Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-02-20
THE FORK N THE Road.

Gle Of conflicting ambitions Of those
wi7o aspire to. be leaders. The differ
ences 20 tar beyond that.
Neither is it a. mere question OF
membership. It car not be assumed
that the decision will be easily, ar
rived at and chat, once the tdecisiop
is made, the differences, Will be COM
posed and the body united Tor the
struggle against its opponents Of for
The differences which are now
arising and the alignments which, are
now taking place, as indicated bS. tho
Bismarck meeting, porteM a sehism
and split much greater than any
thing yet encountered. The cause for
this split. II it comes, lie far deeper
than any mere policy: plan or person
al ambition. 1t goes down to the bed-
rock of principle. T.
Ae we understand the facts tey are,
briefly stated. Mr.. Townley has come
into the state and gathered about him
some of the old company that used
! to sail with him. Z In addition there
has been. gathered to him a great
part of the element with which Mr..
Lemke surrounded himself. when nc
Was"fn the short hcyday Of his pow:
To these, Mr.. Townley and his Min.
neapolis agent, Mr. Paddock. have
offered the "ba!ance Of power plan:
which includes the abandonment OF
the idea of NOMINATING, a state ticket;
1t also includes the proposal that, II
agrees to secure the money needed
TO >pay up the debts of the Nonpart1-
san>league and reimburse those num-
epous farmers who We're induced TO
lend their credit to the failing imam
cial fortunes of the league by sign
ing Accommodation" notes.
Such an inducement. at a lne ike
this is very powerful. Many farmers
stand the chance Of losing all they
have, through lending their signatures
to notes of that description. a chAnce
to retrieve their lost finances, even
though it mean the return OF MT.
Townley as imperial master OF the
1t is perfectly proper to inquire in.
to the source of Mr.. Townley's money.
1t is well known that he has been IN
able, so far, to get money-else his
to remain in debt, as they now are.
1t is also not only proper but the part
of prudence to look at what Is hap
peninG.
Mr.. Townley was reported to be in
Washington D. Co., this week, a.
J. though liz gaze Oul Y ~ TIC pl COS lAA0t
he was leaving Fargo for Nebraska.
where he would organization
work. Il is known. too. that in the
campaign of 1916. when McCumber
ram against Burke, that the league
leaders = particularly Mr.. Lemke.
through letters which are still .extant
urged the league voters to support
Mr.. McCumher. It is known that the
McCumber faction managed to secure
the retention of%the am of Major
, Frank White Of Valley City, on the
ballot, thus securing the election OF
+ E. +. Laid, and hat White
was afterwards given n position OF
treasurer of the United States.
1t may well be asked where would
: all the money come from to meet the
, debts and accommodation notes. Nc
, Cumber is now chairman Of the
finance committee of the T.. S. senate.
. His retention means q great a TO
feated the Craftsmanship goes to
= Snaoot, Of Utah. who@is not as accep-
table to the interests in some ways as
: McCunnber. Next to Smoot. therefore.
e lin case of McCumber's defeat, would
> stand Robert NJ. Ia Toilette. Rather
: than see him in control of the sen
g ate's most powerful and important
committee, millions will be spent. II
S is entirely possible that North Dako'
ia will Guido Michigan this year II
y the splendor OF the campaign expen:
ditures. but those Expenditures viii
not be in such shape as to be easil,
;. revealed or traced, as they were II
that will be avoided. for too much
d depends upon the success Of the issue
These things are history-ant
n much r<ay be learned from ther
q through thes light they throw upol
e the present situation within h Non
partisan league.
Is TIE bald facts would therefor
n seem to be that the Townley-Lerk
E. faction plans to put on the mos
~ stuperdous sale at wholesale that ev
x or has been attempted in this STATE
N They purpose. it would appear. to sc
s. then United States senatorship, t
a. abandon the naming Of a. state ticke
!. would receive sufficient money to pa
, all debts and accommodation note
and. undoubtedly. a good sun, Of mon
ey for the leaders. As a considerable
for the second. they could be assure
\ that the threatened prosecutions {
those charged with m~al-feasance an
m~is-feasance in office and in barktn
deal Is would escape, or suffer punish
- ment that amounted to a mere repr
mand.
70 obtain this, to satisfy those WI
f. are creditoratot the League, a sttuge
- is worth while-even II 1t splits Il
~ League in two factions.
-
This accounts for the activities
the league meetings called at Vail
City. at Bismarck and at other poir
in the state. What 10 difficult to III
derstand is the fact thAt Lynn J. FIR
zier has lent himself to this progrA,
which is an abnegation of all that
has stood for. Indeed, had matte
taken another course, he might ha
been the, nominee without opposite
Of the League convention for U.
senator. No other nape vas me
toned. It nnAy be that he will Il
named yet by the men whose lead
is following now-but IL he is 50 nar
cd, it will be merely as a pace-mak
and TO draw votes away from M
Cumber's. opponent, who will undout
eddy be A. J. Gronna. Afterwards,
he SO desires, he can secure aF a
pointment in lieu of the senatorshi
It is not a noble part to be assign
any man, and. 1t issto be hoped til
the countenance which Mr.. Frazi