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PAGE TWO THE MASON COUNTY JOURNAL " ..... FRIDAY, OCTOBER" 8; 1921
A. C. Townley, the Dreamer,
Promoter and Boss Politician
By J. W. Brinton, Townley's for-mer Private Secretary and Personal Representative.
(Copyrighted. All rights reserved)
A_naerica has produced many dream-
era, she has produced many promot-
ers and many boss politicians since
the days of her declaration of inde-
Phendence, but none have attracted
e attention of the nation nor been
more successful in gaining power
and financial support than Arthur C.
Townley, president of the so-called
farmers' National Nonpartisan league.
In five years he has built a per-
sonal organization with a following
of 250,000 dues-paying members, cap-
tured one state government which he
has absolutely dominated, has threat-
ened the overhrow of the three ad-
joining and has stirred to alarm the
population of at least ten other
states.
The initial activities of his organi-
zation in a state are well known. His
activities are centered principally up-
on e.tting money and' members, or-
gamzmg newspapers and creating
general dissatisfaction with organized
society as it at present exists, laying
the foundation for future campaigns
to be waged upon promises of polit-
ical and industrial reform through
legislation. This is in line with all
radical political organizations aml
therefore does not cause alarm nor
give an insight into the real dreams
of Townley the dreamer, the hopes
of Townley the promoter or the am-
bitions of the Townley the boss pol-
Itician.
So the writer will take you to
North Dakota, where the dreamer has
realized his dreams, the promoter has
organized his schemes and the boss
politician has perfected his political
machine.
Activities of Townley, the Dreamer.
First we will relate to you the ac-
tivities of Townley, the dreamer and
sanding the passage of a law, and
the appropriating of money, to build
a state-owned terminal elevator, sim-
ilar to the terminal at New Orleans
sand those in Canada. It had been
voted upon by the people, but the
legislature, as it often happens, did
not heed the wishes and demands of
their constituents. The Equity so-
ciety leaders had called a mass meet-
ing in protest against the legislature.
This meeting was held at Bismarck
while the session was on--and while
Townley, the dreamer, looked on, and
dreamed.
1 Here was his'opportunity to begin
his career as a pohtician. He was a
socialist. The state-owned elevator
appealed to him. Here was a chance
t work for a socialistic political en-
terprise and at the same time join
hands with republicans and demo-
crats. Here was a chance to promote
not real estate sales, but political
action and a political organization.
True, he had never been interested in
the welfare of farmers and their
roblems, but he had taught school,
ad debated on socialism with its
opponents and was well posted on
state ownership. Was not a state-
owned terminal a part of the socialist
program ?
So Townley secured permission
from the Equity meeting to address
the gathering, but not being a pol-
ished speaker, then he engaged a
brother socialist to address the-farm-
ers assembled, and there A. E. Bow-
en, Townley's friend, and at one
time a candidate for governor on the
socialist ticket in Nofi Dakota, out-
lined a proposed farmers organiza-
tion with dues, with an official news-
paper, with state headquarters, antl
'organizers and speakers in the field.
It was enthusiastically endorsed by
promoter before he became a politi- the disappointed lashers who had
clan.. He was born and schooled in been denied their demands.
Minnesota. Finishing his school days ! Dreamer Townley had not dreamed
at Alexandria, he went to Beach, in vain. He was to be a political
North Dakota, then a frontier town, boss. He silently left Bismarck and
boomed by real estate companies that i gathered around him a working force
were opening up the adjoming terri- i of organizers, naturally the socialist
tory to homeseekers. Townley, the I with whom he had become acquainted
dreamer, went to Beach and was soon lwhile a member of that party and a
trying to outdo the entire neighbor- candidate for office under their ban-
hood as a developer of land. It was t her. It was not long before Tomley
here that he became a promoter. He broke up the socialist organization of
discarded the slow horse-method of North ]kota. Its state paper was
zarming. He bought a big traction discontinued because of employment
eiagine to do his plowing; He plowed, by T0wnley of its business manager,
for others and dreamed of greater}its bookkepper and its editor, tle
activities in plowing, sowing and lemployed practically all its organiz-
reaping, l ers. So embittered did the members
It was here that the activities ofof the socialist organization become
the real estate promotion companies, that they openly repudiated Townley
attracted his attention. One real es- anti his activities--and expelled him
(ate man, with engines, had put in a from their organization. But in a
2,-000-acre crop and netted $30,000 short time every socialist in the state
profit in a single year. Townley, the withdrew their opposition ami joined
dreamer, wante d to do more. He the Farmers Nonpartisan league un-
til today there is not a prominent
knew the real estate men wanted
their lands developed, so, Townley,
the promoter, Joined with them and
took contracts to plow, sow and reap
their acres. He bought engines and
machinery, oil and seed. He plowed,
sowed, but he did not reap.
