The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-19
REV. THOMAS DIXON MAKES
PROPOSITION.
Will Pay $1,000 to Any Man Proving
Inaccuracies.
columbia State.)

Rev. Thomas Dixon, Jr.. of New
York, and Mrs. Dixon are stopping at
Wright'S and have been the recipients
of much attention. They have q
number of personal friends in Column
bia. including Rev. and Mrs Henry
Alexander White, who We're neighbors
in Virginia.
Last night Mr.. Dixon was back of
the scenes most OF the time watching
he machinery of the play and perhaps
taking mental observations for the
purpose OF improving the play. Mr..
Dixon has just returned from New
York where he and the manager of
"Clansman Mr.. George H. Brennan,
are making arrangements for an in
definite run of the play.
Several theatres have been offered
them, but for limited periods They
want big theatre for an unlimited
run. Mr. Brennan is Boston news
paper man about 80 years of age and
has been in the theatrical business for
some years. He sent south Candida,
Ghosts and other artistic plays.
This is the first money making show
he has had i'm the South. Mr.. Brennan
will have three companies playing
THE Clansman" next year, one in the
| East, after the New York run. one in
the South and one in the West.
Mr.. DiXOn's Statement.
/.
any statement he might wish to make
relative to the criticisms of his book
which have been made in The State
In complying with the request he pre-
pared the following:
MY play is an attempt to build q
| lighthouse of historic facts on the
sands of Reconstruction. It's scene is
past. Its purpose is present and fu-
ture | am seeking to unite the ma
4 ir,, in I'm of
can never have a real union unless we
| know one another.
THE young generation of the North
| know absolutely nothing of tEe pc
| Rod Of 1865 to 1875. The young folks
of the South know very little. There
| can be no intelligent discussion OF
| the negro problem except i'm the light
of our history.
81 am not reviVing bitter memories
| of a dead past. | am sounding the
| first notes of a movement for the SUI
premacy of the Aryan race in the
modern world.
1.-THE race question is a world wide
| one. The Southern white man who
walked the way of sorrow from 1855 to
l1S75 has a message for the world in
this crisis. ] have tried to speak ii
| in this play without one weak, lame OF
hating word-without one pusilani-
| nous apology or one ignoble fear.
eff we have a question so dark and
dangerous we dare not face it. sure we
| should see fit and face it like men,
| The war settled chattel slavery and
created the negro problem, a bigger
question than it settled. Are We cow
ards? Are we ashamed of our history
or afraid of the future?
His Offer of $1,000.
every scene and incident of my
story is founded on fact. l have in
| my possession sworn testimony for
every line of it. The authenticity of
some of my history has been ques-
toned / make this friendly chal-
lenge to my critics:
II will give any man $1,000 who
will establish a single historical error
| of any Importance in the 10000 de-
tails which make the scenes of my
play / have mastered the contents
and pamphlets in it's preparation. Be-
sides my father, native of York
county, s. c., was member of. the
Khan as was my brother. My uncle,
Colonel Leroy McAfee to whom The
Clansman' is dedicated, sleeps in
South Carolina i'm the old cemetery
at Yorkvlle. If / am working in any
point of history / will gladly give any
man a thousand dollars to correct my
error. 1t will be worth that much to
my play. I thank the people of CO.
lumbia for their magnificent reception
of my play. This city is one of the
burning centres of my action. It's ap-
prevail / appreciate most warmly.
1.-THE idea that a Southern white
man cannot discuss the negro pro-
blem is childish rubbish. The stage
is crying aloud for strong plays that
say something.