The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-04-23
DEFENDS SALE
OF PAPER
AS NECESSARY
Editor of North Dakota Lead
er Says Farmers Put Thou
sands Into COurier-News
WERE IN HARD SHAPE

Grand Forks, April 23.-That the
Courier News, former Nonpartisan
league publication of Fargo cost
more to operate than the farmers
were able to pay and as result
they had been pouring thousands of
dollars into the paper, is the reason
given by n. s. Davies. editor Of the
North Dakota Leader, for the recent
sale of the Courier News.
Mr.. Davies who was in Grand
Forks last night from League head
quarters said: ain 1920 from June
to November IS. approved requisi-
tions by. the Courier amounting to
over $4,000. In 1921 | do not know
how much the Liederbach committee
gave the Courier, but including do
nations the sum was over 100000
that | do know of, and hence the am
mount was probably over 100000.
Last year the largest part Of all
money raised by the state eXecu-
tive committee went to the Courier,
and some members of the commit
ted, especially O. A. Mattngly of
Williston, advocated letting the
Courier go as early as last Sept~n
ber.
Farmers had bought $4,000
worth of Courier News bonds few
years ago on the promise that they
were as good as gold and an addi-
tional loan of nearly $4,000 had
been made by loyal men who had
been assured that they would be pro-
tcctcd.
Vain Effort Made
1T must be remembered that A. c.
TOwnley turned the Courier News
over to the state executive commit
tee, and it was operated under the
supervision of the present executive
until nearly election time
last fall when one morning Mr..
Townley was advised that 81 800 was
necessary or there would be no pa
per in the morning. The state exc
cutive committee announced that
there were no more funds available.
There was no place or person for
Colonel Bloom, the manager of the
Courier News, to look to but Mr..
Townley, as the national committee
had no funds available.
"Since that time over $4,000 has
been poured into the Courier, in a
vain effort to get it on a paying bas-
is, but, with the summer months
close at hand, and deficit showing
up every week, it was very evident
that from $4,000 to $4,000 would
be necessary to keep the paper 60
ly to have the plant on the verge of
next fall.
Sold For Protection
"The Courier News was sold to
protect the bond holders-those who
had loaned tha Courier money to
keep it going the past year, and to
protect creditors, all of whom will
now be paid.
-. P. Dotson stated very decisive
" that he would not buy the Cour-
ier, unless he could get possession
before the spring advertising seAson
was over, 'and all other offers were
just windy proposals with no
money behind them. i
"Mr. Townley did the same thing
he sold the Courier News and pre-
vented a crash which would have left
the Courier bond holders and credi-
tors holding the sack.
II hold no brief for Mr.. Town!ey;
he has happy faculty of talking
for himself when he considers it |
necessary, and have made this
statement because it has come to nv
notice that others, some of whom
know better, have publicly stated
that there was no immediate neces-
sity for selling the Courier.
(COnfinuod nm nnnn <hroAN