The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-10-25
DIXON TO GONZALES.
Would Submit Dispute With Newspa-
per to Committee.

Thomas Dixon, Jr., has addressed
the following to The State:
Editor Columbia State: In your ed
itorial of Monday you continue the as
sertions that my play 'is full of in
consistencies and historical inaccura-
cies." You say:
eff Mr.. Dixon would consent to the
appointment OF an impartial commit
tee to weigh the evidence
I hasten to notify you that I consent
to the suggestion. I will refer the is
sue of historical accuracy between US
to a jury of y to be appointed by the
American Historical Society. If they
decide that you are right, I will not
only agree to pay $1,000 for the err
rors established, but will agree to
take immediate steps to withdraw the
play from the boards-on condition
that if you accept my challenge and
the verdict goes against you, you for
felt $1,000 and resign as editor of The
State.
If you accept this offer and these
terms, wire me to that effect and viii
personally bear all the expenses of the
committee of II the American Histor-
ical Society may appoint. I will go
still further and make you another
challenge. Your correspondent says
the public should be warned that "The
Clansman' is indecent.
I will submit that issue to the Co
lumbia Chapter Of the Daughters of
the Confederacy, to a jury Of IL
mothers among them, who witnessed
the play. If these good Southern wo-
men decide that my play is indecent
or harmful to their daughttrs or their
sons, will withdraw it from the
boards, if you will agree to withdraw
as an editor Of public opinion in case
they decide against you.
Now, Mr.. Editor, it is up to you.
You have raised the issue-I chal-
1enge you to face it.
You must, of course, know that the
Ku Klux KIan was an order which
|overspread every Southern State with
more or less efficiency, and that my
use of South Carolina soil for the
scene of my play was simply for the
purpose Of localizing the action. My
play is an epic Of the South. My
characters are all fictitious. AS their
creator I was bound by the history of
the whole South. My only obligation
to the local history Of South Carolina
is that I bring my action within facts.
This I have done. The facts are more
horrible than I dared to paint. Every
scene is softened and idealized to be
more credible.
Where you break down completely
in your contention is in the following
strange sentence in your editorial:
"'The Clansman' may in the North
realize, the mission Mr.. Dixon says IT
has. There they may need this blow
Of the bludgeon to awaken them to the
South's past distress and present prob
lems.''
What Tommyrot! Does the editor
Of The State dare to say that the
North should be deceived by a play
which is a tissue Of lies? Surely not!
Why do you agree that the North
ought to see it? Because you know it
is founded on the solid rock Of truth.
I hold that the truth is its own vim
dication-North, South, East and
West.
If my play is true the young South
should know it. If it is false it should
be suppressed. If it is good for one
section it is good for all. I seek ma
tional unity through knowledge of the
truth.
!! I repeat the motif of my play: "a
Lighthouse of Historic Truth Built on
the Sands of Reconstruction"
! Thomas Dixon, Jr.
! Savannah, Ca, October II.
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