The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1922-02-18
FINISH FIGHT :.
IS OPENED TO
CONTROL n. P..L.
Meeting Held Here Held to Mark
Commencement of Open
Fight in State
TOWNLEY PLAN DISCUSSED
Demand to be Made He Be Given
a Fair Hearing Before State
Convention

A tight to the finish Tor control OF
the NOnpartisan league, which has
been going on quietly for long time,
Is now In the open.
AdEerents Of the various ideas and
factions are ready to 60 to the mat be.
fore the League members of the state.
Preparations for the fight Of the Op.
position to the present league man.
agement in North Dakota were ad.
vaneed at the meeting here yesterday
and last evening 25 leaguers called
together by former Commissioner Of
Agriculture and Labor John N. HaA
gan.
H.A Paddock, former secretary of
the Industrial Commission. and close
to A. C. Townley, explained the Town
ley balance of power plan to the
delegates. .i... ,&.@e
Mr.. Hagan, after the meeting, said
that "they all feel that they would
like to hear Mr.. Townley explain his
pnn mnn in full and that he has zen very
Former Governor Lynn J. Frazier
was present.
Charge ~Buying" Favor.
The general sentiment of the meet
ing was against the Liederbach fac
tion in control of the league state
committee. 1t was not unanimous on
the balance Of power plan, but the
nucleus of an organization which will
demand that Townley be given fair
hearing before the state convention,
was formed
The Courier-Newsr today charged
that Paddock had told the leaguers
here that all the debts of the league,
said to be heavy, would be paid if the
y y%'balances of fopoWer"splan is adopted.
This is denied by some who attended
the meeting and Paddock refused to
discuss his speech.
Frazier Out Of Politics
Former Governor Lynn j. Frazier
declared he was out of politics.
( Asked If he would be a candidate for
the Republican nomination for Unit
ed States senator or for governor, the
former governor replied:
I'm out Of politics now," and added
with a smile, "I'm just plain farmer
now"
To various questions concerning pos
sible candidacy for positions Mr.. Fra
zier reiterated that his present feel
ing was that he was out OF politics.
He indicated his interest however, in
the Nonpartisan eague movement and
was active in the conference here.
Hagan Called Meeting.
Former Commissioner OF Agricul-
ture and Labor John N. Hagan, also
declaring he would not be a candl-
date, said that he issued the call for
the meeting yesterday OF a number
of Nonpartisans from this section OF
Z the state to discuss general political
conditions. Mr.. Hagan said that he
expected to accept a position soon,
not political, and not with the Non
partisan league and that he wanted
to see things smooth" when he left.
Asked if the meeting took action on
Townley's balance of power plan or
upon demand of the majority of the
state committee that the Nonpartlsan
league put full ticket in the field
in June, Mr.. Hagan said:
: s'They all want to hear Mr.. Town
lev explain the balance of power plan.
They feel that they have been mis-
informed and would like to- hear his
full explanation.
Open State Fight
The temper ofsNonpartisans attend
ing the meeting which included a
number Of active leaguers from this
section was not favorable to the
present Liederbach faction in con-
troll Of the Nonpartisan state commit
tee in North Dakota. Although none
of the leaders would be quoted upon
this score, one of them remarked, Il
don't think I would say they approve
of the way that bunch is doing
things"
The Fargo Courier-News declared
the meeting held here was the opening
gun "in the fight to control the Non,
partisan state convention" to be held
in March.