The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1920-07-29

\NlEAM kULLEk
WELL CREASED
! We used to hear from those who
now belong to Mr.. Townley's we'll oil
ed machine much complaint about the
way the what was termed "old gang
| manipulated conventions and gather
ings and used the steam roller, and
which is supposed to have caused the
break that created this new party
called the nonpartisan league which is
only that in name but in reality reg
ular socialist party. But Alex Nc
Kenzie and his lieutenants were no.
vices at the game compared to the
raw manner in which the doings of
the republican committee were hand
led at the court house yesterday and
the thorough work of pushing the
steam roller over the forces of the op-
position puts all past masters Of the
political art into the background.
Townley's teachings as to how to put
things over have borne forth much
fruit and the steam roller was handled
skillfully if crudely yesterday after
noon. 1t all came about on the ques-
tion of seating committeeman. There
was no real opposition to the league
forces, in fact, those opposed went to
the court house with the intention of
making things unanimous the
bunch wouldn't let US. To show their
liking for the editor Chairman An
drew Nelson was permitted to name
us member Of the committee on Gre
dentials along with Henry King and
John Owens. We worked splendidly
together and agreed on the report. In
this report were proxies from E. J.
Holcomb to Hector Mckay and prox-
les from J. J. Taylor and Walter G..
Young to George Goulet. These prox-
les were regularly issued and abso-
lutely legal. They were submitted to
the committee as whole with a rec
ommehdation from the credentials
committee that the report be adopted.
The vote was ordered by Chairman
Nelson and the report was adopted
and everything was as peaceful as it
is at the present time along the
Marne. Then something seemed to
whirl around in the head of Com
mitteeman Henry King, who wanted
to throw out the proxies. Just why
nobody knows but King. He evident,
ly figured he did not want Goulet to
vote two proxies although his, crowd
had the majority by several votes and
there was no real contest on. Anyway
they reconsidered the action of the
committee in accepting the report of
the credentials committee and then
put over motion to throw the prox-
les out. The funniest thing about the
whole circus was that Hector Mckay
was allowed to vote on the motion to
throw out the proxies and continued
to act as committeeman on the
proxy Of E. J.. Holcomb-in other
words it was absolutely fair for Nc
Kay to act but also very wrong for
Goulet to act. It was the rankest
kind of a proposition but no ranker
than could be expected of a bunch who
who have had their tutelage under the
masterly hand of A. c. TowS3ey who
is the father of the secret caucus and
the advocate of the boycott on those
who will not do his bidding. Chair
man Nelson endeavored to be fair
we will give him that much. It was a
deliberate turn down of those prin-
ciples of fairness that should charac-
terize gatherings of this nature and
for which these same men have been
blaming the other side for years and
which they claim has led to the new
political machine in order to get
a square deal but they established the
fact yesterday afternoon that fair
ness is not a part of the league pro-
gram but rather the steam roller was
to be used if it were necessary to
gand the ends sought. It means nothing
in our young life as we knew we were
outvoted from the start. But why Mr..
King and tools who voted with him
wanted to be so unfair is beyond our
ken. These tactics will not strength
en- the nonpartisan league in Barnes
county. After this three ring circus
had given its demonstration of how
to apply machine politics of ques-
tionable character the work of organ
izing Barnes county was taken up and
the following were elected: "
Chairman-Sam Torgerson.
SecretaryJohn Osborne.
Treasurer Ownes.
State Committeeman, 18th District
George H. Law.
State Committeeman, 38th District
King.
Treasurer Darby O'Malley filed his
report Of his stewardship for the past
two years. He had $56 turned over
to him four wears ago and he had it
yet which was turned over to his Sue
cessor. The league had such a fine
fund from the shake-down meetings
that this $50 was not needed.
Democratic Meeting
There were not many present at this
gathering but it was clean and or
derly bunch who conducted the demo-
cratic organization Of Barnes county.
The following are the officers elected
for the next two years:
Chairman-C. w. Pollock.