Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-10-20
CLANSMAN and THE negro.
Rev. Richard Carroll Writes OF Rev.
Thomas DlXOn'S Play.
CALCULATED To STIR UP STRIFE.

Leading Representative OF the negro
Race Seems to Be Unduly Excited
Over What Promises to be Passing
sensation-Says, and Very Correctly
Too That II Was Wade Hampton
Rather Than the Ku KIux Who Re-
deemed South Carolina.
The News and Courier and the CO.
lumbia State of last Tuesday contain
the following from the Rev. Richard
Carroll, as to Tom Dixon's Clansman'
recently produced in Columbia:
Nothing that 1 can say for or
against the play in the opera house In
Columbia on Saturday afternoon Will
have any effect for or against tine
Clansman," but I asked space In your
paper to express my feelings In refer
ence to 1.-THE Clansman."
Through the kindness of Mr.. Brown
he manager Of the Columbia opera
house, l was given seat on the first
floor on last Saturday afternoon. Since
I feared that my presence might cause
a commotion among the white people,
who would "see a niger in the WOOD
pile" I moved and took position near
the door and stood throughout the per-
formance. About twelve years ago l
was introduced to the Rev. Thomas
Dixon in Boston by a southern preach
er. while 1 was attending the Northern
Baptist anniversaries. At that time
the Rev. Thomas Dixon, Jr., was
preaching Peace on earth and good
will toward men," He was pastor OF
a Baptist church in Boston. Later on
he went to New York and continued
to preach. AS he came into the opera
house, 1 recognized him and, after he
sat for a few minutes to witness the
play that he had written, he got up and
went out. 1 followed him and made
myself known to him. or course, ne
said that he was glad to meet me
again and so forth. told the Rev.
Mr.. Dixon that I thought this play was
an outrage and calculated to injure
both races in the south. He said to
me: you stay until the play Is over
and you will endorse 1t. I have had
the endorsements Of prominent ne
groes who have seen the play" Then
said: "Mr. Dixon, are you In earn
est? Are you doing this for the good
of the negro in the south?" He said:
Yes. there is no chance for the negro
to get Justice in this country. The
United States government will have TO
set aside some territory for the ne
groes and let them govern themselves
partly in this country and partly IN
Africa. It Is simply a matter or I'M
possibility for the white people Of this
country to give the negro justice and
treat him as man." etc.
went back into the opera house
and stayed until the play was over
From the beginning to the end the
negro was represented as a brute, a
beast and a demon from hell. No play
that has ever come to the south or has
been exhibited in this country is cal
culated to do more harm to both races
than 1.-The Clansman.' 1t appeals To
the lowest and the meanest nature IN
the white man. It's moral erect upon
him and upon all who see 1t Is simply
terrible in the extreme. 1t Is an insult
to Almighty God and an outrage 70
humanity. Think Of the children, who
were present. the little white girls ano
white boys. What will be the harvest
of such seed sowing in youthful minds
Is a terrible thought. No white man
can witness this play without feeling
mean and bitter toward the negro.
When the play was over 1 said tc
myself that 1t would not surprise me
If some white man would put a bullet
through me. l hastened out Of the
opera house and got away as quickly
as possible. l have never been sc
demoralized in all my life-I have new
er had my feelings so wrought up
The self control and patience of the
white people who saw this play Is the
only thing that prevents them from
beginning a wholesale slaughter of the
negroes. After the play was over ano
was on a Shandon car l listened tC
conversation between three white
women, who evidently lived in Shandon
A woman of refinement and culture q
noticed this from her conversation ano
from her speech she must have come
from Charleston or the lower country
said to the other women: II do moi
think that my afternoon was proftably
spent" She also said that most Of
the men in the play were Yankees anc
knew very little of the south.
Mr.. Editor, your paper and hundreds
Of other papers in the south, the
preachers of the Gospel, the Law and
Order Leagues and other fair-mindeo
and conservative white people have
been, and are now, working hard tc
bring about peace and prosperity ir
the south. You have been striving
manfully for law and order, and your
efforts have already borne fruit, and
the future seems bright; but 1.-THE
Clansman" is destined to tear dowr
the temple of justice, destroy all the
accomplished good, and throw the
south into a panic that will not only
injure the negro, but the white mar
also.
No evil can come to the negro from
any source that will not injure the
white people, unless history fails to re-
peat itself, events be untrue and the
Bible is not the Book of God. What
in the world could have prompted the
Rev. Dixon to write this play, and be-
come the author of Leopard Spots
and "The Clansman?" 1 am sure thai
God did not do it. The play, from start
to finish, is irreverence to God and
mockery of justice, and seems to have
been conceived in sin and born ir
iniquity."
said to the Rev. Dixon: Rev. Dix
on, you should be giving money to re.
deem and elevate the negro, and ir
this way you would be helping your
own race"
He said to me: You write me tc
Charleston, as l might help you ir
your work." but could l or any man
who believes in God, receive this blood