The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-06-08
THE REASON FOR TIE CLANS
MAN.

ago, there is q market for it also. One
of the companies producing the play
on the road this season gave II here
last Saturday, the 2nd inst, before
fair sized and enthusiastic audience.
The general comment wss favorable,
but we were impressed with the cTiti-
csm of q friend, who lamentei the
fact that the clansmen or Klu KluX
baud did not figure more prominently
in the play. That memorable organi-
cation was the basis of the story and
the play, and yet in the latter appears
only as an incident. There was some
mention of the clan in the dialogue
and a scene in the cave where the col
ored boy was made to confess his crime
and due punishment was melted out
TO him, but outside of that there was
little of its workings shown except at
the climax, when tn, clan rescues the
white girl from the clutches Of the
mulatto Northumberland whose
fShite dream" made him over ride
all precedent and the moral code, in
his desire 10 experience social equality,
with thSt other power conferred upon
him by the strenuous conditions then
existing We fully believe that there
is a reason for the play, far more than
there was one for Harriet Beecher
Stoves "Uncle Toms Cabin, that
skiliully drawn story of the alleged
Weaknesses of the stricken South. first
produced at time when there Were
few 20 denounce the many cruel and
misleading conditions it pictured and
winch did SO much to turn conserva-
tive minds against the South aud
change pity to prejuiice. There has
teen outcrles against this unfair play
in the : uthlaud, and even in the
enlightened North, but it still keeps
on telling the same old worn out
story, and nowadays Is nothing but
vehicle for cheap vaudeville and clap
trap.
The reason for the "Clausman,n is
to tell the world the other side of the
story Of the dark days following the
sc of the war, when passion pre-
vailed over personality, when the reius
OF government were in the hands of
scouudrels and scallawags ana when
crime, hideous and uuabashed, s'alked
abroad in that far land 30 recently laid
a>te by fire and sword. Any school
history, fairly written, will tell the
same fact, but nothing acts SO quickly
upon the mind and heart as cieverly
portrayed picture If these events be-
hind the footiights As there is
reason for the dramatic "CAnsmau"
OF today, 30 in the reconstruction
times following the surrender of the
lamented Lee at AppomattoX, there
was n strong reason for the real clans
men. 1t was stern reality then. The
sons of the South had returned to
their darkened homes to turn the
sword again into the pillow share, and
to try aud recoup their lost fortunes,
trusting that magnanimous enemy
in the hour of misfortune, would aid
them in their peaceful plans. Many
homes were without fathers or sons,
they having fallen upon the field of
battle, and many OF the noble women,
who had been so much for the cause,
took hold of the farm work or had
faithful slaves who remained with
them to the end. But the eman-
clpation had loosened upon the
South horde of ignorant negroes,
who lured on by the promises of power
aud equality and fancled revenge for
wrongs suffered in the slavery DAYS,
became menace to the good order
and safety of the home and tireside.
Backing these demoralizsd human be-
lngs were white demons from the
North, who, seeming prey from dis
lance, had swooped down on stricken
Dixie Lsnd, put its laws at naught,
debauched its former servants and
with the government winkiug at all
disorders, created confusion worse con-
founded and wholesale corruption on
every hand. Not only the criminal
laws were openly violated but also the
moral laws as we'll were defed and
black rs well as white criminals hest
tated at nothing 50 log a. it gaiaeI
them SOME teastical or financial recon-
pense.
At first the South was staggered at
this new danger They had hoped
that the wars end had opened new
era, and were prepared to do their
share in building up new and better
country. This great horror came upon
them at a time when they were power
less to d. ought to prevent. For the
protection Of their homes, the honor
of their mothers, their wives, their
sisters and their daughters and their
rights a men who had fought bravely
a who had upheld 10 the last
worthy cause they were bound to do
something. anu this critical condition,
wuen all civil and military power was
in the hands of Northern despoilers