The Devils Lake world., 1921-12-28
WHAT OF THE FUTURE OF THE
NONPARTISAN LEAGUE?

WHAl OF HE FUTURE Or The
NONPARTlSAN LEAGUE?
The present emergency editor" of the
World has been assured on several occasions
especially since coming to Devils Lake, that the
Nonpartisan League was 'done" as political
factor in North Dakota.
The persons who make these assertions are
swayed more by their feelings than by the
facts. They fail to reckon with the League
as a mass movement which has won seven sue
cessive elections in North Dakota and made a
draw out of the last one; movement which
stands as great political factor in the North
west and is still growing; movement with a
definite program which still remains to be
tried and which WILL be tried, by common
consent.
These are the large outlines. Most people
lose sight of these outlines, which bulk wider
than their imaginations can reach, and they see
only the more or less magnifed revelations of
local mismanagement by certain League Off
cials, which to their partisan way of thinking
damns the whole movement. We refuse to
accept that view; and we believe further that
an overwhelming MAJ jority Of North Dakotans
want to see the industrial program put through,
in spite of the merciless barrage of denunciation
which has been directed against it with increas-
ing violence for five years. There has, however,
been lot of good reason for this bitter opposi-
ton, which will be discussed further on in this
review.
About four months ago, while on train be-
tween Washburn and Bismarck, the writer had
seat opposite to one occupied by Peter
Golden, the Irish lecturer who toured the state
at that time. Sometime during the journey Mr..
Golden was approached by a business man
(anti-league) who proceeded to picture to the
visiting lecturer the political upheaval in the
state. We did not hear all that was said, but
this we heard the business man say: eff the
Nonpartisan League leaders would do the right
thing, all hell couldn't beat 'em."
We believe that is true, and we are going to
use that chance remark by a stranger as text
IN certain reflections we are about to make
relating to the future management and policy
of the Nonpartsan League.
We have been told by political forecasters
that split is coming in the League. We hope
not, but if it cannot be cleaned up and purged
OF its elements of bull-headed leadership in
competents and red rovers, we say let the split
come, and welcome.
Mr.. ToWnley has been asked by a certain
element to return to North Dakota and resume
his imperial sway. He has planned "balance
OF power by which the vote of the League may
be delivered to anyone he endorses, without the
sanction of the rank and file. Opposed to him
IS the League Executive Committee which is
backed by couple of dozen newspapers and
the leading independent minded farmers They
want to have ticket of their own to endorse
at the March convention, and if Townley
returns, it must be simply in the capacity of an
organizer.
AS we are for democratic government, we
unhesitatingly take our stand on the side of
the duly elected executive committee, and
against autocratic rule. And while we are on
the subject Of autocracy, we wish to mention
the fact that Bill Lemke has for a long >time
domineered (if not actually dominated) the
League councils as the chief "autocrat at the
breakfast table,. But Bill is approaching the
time when he will have to walk the plank, while
many who have stood by him through thick and
thin will look passively on. And therss 8
reason.
We have just read an editorial by Frank
Wilder Of Mandan, a territorial pioneer who
Tor thirty years has been fighting for decent
recognition Of agriculture, and whose level
headed opinions always carry. weight. Mr.
Wilder says: "