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


at q rapid rate. II developed that a.
financial secretary" and pr.aid-nt
of the political boss stores company
h. had control OF III. stores com
pany funds. II Was hut - promotion
step to take the funds AND buy a
bank. u second bank aud third
one. The political boss refused To
buy merchandise warehouses or Gnu
pioy merchandise men. That was
unimporiant. Only small stock
vas purchased for zach local s'or"
while thousands ~-r. used for
banks. newspapers and political
campaigns II was then that tn"
financial secretary" took charge Of
Townicy'a sisal plantation.
Before cioaing this article and
taking up the stsal plantation enter
prise In the next. let me record here
a defense Of rownicy. the boss poll
ttcian. This was his greatest mis-
take. all bis close associates admit
u. and Townlcy. the political boas.
now denies the acta Of Townicy.
the promoter Hut lot me say that
there was an excuse for the Flortda
venture. Every man has mis- weak
ness. and Townlcy. tho promoter.
has his. Hia activities leading up
to the formation Of the Nonpartisan
League shows that he had u weak
nsss for big things. for big promo
tions. for big developments. and. A.
we related In the proceeding article.
Townley. the promoter. became In
terested In the Florida sisal enter
prise because OF It's wonderful pro-
motion possibilities.
Binder twine In made from sixal.
Binder twine sold In North Dakota
for 10 cents per pound. when Town
10y started the League. WhenE Ed
win Ludin. Of Miami. Florida, In
duced Townley In the Garden no.
tel In Fargo. North Dakota. to invest
money In Florida. Irvine was selling
for double the price. II was only a
matter Of getting a plantation start
ed. a. Townley. the dreamer dream
I'd. when Townley. the promoter.
the great farmers leader. with his
organisation and his employees and
"ofhcial" papers could 20 out and
promote and put over one OF the
biggest promotion schemes and
money making enterprises ever at
tempted by a man without capital.
Irvine was bread and butter to the
farmers. Florida was far enough
away to keep his initial activities n
secret. And II was attractive to
Townley. the promoter. II was at
tractive to others. A prominent
writer on the Country Gentleman.
writing OF the enterprise. said:
THE Florida story that will cause
the blood of the visitor to Jingle and
make him take stronger grip on
his pocket book is not the orange
story or the vegetable story. II
relates to sisal. In summarizing
this story as 1t Is told In Florida
by intelligent and agreeable gentle
men from the north occupying elab-
crate oiiices-l quote literature
they distribute
The writer on the Country Gentle
man didn't know that he was talk.
ing to intelligent and agreeable
gentlemen in the employ of A. C.
Townley. He didn't know that II
was Townleys money that fitted up
the elaborate offices. And he didn't
know that Townley when he heard
the Florida story about sisal, for
got to take a tighter grip on his
pocketbook" and the treasury of
the Nonpartisan Publishing COM
pany. That's where Townley. the
boss politician. made his mistake
and that's when Townley, the
promoter, got the best of Townley,
the politician. Our next article will
begin here-the story of Townley.
the promoter, and his sisal enter
prise.
Authors Note. Tho agreeable
gentlemen from the NORTH" who
prepared the literature from which
Al.