He was a failure in his first at-
tempt, bu the game was attractive
to Townely, the dreamer, and fasci-
nating to Townley z the promoter. He
made llew deals wth other real estate
"lromoters. He went to Cheyenne
Wells, Colorado. With others he ac-
quired another vast tract of land at
very low price and then to attract
uyers at a higher price he and his
associates planned on great develop-
ment and grain growing activities.
While salesmen were bringing land
seekers to Cheyenne Wells Townley,
the promoter, bought engines and
machlnery, seed and oil. He plowed
and he sowed but again he did not
reap. His dream proved a nightmare
madhis promotion scheme a financial
failure.
He returned to Beach, North Dak-
kota, and there entered into another
promotion with real estate rnenthis
ime larger than ever--like the pro-
meter and gambler he is--doubling
his bet every time he lost. This time
Townley ind his new real estate as-
sociates planned on a 12,000-acre flax
crop. And again Townley plowed
imd sowedand /gain he failed to
.reap. His failure was so great this
time that he was unable to make new
attempts as a power-farmer and real
estate promoter. Townley, the pro-
moter, for a short time lost his cun-
ning and his ab!lity to get new asso-
ciates. His fa,lures had been too
socialist in North Dakota who is not
a worker and supporter of Townley,
and most of them are on the payroll
of the organization at high salaries.
In the first election, Tonle:¢ suc-
ceeded beyond his own dream% as-
sisted by the indignation of the
Equity element in the state because
of the legislature's refusal to estab-
lish the terminal elevator which they
had demanded and which the people
had voted for. He elected the entire
state ticket, with one exception, a
majority of the lower house, a major-
ity of the supreme court and was
only prevented from capturing the
senate by the law which provides that
half of that body hold over, their
term being four years instead of two.
It must be remembered, however
in this campaign that Townley had
:the support of the progressive repub-
lican workers of the state as well
as the support, because of the presi-
dential campaign, of the stalwart fac-
tion of the republican party known
as the McKenzie organization.
This initial success of Townley was
due to the fact that at that time he
surrounded himself with republicans
and democrats and kept the socialists
in the background. He was taken at
his word. He was nonpartisan. He
was only fighting for a state-owned
elevator, a rural credit bank and tax
reforms. He had been repudiated by
the socialist party, He had been en-
dorsed by the farmers state Grange,
the Equity society and the Farmers
Union. Although Wilson carried the
state, Frazier on the republican
ticket won by 67,000 majority, with a
total vote of about 100,000 in the
umerous. His activities had sttrac*.- state.
ed attention and Crew pages in the And here, following this great vic-
widtst-re,,d publications in America tory, Townley, the dreamer, dreamed
---hie plowing and sowingnot his new dreams, planned new promotions
:failures. But he had not gained his!and immediately assumed the role of
ambitionmoney. So he turned his boss uolitician l-le attacked and dis-
raoveclfailures over to his creditors and i credited,or 1 wthl the-ocml" pa'p.er of his
"" " "" n "ha ..... i gan'zat'on and a large daffy whlch
.. was me t . "town. my, me jh e acquired, the president of the
areamer, became acuve agam. Town-[state Eouitv society and read out af
" th r m " "" " .... "- .... ................
