The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, December 23, 1918, Page 7

" which the soldiers of the army are agreed and putting up a united front to the enemy armies; R ; . R ; ,;. At the same time the framers of the articles desired to make the form of organization as democratic as possible consistent with _unity, solidarity and efficiency, and a happy solution was reached. All power in the League is derived directly and solely from its mem- bers assembled in township or precinct caucuses, the supreme gov- ernment is in the hands of a farmers’ national committee elected by ‘League members, and yet the organization is compact, dis- ciplined and capable of exerting its strength as a unit, without fac- tionalism and influence of outside enemies_being able to destroy its efficiency. = : * * other political organizations will'not be out of place. The Re- publican and Democratic parties are essentially autocracies. What have Republicans and Demoecrats in the ranks to say about IN THIS connection a word about the form of organization of ‘the management of the national parties? Nothing. The national ~committees of these parties consist of one committeeman from each state and usually this committee does not even choose the national chairman, corresponding to the president of the League. The Republican and Democratic national chairnmien are chosen by the leader of the party, the candidate of the party for president, or the president of the ‘country, if the party happens to be in power. A few of the 48 states elect national committeemen to the national committees of the two old parties under a’ more or less democratic procedure, but in general the committeemen are political bosses who hold their power through rigging conventions and through financial aid of the big interests which control both old parties." | ; AR If you have been a Republican or a Democrat, you know how little you, as a member of the party, have had to say about party policies or management. — = The League, on the other hand, has-devised a form of organi- zation that gives the rank and file a voice in party policy and man- agement. And it should also be remembered that the articles of association reserve all political power to members of the League. That is, no candidate can be indorsed foll;ucgeé except he is in- dorsed by members of ‘the League,in convention assembled. League officers and committees have nothing whatever to say about can- didates for office, except to marshal the powerful machinery of the League to elect them after the farmer members have indorsed them. THE REFERENDUM ON TOWNLEY : R. TOWNLEY’S reasons for desiring a referendum of {| League members on his election to another term as League president are easy to understand. Under the articles of association he was unanimously elected to another term by the na- tional committee, consisting of farmer state committeemen . from the 13 states where the League is at work. But a large part of the opposition to the organized farmers has centered in attacks on Mr. Townley personally. Tt-is true that these personal attacks on ‘the League leader have come solely. from enemies of the organization and its program and hence have not originated in good motives, but Big Biz (Dictating)—“In 1920 We Will A\t Official Magazine of the National Nonpartisan League—Every Week ’ Entered as second-class matter September 8, 1915, at the postoffice at St. Paul, Minnesota, under the Act of March 8, 1879, OLIVER' S. MORRIS, Editor y A. B. GILBERT, Associate Editor B. 0. FOSS, Art Editor ; Advertising rates on application. Subscription;- one year, in advance, $2.50; six months, $1.50. Please do not make checks, drafts nor money orders payable to’ indi- viduals. ddress all letters "and make all remittances to The Nonpartisan Leader, Box 575, St. Paul, Minn. ] MEMBER OF AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATIONS THE S. C. BECKWITH SPECIAL - AGENCY, Advertising- Representatives, New - York, Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, Kansas City. 1 Quack, fraudulent and irresponsiblé firms are not knowingly advertised, and we will take it as a favor if any readers will advise us promptly should they have occasion to doubt or question the reliability of any firm which patronizes our advertising columns, - have had the destruction of the League and the defeat of its pro- gram as an object. \ ~ Mr. Townley might well have ignored the personal attacks of League enemies, on the ground that it was none of their business whom the farmers maintained at the head of their organization. However, he' desires to settle once for all the charge that he has foisted himself on the League, that the League membership is against him and can’t get rid of him. Hence he has refused to accept another term as leader of the organization without a vote. of confidence of the League membership. Therefore every member of the League is g,oifig to be given the 'opportunity to vote on Mr. Townley as president. The question to be decided is: Shall the action of the national committee in elect- ing him be approved or disapproved by League members. Needless to say, it is the duty of every League member to vote in this referendum om the ballot provided for the purpose. If pos- sible a unanimous expression of the membership should be had. Members should not let it be said that they were not interested enough. in the organization to vote on the question of who is to be president of it. The most generous rules have been framed for the “referendum.” League members, every one, are entitled to vote. It ‘makes no difference whether they are in arrears in their dues. It makes no difference whether they have as yet renewed for the next two-year period. All can and should vote. : e : In the event that the League membership approves the re-elec- , tion of President Townley, he will gladly continue to serye the or ganization as in the past. If a majority of League members refuse ; to approve him, it will of course be necessary for the national com-. . mittee to elect another president. Mr. Townley has no personal feel- . ing in the matter. He frankly is willing to continue to devote his genius for organization to the great cause, but not unless he has the ' confidence of the membership. Get the Farmers’ Goat, if Not Sooner.”