The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, July 26, 1920, Page 4

.out of 300,000 cast because 40,000 anesota s Plan for New Campalgn “The Fight Has Only Just Begun,” Cry Leaguers at Huge Massmeeting to Map Out Financing of General Election Race of Independent Ticket BY FRED A. HARDING = E’LL STICK,” 1,500 Minnesota farmers told A. C. Townley, League president, at a massmeeting in the Minneapolis auditorium July 7, called for the pur- pose of deciding what steps should be taken toward putting on a full cam- paign. Far from being downcast over the defeat of the League and labor ticket for state offices in the recent Republican primary, the farmers brought the message from every county in the state that they had “just begun to fight.” The following -action was taken: would raise a campaign and or- ganization fund sufficient to offset the tremendous disposal of the enemies of ‘the League. To raise an adequate fund, the farmers agreed to solicit contributions of $100 or more from: the leading farmers in the hundred contribu- tions of $100 each on an average from every coun- ty in the state was the plan agreed on. Each county will have its quota to raise. Second, that the League and organized labor will make ‘a campaign for the election of Henrik Shipstead and the rest of his running mates in the recent primary, on the. Farmer-Labor ticket. Whether a campaign is made depends, of course, on the success in adequate financing. Money-is now being raised all over Minnesota. Mr. Townley called the meetmg to order without any formality.. BUSINESS OF THE FARMER TO GO ON, SPEAKER SAYS Doctor Henrik Shipstead, dentist of Glenwood,” Minn., who may be enter- ed on the Farmer-Labor ticket for governor. Doctor Shipstead lost the Republican nomination by 8,000 votes Leaguers and sympathizers were too overconfident to get out and vote. “This isn’t a celebration,” he said, “and it isn’t a funeral either—for us.” The audience howled. with delight. The farmers knew what gains the League had made in the primary. They knew that 30 more counties had gone to the League in the primary, making b4 out of 86 in the League column. They knew that they and organized labor had nominated - more than 90 per cent of their legislative candidates and that overconfidence, which resulted in a light —vote, was chiefly respon51ble for their apparent de- feat in the Re- publican primary. “I am going to tell you what CAN be done,” Mr. Townley said. “I am not going to tell you what ought to be done, for that is up to you. £ Then the League president told the “knew of the League fight in : Minnesota, North = e g > 2 Dakota and other Thomas V. Sullivan, who was de-- . states where the Lout ot 310000 cast n the recent He: League is organ- publican primaries, when St. Louis ized. He told the county, steel trust ltronzhnld' dls- farmers how des- perate the “steel covered an ‘“‘error” after was conceded the victor by 4.000 trust, the milling trust and other majority. He may be on the Farmer- Labor ticket in the general election, and this time the Leazners will keep _ an eye on Lauis unty election clexks and judxu. First, that they slush fund at'the movement. One - _farmers what he combinations of HIGH SPOTS OF SPEECH BY - PRESIDENT TOWNLEY This is not a new battle. It is the struggle of those who toil against those who do mot toil. History is full of this battle. It is the struggle of the everyday man and woman to be free—to have a government that treats all fairly. 2 * * * For a long time in America, our democ-- racy hasn’t been much of a success. The . working people haven’t expressed them- selves in government. Corporate wealth has had its way. They have always won. These corporations have dominated the _ national government, state officers, near- ly all of the legislatures and nearly, all of- the county officers. They have made all’ the rules and laws through their control of the law-making power. * % The Nonpartisan league is a business prop- osition to you. It is the bxgg-est one you've got. 3 e = We’re going into the hardest political battle in the history of America. There is nothing your enemies won’t do to de- feat you—if they dare. They’ll foreclose the mortgage on your farm, they’ll mob you, and perhaps you have a faint sus- picion that they will lie about you. They will use all the wealth they have to defeat _ you. They would use guns if they dared. They will start the revolution if one is started. We don’t have to ‘use guns. We have the ballots. When they see we’ve got