Icy, 3 e o oer, had been a fmmre, i hls organization several elected offi-
ce nan or a tme los steres( in cials because the,, disagreed ,tth M
real estate p.romotion. He now and refused to lo his' bidding. "',:e
dreamed.of po|itlcs and the power of tried and tested his strength. He
ne poncan, ana, memenmlty nOnow knew his power. He owned the
aouoz, oI zne easy money,...aiways at ldaily ' and the official paper of his
zne commana oI me pOlitical poss. or,anization with the larr, ht elrenla-
ownley, the dreamer, forgot his tions in--the stat'e.'--I-le-o°wned'-thern
debts. Debts never worry a politician.
They didn't worry Townley. through a secret agreement with two
socialist friends--under a trusteeship
onowing nis financial failure he He was getting $8.00 per year from
became a candidate for the state 50,000 farmers in North Dakota
leslature---on the socialist ticket, alone. He had moved the organiza-
Inn his early life--like many dreamers tion into Minnesota, Montana and
he had read Carl Marx and others South Dakota. He established other
of that school, and was.now a pro .... official" state papers and a national
ltouncea so cmns, ne me noz maow maazine all uncler his imm,i o*o
then, but later realized he could never control ad ownership Seven ]o'ils
be a boss politician following the from each member went into his pub-
Carl Marx school of politics. He was lishin company The members had
defeated but his ambition to enter nothi to "say'about the Leame's
olitical life was only . sh. arpenecL He I managment. They only endor°sed
reame np omy o vemg ee.ceu o l candidates for office and Townley saw
e. msmmre bu oconromng me Ito it that his close friends were en-
enmmUare ot orm Dakota. . I dorsed. He dominated the orgamza-"
January, 1915, he went to Bm, ]tlon.
marck and attended the legislative I And again Townley, the dreamer,
session as a visitor. There a bitter[dreamed new dreams. He dreamed of
fight was being waged between two Imore material enterprises. He dream-
factions of the legislature, one de-led of more material enterprises. Of
he in desperation attacked and re-
pudiated a number of his close asso-
ciates in self defense, and the recent
primary election this year brought
defeat to two of his congressmen, his
candidates for secretary of state,
state treasurer, state superintendent
of schools, judge of the supreme
court and railroad comnfissioner.
Over half of the officials elected by
him two years ago have repudiated
his leadership and he and his associ-
ates have been openly charged with
embezzlement and misappropriation
of funds of the League. And the
present manager of the State Bank
chain newspaper organizations, of is under like accusations, while the
chain banks, of chain stores, and of president of Townley's largest bank-
vast acreages of ]andand of the i ing institution stands convicted of
development and wealth which apo- I criminal management of that insti-
litical organization could not give tution, q ownley, the boss politician.
him. The organization had grown !is now fighting with his back to tim
into several state. His membership wall; his promotion schemes all fail-
grew by leaps and bounds. His sub urea and his former friends repudi-
lishing company showed thousands of ating his leadership.
surplus from subscriptions of League t In subsequent articles the writer
members the subscription beingwill give the details of Townleys
compulsory and the income auto- I newspaper organization, his bank
matlc, l scheme, his Florida enterprise, his
A promoter from Miami, Florida, t stores promotion and his political
heard of Townley and his organiza-,corruption of the State Bank of
tion. He came to Fargo, North Da- i North Dakota. J. R. Waters, fmTner
kota, and painted a glowing picture manager of the North Dakota State
of Sunny Southern 1;orida, of vast Bank, will follow with two articles,
plantations of orange groves and dealing with Townley's chain bank
fruit orchards---and of sisal growing scheme and the State Bank, giving
sisai to make twine for the farm- particular transacations which led up
ers. He pictured how the binder to his resignation and repudiation of
twine trust was robbing the farmers; the management of the institution.
how easy it would be to get the The writer will show the llacy of
farmers interested in such an enter- a personally-owned farmers organiz-
prise. Townley, the dreamer aml ation, the fallacy of allowine, one
promoter, took possession of Town- man to dominate any polltical or-
my, the boss politician, and he enter- ganization and the necessity of bay-
ed into a contract with the Florida ing a democratic control over the or-
gentleman; paid over money and sent ganization's official papers and funds.
