The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-10-25
"THE CLANSMAN.'

ln6re is So lluCli USllS VIII
ten about Rev. Thomas Dixon's
play, "The Clansman." we are
beginning to feel that the
newspaper readers are ready to
ring off" and let "The Clans.
man" Journey on its gold gather
inc course, and an early for
setfulness. There never was
more shrewdly get-rich-quick.
scheme planned, than The
Clansman % dramatiZed, a n d
America has never produced
since the days of P. T. Barnum
a more successful advertiser than
Rev. Thomas Dixon, Jr.
The drama is Il perversion OF
history: it has a slight sprink-
ling Of truth, just enough to give
it a SAVIOR of reality, but it is not
history, and should not be SO
taken. The effect of such a play
touring the South can accomp-
lish no good results, and may
build false impressions on the
younger generation. 1t GER
tainly cannot be of help for
peaceful relations between the
two races making up the citizen
ship of the South, and, in our
opinion, it will throw obstacles in
the way of making less trouble
some the negro problem in the
South.
The negroes are here, and we
see no good sense in reviving
the unpleasant conditions of the
past, it is simply the blowing up
of old Goals for no other purpose
than filing the pockets of a man
who has proven himself unfaith-
fu1 tc the VOWS of the ministry
and who deserted his church for
gold. There are in the play a
few good actors, the others not
even fair, and we're it not for the
free advertising it has received,
we doubt very much if. the play
would hold out a half dozen
stands. There are plenty Of
popular price shows that give a
much better dramatic perform
ance than 1.-THE Clansman," but
aside from this, we regard the
play calculated to intensity race
hatred and may precipitate un-
necessary trouble. at any rate, it
can only add to the white mans
burden.
Those familiar with conditions
in South Carolina during what
is known as the Demonstration
Period" know full well that the
Ku Klux Klan did not rid South
Carolina Of negro domination.
That organization was long out
OF existence when the bugle call
was sounded in the mountains
and Hampton and his red shirts
swept on down to the sea. 1t
was this noble band of patriots,
tired Of the tyrannical oppres-
sion of Carpetbag, scalawag and
negro domination, rose with
mighty force and drove the op-
pressors from the field.
The Ku Klux Klan was in ex-
istence from 1866 to 1871, and
during their day We had a car
pet-bag governor, a negro lieu
tenant-governor, negro congress
men, and a black legislature, and
this crew of vandals continued to
revel in debauchery and crime
during the years of 1873 4-5-6,
until, with might and force, in
the face Of federal bayonets, the
Hampton red shirts, not in the
night time under the cover of
masks, but in open broad day
light, struck down the fetters,
and South Carolina was made
free.
There never was such a char
acter as is depicted in 'sSilas
Lynch" The negro lieutenant
governor was Richard Fl.
Gleaves, who was not an inso-
lent scoundrel with his souls
ambition seeking social equality,
aud the marriage of a white wo-
man, but, to the contrary, South
Cardinals negro lieutenaut-gov-
ernor was a very genteel, re-
spectful mulatto Of quiet. modest
manners, evidently having been
raised by a refined and educated
family. He was noted for his
politeness, and especially, to
white people. II was character
istic of this man Gleaves, to un-
cover his head when in the pres
ence OF ladies, or about to pass
those of his acquaintance. He
was the opposite of the ''Silas
Lynch" in "The Clansman," and
he being the most important
character in the playa the falsl-
flying of history in his part, is
the most dangerous, because , it
builds ideas in the minds of the
young that are false and unjust.
The relations between the races
in this State do not need a Clans
man. torch, and the white man
and the negro can live more hap
PLY together if the devil in the
shape of such influences as Rev.
Thomas Dixon, and others who
are constantly holding up the
negro bug-a-boo, for self ag-
grandizement, will let Us alone.
The people of the South know
4bo nor7,o tbov como in 6ailV