The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-11-01
THE CLAksMAN." ("
A Comment by the Rev. Dr.. Elsas
Upon the Performance as
Given at the Academy of
Music Charleston.

something of the sentiment of South
Carolinian. Ny acquaintance, too,
with the history Of South Carolina is
neither small nor is it unsysmpathetlc.
I am phlegmatic in temperament ard
not easily reused by matters of purely
historical interest. Nor do l care
to rush iuto print with my owa opln-
ion on current events. Occasions,
however, do arise when those who
Lave opinions should express t:em.
Such AL occssiou is the performance
of 'The Clansman, that will llnger
as an unpleasant after taste for many
days to come.
With the historical accuracy OF the
play I am not concerned, and the
capacity of the actors is not within
my province. The play itself, how
ever, it seems to me, deserves the
weightiest word of protest. We're it
produced in the North, which cannot
or will not understand the attitude OF
the South on the negro problem, 1t
would be bad enough, but it's produc-
tiou in the South at this time is
nothing less than a calamity and its
author public enemy, VINO ought to
be promptly prescribed.
As | stood, watched and listened l
asked myself: What good can come OF
the presentation of such play as
this? To IT, Sc who lived through the
pitiable times of the late sixties and
the early seventies, the horrible PIC
ture of last night was merely opening
old wounds AID rubbing them with
-salt-iu sooth, a brutal and revolving
performance. To those too young to
have witnessed those scenes the effect
could only nave been demorallzlne.
Living in the South, l have natural
ly given some thought to the negro
problem. This problem is literally
going to solve itself. He must be
blind to the mcst patent facts who
does not see that the white man IN
the South is,. as be has ever been.
the neero's best friend. The unpar-
alleled progress of the negro in the
South, his vast accum ulation OF
wealth, the enterprises he success
fully conducts and the many useful
occupations in which be is engaged is
proof enough that the white man has
done ais.full duty to his former slave:
The negro is yet. however, IN e real
sense, the white mans burden. but II
he continues on the lines laid down
bv those who have studied him at
first hand, and vino know him best,
making himself competent industrially
and economically, then alone Will he
develop the highest possibilities OF
which he is capable. Not in political
equality. as Dixon teaches, lies his
present hope-for the negro cannot be
allowed TO be, a factor in the politics OF
the South tcday-and The best mlDos
of his own race see this clearly
enough. We're it possible to ALLEVIATE
the sympathies of the white man from
the negro, however, such a play Is
"Tbe Clausman'' would he marvel
louslv effective. for such ap appeal to
race passion and race preludice has
rarely been made upon the boards.
Compared with "The Clarsmap,
Uncle Tom Cabin" pales into irsig-
uifcauce. One may really regret that
the days of the dramatic censor are
over.
What is the play intended to teach?
Dixon proclaims himself man With
a message to the people of the South.
To whom is his message directed? Is
it to the negro? Surely moi, for there
were none in the audience as far as i
could see. In truth, it seemed to me
that the Flay might most appropriately
have been presented before an audi
ence of "negroes only''-tbe message,
then. might have had some meaning.
Is it to the white man if so, what is
his p,essaee? Is it that the white
race is going to rule in the South and
that the negro can never hope for
social equality? Is this the marvellous
message of Dixon? Do we need him
for that? Dixon thinks that we are
asleep; it is surely he who is dreaming.
Or does he perhaps want to show
the depth of degradation to which it
is possible for beings in human form
to sink, as illstrated by the conduct
of the North after the var? If so. be
has done his revolving. work well.
But Dixon would scarcely acknowl-
edge this. in view of the fact that his
play is to be presented in the North
after the feeling of the South has
been sounded An advocate of law and
order, I am free to confess that when
| witnessed the scene OF the election
day on the stage. saw the horrible
possibilities SO graphically depicted
possible fortunately, however, only in
the trenzied mind Ct Dixon-l
could not but feel that any meae ures
we're justifable in the South, IN spite
cf hundred amendne. IS CT the Con
stitution.
Sitting through the dreary pslform-
ance the impression Mas irresi> tibly
borne upon nee, that this Dixon is
nothing but a cheap dramatic feud,
who has sei2ed the opportunity OF
prostitnting the little crude talent be
possesses for the sake of winning
gains quite incommepsurate with his
deserts, and who before many moons
have passed, will be consigned to the
limbo of everlasting infamy where he
belongs.
E1,ot