the passage of law, and the
appropriating of money, to build a
state-owned terminal elevator, similar
to the terminal at New Orleans s--and
those in Canada. 1t had been voted
upon by the people, but the legislature
as it often happens, did snot heed the
wishes and demands Of their constitu-
efts. The Equity society leaders had
called mass meeting in protest
against the legislature. This meeting
was held at Bismarck while the ses-
sion was on--and while TOwnley, the
dreamer, looked on, and dreamed.
Here was his opportunity to begin
his career as politician. He was a
socialist. The state-owned elevator
appealed to him. Here was chance
to work for socialistic political en-
terprise and at the same time join
hands with republicans and democrats.
Here was a chance to promote, not
real estate sales, but political action
and political organization. True, he
had never been interested in the well
fore of farmers and their problems,
but he had taught school, debated on
socialism with its opponents and was
well posted on state-ownership. Was
not state-owned terminal a part of
the socialist program?
So Townley secured permission from
the Equity meeting to address the
gathering, but not being a polished
speaker then he engaged brother So
cialist to address the farmers assem-
bled, and there A. f. Bowen, Town
ley's friend and at one time candi-
date for governor on the socialist
ticket in North Dakota, outlined pro-
posed farmers organization with dues,
with an official newspaper, with state
headquarters, and organizers and
speakers in the field. It was enthus-
iastically endorsed by the disappoint-
ed farmers who had been denied their
demands.
Dreamer Townley had not dreamed
in vain. He was to be political boss.
He silently left Bismarck and gather
ed around him a working force Of or
ganizers, naturally the socialists with
whom he had become acquainted while
IS <hok ,or.f0v md oorIS
date for office under their banner. 1t
was not long before Townley broke
up the. socialist organization of North
Dakota. Its state paper was discon-
tinued because of employment by
Townley of it's business manager, its
bookkeeper and it's editor. He en-
ployed practically all its organizers.
So embittered did the members of the
socialist organization become that
they openly repudiated Townley and
his activities-and expelled him from
their organization. But in short
time every socialist in the state with
drew their opposition and joined the
Farmers Nonpartisan league, until to-
day there is not a prominent socialist
in North Dakota who is not worker
and supporter of Townley, and most
Of them are on the payroll of the or
ganization at high salaries.
In the first election Townley sue
ceeded beyond his own dreams, assist
ed by the indignation Of the Equity
element in the state because Of the
refusal to establish the
terminal elevator which they had de-
manded and which the people had vot-
ed for. He elected the entire state
ticket, with one exception, majority
of the lower house, a majority Of the
supreme court and was only prevent
ed from capturing the senate by the
law which provides that half of that
body hold over, their term being four
years instead of two.
It must be remembered, however,
in this campaign that ToWnley had
the support of the progressive repub-
lican workers of the state as well as
the support, because of the presiden-
tial campaign, of the stalwart faction
of the republican party known as the
Mckenzie organization.
This initial success of Townley was
due to the fact that at that time he
himself with republicans
and democrats and kept the socialists
in the background. He was taken at
his word. He was nonpartisan. He
was only fighting for state-owned
elevator, rural credit bank and tax
reforms. He had been repudiated by
the socialist party. He had been en-
dorsed by the farmers state Grange,
the Equity society and the Farmers
Union. Although Wilson carried the
state, Frazier on the republican ticket
won by $1,000 majority, with a total
vote Of about 100000 in the state.
And here, following this great vic
tory, Townley, the dreamer, dreamed
new dreams, planned new promotions
and Immediately assumed the role Of
boss politician. He attacked and dis
credited, with the official paper Of his
and large daily which
he acquired, the president of the state
Equity society and read out Of his or
several elected officials be-
cause they disagreed with him and re-
fused to do his bidding. He tried and
tested his strength. He now knew his
power. He owned the daily, and the
official paper Of his organization, with
the largest circulations in the state.
Hnl nunnd8 them fhrO,luh aocrof