the writer, then his personal repre- I An organization with such false
seats(ire, to MiamL Florida. to in-and autocratic management cannot
spect, investigate and repot't. Town- long survive. Such autocratic pow-
ley's ohl real estate promotion and ers in the hands of its leaders always
development fever took possession of lead to corruntion and dishonest-
hlm. Hh dreamed g( engines, e ! The American Federation of Labor
b'ggest t e Cse pr lucel--hke e[the Farmers Union, the Equity and
one now standing on his 22,000-acre lull other organizations and move-
Fnrida tract: he dreamed of $15 and ments would be powers for evil in-
$20 an acre land being sold for fruit stead of good, if they were so dotal-
orchards at $100, $250 and $500 per nated and controlled. The
acre. of the North West must assert them-
Townley the dreamer, couldn't selves, as they are doing in North
wait for the necessaw funds to pro- Dakota, to rid themselves of such
mote such an enterprise to come from a false leader as A. C. Townley has
League membership subscriptions, or proved himself to be--and take pos-
dues. Townley, the promoter, must session of the organization if they
have large sums of money. He must wish to preserve it---and make it a
have banks, large financial institu- power for good in American politics.
tions, many of them, and he dreamed
of a $100,900,000 state-owned institu- (Copyrighted.)
tion, with all the public money on
deposit therein, to finance and build Volcano I| a Llghthse.
up this chain o banks. And Town- The city of San Salvador, capital of
ley, the dreamer, dreamed on. He
dreamed of a chain of stores, a pro- the republic of Salvador, may be called
motion scheme to gather in more a city of earthquakes, for it has seen
money and to get in more direct disasters as a result of many erul>
touch with the wealthy farmers of tlons, and even today the many vol-
the Northwest. canoes that surround the little city
But Townley, the promoter and which has been shattered so many
boss politician, knew that he must times again threaten it. Rumblings
keep his political organization intact; and grnmblings are heard coming, it
he must keep control of North Da- Is snpposed, from the Izalo volcano.
kota, the governer, its prominent This cinder-covered peak, nearly
officials, its blue sky commissmn
which already inspected and reported 5,000 feet high, has gradually built
favorably his Florida enterprise, un- itself up from what was a level plain
tier another name and proported own- at the base of the Sa:,ta Ana vol-
ership. The time was not ripe for cane. I{ has long perloas of Inactlv-
the harvest. He must wait his time lty, throwing up clouds of smoke and
and in the meantime building up a l steam in great puffs, and at times
chain of newspapers to support and] belching flames. Sometimes a flash-
defend him from attack; to-keep his[ ing effect can be seen far out at sea,
officials in office and to add to his l an d the. volcano has become known
political power and prestige, along the coast as the lighthouse of
The control of the legislative sea- Central America.--DetroR News.
sion of 1919 and the re-election of his
personally selected state officials was ' ., ,, .......
gained after the most expensive and
vicious campaign in the history of THE PROPER COURSE
the state. The big, new state-owned
bank was created and $30,000,000 of
the public fund§ by law were turned Information of Priceless Value to
over to it, under the excuse that it Every Shelton Citizen.
was to be a rural credit bank as How to act in an emergency is
promised. A newspaper law yas
passed to subsidize League papers knowledge of inestimable worth, and
already established and others to be this is particularly true of the dis-
established. In the meantime chain eases and ills of the human body. If
stores had been established and over you suffer from kidney backache, ur-
$1,000,000 collected for that enter- inary disorders, or any form of kidney
prise; chain banks were being organ- trouble, the advice contained in the
ized by Townley himself and state following statement should add a
funds were turned over to these valuable asset to your store of knowl
banks and then loaned out to enter- edge. What could be more convin-
prises of Tbwnleys creation, in har- crag proof of the efficiency of Dean's
many with the dreams of Townley, Kidney Pills than the statement of a
the dreamer. earby resident who has used them
But Townley, the boss politician, sad :publicly tells of the benefit de-
had overplayed his hand. He had [ved
been too autocratic in his dealings .M.M. Thein, retired carpenter, 721
vth the banking board, the attorney E. 2rid St., Aberdeen, Wash., says:
gffneral and other state officials; They "Dean's Kidney Pills are all right
openly attacked his program; the and I recommend them to anybody
manager of the State Bank, J. R. who needs a kidney medicine. I have
Waters, refUsed to co-operate with taken Dean's Kidney Pills on several
Townley's banking scheme; his close oc'casior when I have thought it nec"
associates rebelled against his wild essary and they have always done me
promotions. Townley was put on the good."