the ballots organized, perhaps then they’ll use guns. I don’t mean that our enemies will use guns in this campaign. They won’t dare. But they’ll be just as rough as you let them ; N ok THIS IS YOUR FIGHT You are going to be here when the fight is over. The fruits of * victory will go to you. All I’ll get will be the satisfaction of getting done what the people wanted done. * * * 5 Do you understand that with them, this is not going to be a $16 fight? Do you understand that you’ll continue to pay _ : their campaign fund just as you always have? ~As Magnus Johnson would say, “Do you- understand - THAT?” = They’ll spend all they take from you and what they’ve taken before. * * * The -hardest thing in the-world is to get When it comes to your own good, you are the tightest people in. the world Let no man say he sacnfices. This is an investment, the best investment North Dakota farmers ever made. * * * ‘We’re not going to fight a losmg battle any longer From now on it's going to ‘be a w1n~ 2 ning battle. < T %* * * We’ve got to get our message to every: voter every week whether he wants it or not. . We must have a “Minnesota Issues” of our own. We must get the Daily Star going and distribute copwg to every home. ‘This will be a real man’s fight for control . of the government by flle people. : Applause will not win electlons ‘When we get so we'll THINK and DO we’ll win, If any one thmks lus money hasn’t.‘ ; been well spent; ask the steel trust, or go - 10 the books of -the organization with any auditor you want so long as he comes in : good falth to get the facts. PAGE FOUR .contributions big busmess were in their opposition to the League. Minnesota, he ‘said, was headquarters for the big interests. There, he said, was where they kept their plunder and there was where they would fight to keep it. The men and groups of men who hold the people on the farms and in the cities in their clutches are fighting the Nonpartisan league as a matter of busi- ness, Mr. Townley assured the farmers. As a mat- ter of business, the farmers should carry on the battle. HUNDREDS OFFER THEIR BIT FOR NEW PROGRAM LE The president of the League warned the farmers of the frightful odds against them, and told them how handicapped the League had been for want of adequate finances in the primary campaign. He told them that the fight in the fall would be a real battle, in which the enemy would spend millions, if necessary, to poison' the public mind. Thus far the only real battle has been in North Dakota, he saxd ‘W}lat would you give for your hope in the Non- partisan league,” he A asked, “in A > money ?” L When Mr., Townley asked the farmers if they wanted to quit, the farm- ers shouted “NO!” Men all over the auditorium - stood up to be counted and - pledged not less than $100 to the fund. - “I'll “give $100 now and more if neces- sary,” a Pope county farmer shouted. ; “I'll get 100 — of $100 each in . Grant county,” gother Lea- er said. G. E. Pietz of Jackson county. urged everybody in the audience'to get. up and pledge $100 to the ‘campaign fund. The re- sponse was quick. Captain Georze H. Mallon was deleatcd by a small margin for the Republican nomination for leutenant governor in the recent Minnesota primarigs because of a state-wide conspiracy of silence on ‘the part of the daily and anti-farmer weekly press, " Not daring to attack his record the press refused to publish his name and accept paid advertisements of his can- didacy. The League may:enter him on A Clay coun- an independent ticket, and this time_ Leaguer raised — break the wave of silence. his hand for SR recggmnon. His voice choked w1th emohon as he sail B “God knows what we're doing here. Wxth God’s: help T'll give $100 and go home and sell a cow to do -it. The time has come for us to be men and get behind the gun.” ; . “Pm not going to make a speech ? said Senator Magnus Johnson of Meeker county, in what was al- most a whisper compared to hxs usual stentorian voice. ““I’'ve talked so much in the primary cam='." - paign that T haven’t any voxce left . But you can count me in on this.” A thrill ran over the audience when a voice \yas : heard in the back of the hall w1th the soft accent of “ol’” Alabam’.” “Friends,” he said, “my ‘name is T L. Thompson of Beltrami- county - 'This “Nonpartisan league means everything to me and my children. I didn’t -suppose I could give a mickel to a campaign fund. You see, \I've found it pretty hard scratching to make a hvmg But before God, men,-T don’t see (Lontmued on. ag% 101 e