The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-07-01
LANCER WAS ABSENT
He Did Not Show Up to
Debate ToWnIey
BOAST OF THE LATTER
Lacquer Says He Will Clean Out
The Officials In Jackson
County

81 am going down to Jackson county
and take a rest for three months, fol-
| have not had day off in seven OF
eight years, but when l get out again
after serving my time, said A. C.
Townley, president OF the Nonparti-
san league, in addressing gathering
at the Mankato theatre last night, 81
will start bigger campaign than
ever and clean the bunch out Of office
that is now running things"
1t was with a great deal Of disap-
pointment that the supporters of the
league learned last night that William
LANCER, former attorney general OF
North Dakota, had failed to show up
for joint debate with Townley on
questions pertaining to the Nonpar,
tisan league. George Ballard Of this
city, who presided at the meeting and
owing to this fact 1t had been decid
ed not to charge the fifty cents ad :
mission planned on, but that the hat
would be passed and If possible the
$75 to pay for the use of the theatre
raised in this manner. From all indi-
cations last night 1t looked as II
George" would have to do the most
Of the digging up for the rental for
the silver did not rattle very loudly
into the hats passed, among the audi
ence numbering about ESQ.
Said LANCER Ran Away.
Mr.. Ballard referred to LANCER as
having enough of the fight and had
run away from the battle of words
He said that he was very much dis
appointed, but would have to make
the best Of 1t. In the absence of Mr.
LANCER he would introduce George
Brewer Of Minneapolis who would ad :
dress the audience. Mr.. Brewer ex-
planned that Mr.. LANCER had been
called back to the state of North Da-
kota to take part in law suit at
he would not return to face Townley
He stated that his chief, Townley
was ready to debate with anyone else
Of reputable character on the ques-
lions of the principles of the league,
now that LANCER had become "afflict
ed with cold feet" The speaker took
considerable time in reciting incl
dents and naming over members of
the league that would prove that its
objects were patriotic, and for the
best interests of the masses. Capt.
er as 'fat boys" with the coin, having
for their object the reaping of profits
from the working men. He said that
he did not. blame the capitalists for
getting all they could, but did blame
the workingmen and women for
standing for being thus robbed. He
SAID that the league is always fight
ing for the interests of the farmers.
who at the present time are not get
ting, nearly enough for their farm
Mr.. Brewer said that one hears a
great deal about the eighteen dol
lars" which Townley exacted as a
membership in the league, but as far
as he knew the farmers were not
making any complaint about it. But
they are outspoken in their disappro-
val of the low prices being received
for farm products.
Before introsscins Mr.. Townley as
the last speaker of the evening, Mr..
say, that there was some violence
used against NS.>rartisan leaguers
in the vicinity of Mankato a few
years ago, but he had failed to find
business man but who roundly
scored the actions of a certain few
and disapproved to the rough treat
ment of the leaguers on the occasion
referred to. Mr.. Ballard said that
he is now a resident of Mankato and
knows that the business men of this
city were not to blame in any way
for the unpleasant affair.
Spoke of Chains.
Referring to Mr.. Townley Mr..
Ballard said that the North Dakota
chief had met the enemy in Jackson
county and had gotten the worst of
1t for trying to explain the workings
of the league, which are new to most
people. The speaker said that Mr..
man who had come to grief after
expressing advanced ideas. Column
bus after discovering America had
died in chains.
When TowDley took the platform
he smiled, and said that the refer
ence made by Mr.. Ballard to the
chains was rather suggestive and
made him think of the three months
rest" ahead of aim in the Jackson
county Jail. The speaker said that
he would not detain the audience
long. owing to the fact that he had
no speech to make, for he had plan
ned on debate with Mr.. LANCER.
He stated that LANCER had been chal-
longing him for some time past, and
now he supposed that he had gotten
enough of the fight and returned to
the plains of North Dakota Townley
threw out a challenge to any reput-
able man in the state of Minnesota
to debate with him on the question
pertaining to the objects of the Non
partisan league. Townley said that
If LANCER does not show up today
the series of debates will be can
celled. The speaker said that the
league had formed a program of
politics in this state last year that
would have been great relief to the
masses, but then came "Preus." He
urged the farmers to wake UP and
find out just what they are getting
He hoped that some time and some
where the farmers would receive a
vision which would show them the
true state of affairs.
Refers to jackson County.
In closing Mr.. Townley said that
all through the war United States
secret service men had been on his
heels and listened to every speech
he had made, but failed to find one
word of disloyalty in them, but when
the war was over, it was "a little
two by four attorney of Jackson