The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1923-06-28
FARMERS ANNUAL
PICNIC WEDNESDAY
PROGRESSIVE CLUB HOLD OUT
ING AT SAUK CENTRE
TOURIST PARK
A TEMPEST IN TEAPOT
A. c. TOWNLEY FAILS TO DE-
LIVER SPEECH FOR WHICH
= HE WAS BILLED

The annual picnic of the Pro
gressive Farmers Club, held at the
Tourist Park, Sank Centre, Wednes-
day afternoon, was participated in by
a large number of farmers and their
families. At noon sumptuous din
ner was served which had been pre-
pared by the lady members of the or
ganization, and was enjoyed by over
one hundred.
The afternoon was given over to
athletic sports of various kinds.
The picnic was enlivened somewhat
by a report that A. C. Townley, for
mer head of the Non-Partisan League,
was to speak at the picnic. In order
that this feature may be put before
the people in it's right light, the Her
aid publishes herewith the conditions
under which Mr.. Townley was coming
to town.
On Tuesday afternoon, a Mr.. Ben
der of Fergus Falls, called on Mayor
William Parker and made the request
that he be given the use of one of
the city parks for meeting, the OBJ
ject of which was to organize a
branch of the National Produce Grow
ers Marketing Association. After
explaining in detail, the workings of
this organization, Mayor Parker told
him that anything that would benefit
the farmers, the citizens of Sank
Centre would give their hearty sup
port, and that he was more than well
come to the use of the community or
tuorist park for the next afternoon.
On Wednesday morning the city
was placarded with announcements
that A. C. Townley would deliver an
address in the City park in the after
noon, but the organization of which
Mr.. Townley is president is what he
and his associates call the National
Producers Alliance, as shown by the
letterhead of a communication which
bears the name of the National Pro-
ducers Alliance and has the name
G. H. Miffith signed to it. This an
nouncement raised the ire of num-
Der of American Legion members,
who feel that because of Mr.. Town
ley's activities during the war,
strengthened by the fact that he was
convicted of disloyalty and served a
sentence in the Jackson County jail,
that an address by him would be an
insult to them. The Legion caused
a petition to be circulated among the
business men as we'll as Legion mem
bers, asking Mayor Parker to prevent
Mr.. Townley from speaking within
the city limits. This petition was
withdrawn at II 100 A. M, when it
was ascertained that some of the
farmers wanted to hear Mr.. Townley.
This petition was never served on
Mr.. Townley. The Herald under
stands that Mr.. Townley visited the
grounds where the picnic was held,
was there for a few minutes, and
then came back down town. He made
no attempt to speak, nor was any at
tempt made to modest him, and there
is no question but what he would
have been allowed to deliver his adj
dress without molestation on the
part of anyone.
During the afternoon Secretary
Harry Knapp, of the Progressive
Farmers Club, called the editor OF
the Herald and explained that the
Club did not wish to be placed in q
bad light; that Mr.. Townley hao
never been invited to address them
at the picnic and that it was against
che Bylaws of the Club to allow any
political addresses to be made before
them as an organization.
While the Herald has always be-
LEVIED that Townley is political buc
cancer, and we are convinced thai
his conviction for dis-loyalty was g
lust one, nevertheless the war il
over and the Herald believes thai
the circulation Of the petition was i'll
advised, as it would restrict free
speech. The farmers experience
with Mr.. Townley in past years shoule
demonstrate quite conclusively tt
them that his leadership and profes
sed friendship is an expensive luxury
The people of this community, like
the residents of other rural com
munities, are decidedly and whole
heartedly interested in the welfare
of the agriculturists because their In
terests are very closely interviewer
Robert James Swift Post, Amer
can Legion were responsible for tn
circulation of the petition and assume
all responsibility for it, and AZ thell
request it was never served on Mr.
Townley, when it was realized tina
it would be in restraint OF fre'
speech. One-half of the members O.
Robert Swift Post are farmers. Th'
I withdraw was on the advice of May