defensive. He had to abandon his Price, 60c, at all dealers. Don't
chain bank scheme and necessarily simply ask for a kidney remedyget
his Florida enterprise. His activities Dean's Kidney Pills--the same that
in Florida were threatened with pub- Mr. Thein had. Foster-Milburn Co.
licity; his private financial secretary Mfrs., Buffalo, N. Y.
wired the plantation manager at
Mmmi:" "We want no publicity. ,, what- Brunswick Phonographs for tone
ever north of Jaeksonwlle. iBrunswi'ck Records for quality and
In fact, Townley, the promter, waS,wear. Hear some of the late num-
so hard pressed because of the at-.bers at Journal Stationery Shop
tacks on his private enterprises, that l
Gasoline and Oils
Tires and Tubes
Vulcanizing
We are now able to supply every one of your
automobile needs. We have plenty of gasoline
and oil for everyone and will repair your tires
and tubes while you wait. Our service is:what
counts.
"For Better Service"
Needham & Clothier
Maxwell Building, Railroad Ave., Shelton. Phone 463.
Know the Truth
MR. A. A. LEE of FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA, will addess the
following meetings:
MATLOCK HALL
Monday evening, October llth
LYRIC THEATRE
SHELTON
Tuesday evening, October 12th
SKOKOMISH SCHOOL
Wednesday evening, October 13th
Mr. Lee wants to talk face to face with the farmers of Mason
County on the issue of the Non-Partisan League as developed in
Noh Dakota.
Handy Articles for
Daily Use
Engel Art Corners, package .............. 10c
Transparent Mending Tape, spool.. 10c and 15c
Mucilage, sheet and bottle ................ 10c
Glue, LePage's or Carter's ................ 20c
Invisible Cement for Glass ............... 15c
Art Gum and Erasers .............. 5c and 10c
Pen and Pencil Clips ..................... 5c
Memo Books ...................... 5c and up
Gummed Labels, all sizes ......... 15c and 25c
Lead Pencil refills ................ 10c and up
Envelopes, per bunch ............... 5c to 35c
Laundry Ink ..................... 15c and 25c
China Cement ........................... 15c
Shelf Paper, plain, 14x22 inches, 6 sheets...20c
Shelf Paper, scallop edge, per fold ......... 10c
Paper Napkins, 40 in package ............. 15c
Wax Paper, 10c a roll ............... 3 for 25c
Carbon and Transfer Papers, all sizes & grades
Journal Stationery Shop
Lubrication has advanced
since the days of tallow on the
wagon hub. Today it is a
science,with a grade of Zer.
olene for each type of engine.
It is significant that more
than half the motorists of the
Pacific Coast States follow the
advice of our Board of Lubrio
cation Engineers and use Zero
olene of the correct grade for
their automobiles. This is re-
sulting in better performanc
and longer life for the cars.
You, too, should use Zero-
lene.
There is a grade for each
type of engine and a separate
Zerolene Correct Lubrication
Chat for each make of car. Get
one for your car at your deal-
er's or at our nearest station.
Use zerolene for Corrt
Lubrication.
Th,re is a correct grads
of Zsrolsne for each typ, of.
tractor. Get our attractv$-
booklst on the Correct Luo
brication of your tractor'.
Ask our agent for a copy.
STANDARD OIL COMPANY
(Callforala)