New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-11-15
Manufacturing Public Opinion.

Although 10 was suspected IL some circles
vel it was not generally known how con-
pletely the Southern newspaper press and
all the channels for the dissemination o..
news and the formation Of public opinion
had fallen under the control Of rebels and
rebel sympathizers. until the Republic and
Inter. Ocean. sent their correspondents into
the Southern States to ind out the exact
situation.
Perhaps it is not 80 surprising that the
agencies OF the Associated Press IN the dit.
feyent sections OF the South should naturally
be filled by sympath!zers with the lost
cause as it is, that right here in New York
The agency itself. and some OF the sub.
agencies as we'll, should b. run b.; ex-Otticers
and soldiers OF the rebe! army and pro.
fessed sympathiZcrs with rebellion. Ii.
real manager of the Associated Press liz this
city to-day. as for several years past. - an
ex.rebei soldier and d pronounced seces.
sionist. Whenever opportunity has offered
he has not hesitated to I'll! vacancies II the
extensive machinery OF this news gathering
association with ex-rebel soldiers or :ebc:
sympathizers. The agent at Washing ton.
who sends the news 10 the Southern States
and gathers theretrOn FOR the Nortn. :,
a cehe. svmpatniZer. The agency o! the
Stats of New York is filled by an agen:
freshly imported from New Orleans |, :s
useless to deny that all this news gathering
machinery in the South IS III the hands vi
Ku.Klux and White Lea.ue-s. As fax as
the Repa.bHc is concerned. however. It lsnoc
affected by this state Of affairs in the man.
ayement Of the Associated Press. 1t gath.
ers its news fresh at the hands OF its largo
CORDS Of special correspondents and che
sprightly American Press Associations: but
we wish our readers to understand the exact
situation in the Southern States. The dis.
patches of the Associated Press have time
and again denied the existence OF ku klIx
outrages. Of cruelties to negroes and Repub'
lican men and women. Its statements nave
been Endorsed by the correspondents OF
Democratic newspapers who have travelled
through the South. visited Democratic news
paper offices, dined with Democratic poll.
1icians, and truckled generally to the rebel
elements prevalent below the traditional
line Of Mason and Dixon.
That Its dispatches are entirely false and
partisan and in the interests OF dlsloyal
political leaders is clearly shown by the
official reports Of United States civil officials
and United States army officers. The re-
cent report of General Mcdowell distinctly
proves that all the outrages and reign of
terror described by our special correspond
ents in the Southern States actually exists.
Even the rebel Ku Klus and White League
leaders do not deem it judiciOus to contra
diet the statements o: this high and respon'
sible officer.
But we lind that these instructed cores
pondepts convict themselves by their own
words. One of them. in a recent letter 70
the Tribune in this city, significantly :e'
marks:
..Experience has shown that instead OF
proving to be weapon OF defense 80 the
negroes) the ballot has been the cause OF
nearly all the troubles tina. have arisen be.
tween the two races. The ayowed object
OF the Ku-kiux organizations was to make
the negroes vote as the members OF That
order wished them to. or stay away from
the po!ls. and during the present campaign
the men who have had the most to say
about 'Outrages' are very particular to add
that they are political in their pature. Ii
is not pretended to-day that any right
which the federal government has con-
ferred upon the negro is in danger except
his right to vote. His life and his prop
erty are as safe. when no political CAM
pafgn is in progress. as those OF the white
man. Nobody ever hears OF 'outrages
} except Just before an election"
What more need be said. VIVA: further
admission is necessary: Ku-klux organiza'
tions do exist, but their avowed object Is
only '!tO make the negroes vote as the mem
hers of that order wish them to, OK stay
away from the polls.
Yet the Associated Press dispatches have
from day to day teemed with deniai> OF 'he
existence of ku Klux organizations or hu-
KIux outrages. The opposition press have
echoed the cry, amt assertion OF the 'ruth
seemed almost in vain. But the Tribune
correspondent is a good witness. The facts
are becoming known. and no wonder Re
publican newspapers and Republicans gen
orally, are becoming disguised with the
political machine known as :he Associated
Press.-Ne,c York Republic.