The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-21

"The Clansman.r an historical ro-
nance OF the Ku Klux Kan BY
Thomas Dixon. Jr., illustrated by Ar
thur I. Keller. has been published by
Doubleday, Page & Co, of New York
The pronounced and in some respects
remarkable success of 1.-The Leopard's
Spots" in which Mr.. Dixon undertook
TO set forth in novel form h story OF
negro Acknowledgement and disinfran-
chisement, doubtless serves as a sum-
cient justification for this second story
from his pen dealing with the after
math OF the war between the north and
the south, says the Washington star.
'sThe Leopard's Spots" fell far short of
its claim to be an answer to Uncle
Toms Cabin Just so 1.-The Clansman"
falls short of being a truly great his
torfcal story. For it, like its predeces-
sor, is marred by ex~aggerations.
The story is adroitly shaped to elicit
sympathies Of a certain class of
northern readers, in that it glorihes the
character OF Abraham Lincoln. But It
IS a sign Of MI Dixon's lack of true
artistic perception that he frequently
insists upon Lincoln's southern extrac-
ton Graphically and with
vividness he describes first the situa-
tiOn in Washington preceding and fol-
lowing the assassination of the presi-
dent. and the titanic struggle between
the new executive and congress But
despite a literal following of the sal
lent points of the historical narrative,
Mr.. Dixon allows himself many liber-
ties of Imagination and Interpretation
which rob his fiction of any value
whatsoever as 4 true presentation of
the case.
The whole story centers about the
personality and the activities of Aus
tin Stoneman, under which designation
Mr.. Dixon presents a portrait of Thad-
deus Stevens. the great cOmmoner.'
In point of physical delineatiOn and
grouping of main facts as to this mans
life the author has followed nj. Stew
ems biography fairly closely. But in
point Of his motives and his ultimate
aims Mr.. Dixon has seriously strayed
from the truth, so far as it is known
today. That Stevens vas a radical re-
publican, that he fought the south
with all the intensity of his strong
nature. and that in the forwarding of
his policies as to its treatment after
the war he went further than many OF
his associates approved, IS undoubted-
" true. But that he was the maIg-
h south after the war, seeking to
A~fricanize the seeding states out OF
sheer vengeance and for the
Of huTniliating the whites of that reg
Nor IS 1t established that Stevens la
3n mind the subversion of the republic
through the deposition Of Andrew
johnson and the establishment of q
"a
The story Of the Ku Klux Klan is
considerably foreshortened, and the rise
and fall Of that organization are des-
cr1bed rather hurriedly and with a
somewhat confusing multitude OF de
tails pertaining to other phases of the
reconstruction period. In other words,
Mr. Dixon has spent sc much time on
his foundations that the story proper.
regarding 1t as a revelation of the true
inwardness Of the great secret associa-
ton Of the south, is somewhat made
quate. The love theme involves the
mating of a northern man to a south
ern girl, and the brother n sister of
this pair to each other. Mr.. Dixon has
secured his complications chiefly by
making h two young northern people
the son and daughter of the great
commoner." leading up to a rather the
atrical climax.