Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-10-15
GRAND RAPIDS WIS., THURSDAY OCTOBER Is 1911

Z otSSh - lltS .icEI0A wen S4AE
cry predomlnated to the exclusion o.
both Loyalty aud humanity. The con-
test Is now renewed FOR the purpose q
relnstating In power the spirit u tus
Lost Cause. first in the States. ana
hnaliy over the nation White
Leagues are but another and modern
name Tor Southern Leagues. Hcme
rule and IocIl government ii the vo.
cd5ulary OF these Organizations arc
the ta!isman.c names by uhicb the as
sassins hope to achieve supremacy.
! defy law, suppress freedom, ani de-
grad citizenship
The slaughter Of unofanding citizens
at Uoitax. Coushatta, Austin, and in
Gibson county, Tennessee, are merely
the preuonitOry symptoms. the sudden
outbreak of the scouting parties Of the
Southern Leagues. The revolution in
New Orleans is simply toretaste OF
what may be expected FROM these organ
izations whenever the national author
ity shall be placed in sympathizing
hands
1t Is we'll known that these orgaaiza-
tions are. extended ana extending owe.
every Southern comm1nity, ana tina.
their fixed purpose Is the reconouest OF
the reconstructed South. They will
not tolerate freedom of opinion The
seek the overthrow Of eyty species OF
authority which is in accord with ;hc
National Government or loyal to the
progrcs Of events ana the provisions
Of tho Federal C0nsttution TGey
are determined to abolish all eff ctye
guarantees Of popular ed..varion.
They are planning to trample doen
the dignity Of Cit zeuship by rendering
its prero4atiyes insecure ana their Ell
/ joyment subject to the ctpgice ana
dictation Of organized criminals
Ia Virginia ami Arkansa, pro4osigi-
ons are, at their bidding, already penJ
ing by which the independence OF the
GaUot is to be utterly destroyed; and
in the Gulf States the speedier process
Of intimidation and murder is relied
upon TO insure Democratic success.
Thousands have already fallen under
the bullet or the kniie Of tue assassin
with this end in view. 70 the order
loving citizens this statement may ap
pear to be exaggerated; but it Is not
exaggerated 1t IS true. And it can
not be shown that anybody his been
punished for these crimes, or that any
but Republicans have been victims
The plea Of carpet bag governments.
if true. would not justify those cut
rages; but It is not true, for the South.
ern governments are mainly in the
hands OF men Of Southern birth, as
are the Federal Offices in most OF
those States but we DO not regard
this as material, Tor we hold that a
citizen Of the United States, subject
to the National and State laws, has a
right to accept position at the hands
Of the people or of the National or
State authorities, and that he should be
protected III that right, and that gov
ernnent, National or local. is unworthy
Of the name when 1t fails to afford
such protection.
What have the Southern people to
expect from further submission to the
policy and dictation Of the violent end
selfish Leaders o. the Democratic party
in that section; Has suen lea icrsnlp
and such blind following given them
peace, security, or prosperity? Are
NOT their industries Ing lisning, their
ieIIs unprotuctive, their strsa Us run
ming to waste, their mines unopened,
the.r population untrltty, their com
mcrce Diminishing. their schools to
large extent urattenJGl, their property
marketleSs, AMI their general r45y Ir:9s
neglected! Ii these tliug3 are 1t all
true IS it not time to cad htiJ! J..
it not time for the thinking AM better
portion of the Democracy South to
abandon such disastrous leadership :
Disorder will never remedy these de-
plorabie evils. Ostracism will neveL
invite successfully population. enter
prise, or capital. With the soil, CHM
ate, and productions, mineral and agri-
cultural, of the South, it should be
the most prosperous and populous sec
tion OF the UDIon. There is but one
road to this &C .iia1ie con1i ion, aud
tuat lies through tle broad and cveu
PLAIN of peace, loyalty, and order.