The sun., 1908-10-18
"a smoke and HOW to scotch 1t.

The so-called Night Riders that
for year or two have been prose-
aHtipg their abominable activities in
Kentucky and are now beginning to
threaten the peace Of other Southern
Etates remind one very much OF the
Fi1irsii Of murderers and bullies that suo-
ceeded the old Ku Klux Klan in the
later '7Os. The latter organization,
which was launched in 1903 by serious
and responsible men who at least be-
lived sthay had patriotic purpose,
heGan TO lose it's original character in
1879. The scandals of reconstruction
were rapidly abating. The reign Of
thrror was visibly drawing to a close.
Hohestmen saw their wey to withdraw.
to leave the recuperation Of society to
the then developing processes Of law
sndtorder and to lend themselves to
the'countenanoe of a regime which was
about to succeed the pandemonium Of
the preceding ten years. Then it was
tha4ras the substantial and peace low
ing members dropped out of the ranks
and returned to the homes they had to
ths best OF their ability and light en-
deayored to rescue from barbarism, the
idle, the dissolute and the vicious took
their places and soon entered upon a
career Of sheer brutality and violence
that appalled, the country. The Night
Riders d 1908 are at all points a re-
Production of the degenerate Ku Klux
0f5sS0 and thereabouts.
What the South suffered in the one
e1se from those enemies Of its tranquil
lily and progress it seems likely to suffer,
again ut the hands Of this shameful
fecrndeseence. Thirty years have
nassed--thirty years OF orderly develop
Insnt and unparalleled rehabilitation
-@and yet we see, the same yunbridled
ferElessness and murderous mischief
nov that regaied US In 1873. Indeed the
ghastiy procession Of the Night Riders
h Georgia week or 30 ago exceeded
IN malignant vickedness the most lurid
orgies OF reconstruction,
But what are these Southern Gov
ernors about that they palter with such
atrocities2 The Night Riders are not
hard TO deal with where the Executive
has the courage and the will. 1t is not
o case for perfunctory proclamations,
for bulletins of reward or the tender of
invertebrate edmonton. Forty years
age the now prosperous and peaceful
Htate of Texas was confronted by far
worse conditions. It had become the
refuge and resort OF fugitives and des-
peradoes from half the Union. The
ehesalier 6industrie and the profess
sjonaf : murderer ran amuok. Cut.
throats and killers, thieves and SWIM
diers prevailed, and in too many in
stances occupied places Of authority
and influence. The civilization Of Texas
was at stake and the men who had that
civilization in charge acted with bitter
determination and without regard to
cost. PoRF1RIo DIAZ afterWard ap-
piled tc Mexico in the form Of the Rural
Guard the underlying idea of the Texas
Rangers, and order and security fol-
lowed IN both instances. Texas is as
well governed State to-day as Massa-
chusetts 10. Her vast and growing
population dwells under as benign
3 sdispensation Of tranquility. Ex-
sctiy similar results could be achieved
"a kentucky, Georgia and the rest OF
the Southern States now menaoed by
tiis return OF lawlessness.
q Thefe In btit one solution: The Night
Riders should be taken by the throat.