The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1922-02-17
In a Speech at Old Unitarian Church i'm Min
neapolis, Says Farmers Have Made Fail
ure of Government
Farmer Leader Spoke Under Auspices Of
American Civil Liberties Union-He Is Ans
wered BY Carl o. Parsons, Head Of Wordl
War Veterans, and J. c. Soltisi


porting Towniey's now famous Back
to Freedom" speech; delivered at the
Unitarian church, Minneapolis, short
~ after his release from the jackson
jail, was taken from the Minneapolis
Tribune, about fortnight ago.)
I TOWNLEY CHIDES FOLLOWERS
FOR DESERVING CAUSE
Nonpsrtisan Head Speaks Here On
Why Went to JaiP
A. c. Townley's "back-to-freedorn"
reception at Unitarian church last
night developed into a political session
which the chief of the Nonpntisar.
league berated his followers.
Townley on Monday completed
S0-day sentence in the Jackson coun-
ty jail. Before he launched his poll
teal discussion, the Nonpartisan lead
er quickly disposed of the topic which
had been assigned him: why Went
to Jail"
"Sonae people think / went to Jail
because / wanted to- he said. But
that isn't true. Others thought I
went to Jail because | had to go and
that isn't true. I went to Jail because
I thought it was the best thing to
do, and III go again under like condi-
tons and circumstances.
Made 200 Speeches During War.
| During the war / think that
made about 200 speeches and secret
service men and court reporters were
on my trail all the time. They final
ly left me, and it wasn't until the
war was all over that my friend Coun-
ty Attorney Nichols, down i'm Jack
son county, where never have made
a speech, started action against me.
eff any Of you people came here
with the idea that this isn't a political
meeting, want to advise you that it
is. This business of government is
the most difficult task that has ever
faced humanity, and I've been in poll
tics so long that I'm spoiled for every
thing else.
"It has been my experience that it
is a pretty hard job to get farm
ers and laboring men to stick tight
enough and long enough so that they
have more votes than all the rest Of
the people put together. [ believe
that 7 am the only fellow in the coun-
try who made voa stick together long
enough to get any real results"
The working man has right to
ftSC Uub SOEIfS SL SJu ait StdIS5NSs
Every once in while you look around
and see the hundreds of thousands of
farmers and workingmen and the
few up on Lowry hill Then election
time comes around and the Lowry
hill gang still runs things.
Compares Farmers 10 Steers.
''Take the case of steer hitchsd
to & plow. I suppose the steer has .
right to everything that grows be-
hind him but he doesn't get it. Ese
gets just en- 1'g.. to keep him in con-
dition to oo more work. Then there's
the man behind the steer with the
pointed stick. That's you. And how
much do you get for driving the steer,
Just enough to tell the steer when to
start and stop and turn. The steer
doesn't get any more because he
hasn't any brains
Mr.. Towriey paused a moment,
and then directed this question at
his heare1e:
than the sseer?"
There's tnly one answer un lar
the sun. u. because you have da,an
few more brains h,n the steer"
PoliticG,r.s - he {, ntinued, cal
": rs have and will continpe to lun
he govern rntnt. Of cours.., We tear
and rend our hair and swear that
We'll return them to private life, but
we don't always do it.
Cites North Dakota Experience.
in North Dakota We set out to
build up political machine, and by
golly, we did it You've got to have
men in Office, though, who know how
to run things. We jumped iuto the
sea before we learned how to swim
in a puddle at tcr,e. When it comes
to running government you and I
arc dubs."
Here Mr.. Town'ey paused, then
said: "It's time for applause He
,ot 1t. -
"But | don't want you folk; to
think Pm DISCOURAGED - Town.ey as
rured his hearers. Not a bit Of it.
| never was surer If my way since
NV earliest youth when began
reading the works IF K.ar: Marx.
It's all right. shina thing are bet
ter now than they ksve ever BEEN
The meeting was sponsored onder
the auspices Of the American Civil
Liberties Union. Cher speakers