2l6 AGRICULTURAL DISCONTENT 



refused to follow suit. "To have the League going one direction and labor 

 another would mean a split in their forces which could not be compen- 

 sated for no matter how successful the balance of power plan might work 

 out in the state." 83 



On the day that Townley was released from jail, his associates had 

 planned a huge banquet to which liberal leaders from the Twin Cities 

 area were invited. Townley was to be the honor guest. The balance-of- 

 power plan was still uppermost in his mind, and contrary to the advice 

 of some League leaders who had gone over to the farmer-labor idea, he 

 insisted on advocating his own views. Reports were that his suggestions 

 were received coldly. At any rate, Townley tendered his resignation as 

 president of the League in May, 1922, but offered to stay as supervisor of 

 the national organization. 84 



Both the nation and the Minnesota Nonpartisan League accepted Town- 

 ley's reorganization plan, recommended before his resignation, for separat- 

 ing the political and organizational activities of the League. The national 

 committee also announced that it had approved of Townley's idea to re- 

 duce membership fees from $18 for two years to $6.50 or $7.50 for the 

 same period, depending upon the organizational problems of the various 

 states. In Minnesota, the state committee approved a new fee of $6.50; 

 in other states, where the work was more costly, the $7.50 fee was adopted. 



Judging from the tone of his letter of resignation, Townley had been 

 losing faith in the political formula for agricultural relief: 



I have finally reached the conclusion that a strong, active and numerous 

 membership in each state is the only basis upon which political and economic 

 success can be built, and that in striving for the election of candidates we have 

 iost sight of the important things. In other words we have devoted almost all 

 our force and energy to seeking the election of our selected candidates and 

 have neglected the re-enrollment of old and securing new members. 



And finally and most important of all, I have concluded that this neglect of 

 enrollments and failure to give it first attention was due to the fact that in each 

 state we have been endeavoring to carry on both political and economic func- 



83. Teigan to D. C. Dorman, January 13, 1922. 



84. Wisconsin State Journal (Madison), March 26, 1922; Minneapolis Star, May 

 12, 1922. H. F. Samuels of Idaho, chairman of the state committee of Idaho and 

 League candidate for governor of that state in 1920, was chosen temporary president 

 of the League. 



