Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-31

house is a loTt UNTO hSeii'
and the very atmosphere partakes OF
such spirit of uneasiness and fear
that loaded arms are never out OF
reach lest the dreaded night rider
strike an unsupported bow. under man
the darkness.
Daylight reveals bands of tobacco grow
ers rowing the country and augmenting
their numbers by arms and. personal
threats. The darkness CT midnight Sc
cureiy enfolds companies Of masked mon.
securing the state with flaming torch and
ready rife, who strike with little warn
ing. leaving behind u trail of bloOdshed
and devastation. and mysteriously disap-
pear into the shadows.
The night rider has. he thinks. rca-
son cor being and had his origin two years
ago In the bitter fight raised over tobacco
prices. Tobacco sold, he claims for less
than 1t cost to raise it and poor folks were
making less than thirty cents day.
The only remedy lay in pooling the
crop and holding it for money.
Hundreds flocked to this standard and
five associations were formed. affiliated
under the name the American Society of
Equity. In the course of a few months
5000 members were enrolled In the two
largest societies, the Burley Tobacco
Association and the Dark Tobacco AS
ISOLATION. controlling an output f:,.D. COB
n3a pounds. more than 20 per cent of
the states crop of tobacco.
They are said to be withholding the
1905. 1907 and In some cases the 1905 crops
from the companys market. This. of
course, means that the tobacco growers
are short of about SD. 600 GOO--last wears
ncome-the banks ara refusing them cred
IL. insurance companies are declining to
write property risks and are actually can
ceiling policies. and the chance Of IA 1MS
crop is very remote. This is almost a
death blow to kentuckys greatest indus
try and crisis is at hand.
Tobacco prices have risen amazingly
and the asSc citation credits this to itself
No doubt II deserves much of the credit
though other elements lave entered into
tie situation. But what Is most pro-
vGking to the planters is the fac! that
nrtces have risen mostly for the Hill
Billys''-the tobacco growers, who re
manned side the assoc alton. and are
rewarded by the independent buyer.
r
TIE leaders OF tie movement appreciate
tie fact t.at for It to accomplish its
purpose there must he no nor-"nionists
They are not as plentiful as they were
but persuas sion has failed to bring all
the independent growers into the fold
This. then, is the immediate cause Of
the might riders. ard they have not
only done effective missionary work. but
have inaugurated veritable reign Of
terror.
\ crusade Of devastat on has been en-
tered into which up 10 this time has
caused the loss Of S3a.Ts.oH "f property
and the sacrifice of lives. Whole COM
munities are divided. neighbor against
neighhor. friend against friend and rela
tive against relative. Even more startling
than this is the fact that the attitude of
the state herself has seemingly been
''laissez faire." Whether she is unab BILE
10 cope with the situation or merely is
dazed by it's enormty remains to he
seen.
In a circuit court in Todd county
packed with excited men. prominent
la wyer declared If the night riders did
violate the law they should go unpun-
ished.
On the very next night large tobacco
factory was burned at Trenton and an
other set on ii"e. \ snuff factory was
also dynamitod al Elkion.
The night riders suddenly swoop"d down
upcn Princeton the night of the I'd of
March. ING. All were mounted armed
md masked. After firing the usual pre-
iimina:y shots. Il 8 nile reminder OF their
presence. they SIT fire TO several carloads
OF tobacco owned by ion- association par