Last Tuesday, Greg Gaut presented on his book, “The War at Home: Minnesota during the Great War, 1914-1920” at the Lyon County Museum. Much of his presentation was on the formation of the Minnesota Commission of Public Safety and the Nonpartisan League. Below is an excerpt from the book:

“The Minnesota Commission of Public Safety ruled the state with an iron hand during the war. Led by John F. McGee, the commission pursued a “loyalty” campaign against the trade unions, the Nonpartisan League, the Socialist Party, and the Industrial Workers of the World. McGee’s most prominent adversary was Charles A. Lindbergh Sr., whom the Nonpartisan League nominated to challenge the governor in the fiercely contested 1918 primary.”

There is an editorial by J.W. Whitney in the News Messenger of Lyon County on Oct. 19, 1917, about A.C. Townley and the Nonpartisan League. The Nonpartisan League held a large meeting at the Lyon County Courthouse in Marshall on Oct. 13. Townley’s speech was about problems confronting farmers, conditions that should be changed, and the injustice done to farmers in many cases. At the end of Whitney’s editorial, he wrote this about Townley, “Mr. Townley’s ideals are very fine sounding, and if the farmers of the country could have an organization for protecting their own interests, of course it would be a great thing and there would be no end to what good might be accomplished, but of necessity, to accomplish this, such an organization must be conducted by those who have the interests of the farmer at heart, and not by professional politicians.

Greg also talked about Liberty Bonds and Loyalty Conventions. There were loyalty conventions held in Lyon County in 1917 and 1918. There is an article on the front page of the News Messenger of Lyon County on Dec. 21, 1917 about an upcoming Loyalty Convention to be held in Marshall. On Sunday, Dec. 23, Frank W. Murphy, the President of the “America First” Association and Minnesota State Auditor, J.A.O. Preus addressed people in the Marshall High School auditorium. A film titled the “Americanism Aflame in the Northwest,” a moving picture film of the Patriotic Convention was shown at the meeting.

The photograph featured this week from the Lyon County Museum’s collection is the former Marshall High School/Junior High School building, which was located on West Lyon Street. This building opened in 1899 and was demolished in 1979.

The Lyon County Historical Society (LCHS) is a nonprofit, member-supported organization. LCHS operates the Lyon County Museum at 301 West Lyon Street in Marshall. The Lyon County Museum is open year-round to visitors. To contact us, visit our website: www.lyoncomuseum.org, call: 507-537-6580, email: director@lyoncomuseum.org, or on our Facebook page.