The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1905-10-27
T11I.MAN LIKES "CLANSMAN.'
MAN."
He Saw the Play in Augusta and En-
dorses It.

An Interested spectator at the pro-
duction of "The Clansman' IN Angus
"a was Senator B. K. ILL.,
man. He came all the way to Angus
ia especially to witness performance
Of the drama, says the Chronicle. he
stated that that was his sole purpose
in visiting this city at this time. Sen
ator Tilln1an was, as usual, the centre
of interest in the large crowd OF vls1'
tors who crowded the lobby OF the
hotel and so busted was he greeting
his numerous friends and acqualnt-
ances, besides strangers who sought
introduction, that it was a difficult
task for any one person to talk with
him consecutively long at a time.
Senator Tillman's view of the play
and its probable effect are best ex-
pressed in.his own words, as follows:
Il have read the book and tonight
I saw the play, and see nothing IN 1t
that southern man could justly crit
icize. Some of the actors are weak,
but when facts are considered every
southern man and woman, and tor
that matter every northern man and
woman should see through what the
people of the south have passed.
Il was an active participant in the
Ned Tenant riots in Edgefleld in
1874. I was an active participant IN
all of the contests that were made in
my county to maintain the supremacy
of the Anglo-Saxon race, and took
part in the riots between the white
and colored races in Hamburg and El-
lenton in 1876. I therefore speak with
the authority of experience, and am
surprised to find that there are those
among US who are ready to criticize
Dixon for writing 'The Clansman."
If it was a good thing, as many mil
lions of Americans have been taught
to believe, and so taught their chill
dren, that Uncle Toms Cabin was
truthful history, then it is certainly
right for southern man to depict in
graphic style the horrors OF recon-
struction.
"Something has been said about the
Ku Klux having had no hand in re-
deeming South Carolina. The Ku
Klux made the Red Shirts possible,
and it required both to create those
conditions which caused the over
throw of the carpet-bag governor
Just as it required the conservatism
and wisdom of Hampton together
with the dash and daring OF Mart
Gary to lead the Red Shirts in 1870
Neither could have won without the
other. No well-informed person will
sneer at the Ku Klux or condemn
them. Possibly they are not entitled
to alt the credit which Dixon gives
them, but they kept alive the spirit
of resistance and the determination
to preserve our civilization.
"Many of the rising generation are
ignorant of what their fathers had to
endure, and especially is the north
ignorant of what tyranny and degra-
dation2 was perpetrated in the south IN
the name of liberty.
II have been led to ponder within
the last week or two whether or not
this Young generation, which is tast
becoming irnbued with Yankee COM
:mercia1ism, would meet similar crl-
sis if it was forced upon them as WE
older men met it. It may be said that
such a thing is not possible, but TO
the careful! student Of history The
amalgamation of the rae ultimately
is the greatest danger confronting The
southern people. South Carolina has
$4,000 more negroes in Il tran
whites; Mississippi has 1oc,ooo more
negroes in it than whites, North Caro-
lima, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and
Louisiana have $4,000 more negroes
in the aggregate than they kave
whites. At present these states are
absolutely controlled by the vh;fe
people, but the fourteenth and t1f-
teenth amendments to the United
States constitution, which are still in