The Washington bee., 1909-05-22

Ranies.
Louisville, Ky.-Thera has not
ssn. 1t is said, q crime of mob vio-
ence committed in this State, in
tennessee. or, in fact. IN any Of the
outhern States or IN any OF the
Middle Western States IN the past
sVerRl years. with the exception OF
he OccaEional lynching of a negro
~ q mob, that has not been should
bred On the Night Riders.
The Night Riders we're an organ
SSd body back In 1900. when the
Rate Legislature passed law do
AE away with private ownership OF
GAts roads. For months the turn
Pike corporations refused TO obey
he state laws. They appealed TO
As State Supreme Court. then to
ne Court Of Appeals, and lastly to
ne United States Supreme Court,
nd en- each appeal they would get
stay which made 1t possible for
ben to continue running their toll
Eates and charging two cents 8 mile
Or every hsrse or vehicle that passed
vOr their property.
Because sS the laws delay the
saditieR Of the roads became ina
Asstkfe. The owners Of the turn
tksE would net ezpeAd enc cent
or improvements as long a. there
re- question sf their losing their
~S1srsy ~ = Azal sesrt decision.
at they aid E0t cease to Rulct tFAV-
2lSrs- All thts while they refused
accept the fair price sGersd By
he State for thsir reads.
II Was thea that the Night Riders
SSrs organised. Tas organization
RrOad from Shelby County to every
psxt sf the State. AAa enc night in
he late fall men rode from their
hsAss Azd began burning toll gates.
ASTs is no record Of 3 toll gate
seRSF being injured uAlsss he show
a resistance. Thsz he Was taken
ZEN the house. and If he eentiauea
~ SsAant be was AoEsSd. In
ainSsY-Rins cases cut Of 3 hundred
Aa tsls gate keeper vas glad to give
p his tsb End let the gate burH.
Night Riders undoubtedly brought
he turnpike corporations to terms.
here wAs Hot toll gate left stand
nE IN the State of Kentucky BY the
OIIowinE spring. Had the taxpGy-
n and farmers been contented TO
New the law to take its never snd.
AZ course the chances are that toll
1tes would still be holding Hp ira
sIlers on the State roads to-day,
nd that the roads would have bsen
vorse now than they were when the
Night Riders became organized.
The Kentucky roads now ere
mong the best in the United States.
rhere are not millions Of dollars Of
vatered stock on which to pay int
rsst, and the State tax has improv-
"a them and even made 1t possible
or almost all OF them to be sprin-
kIsd with oil during the summer
eason, thus laying the dust.
The success of the Night Riders
the war against toll gates led to
a organization of q similar char
cter when the fight was waged
gainst the American Tobacco Com
any. But out Of this last organiEa-
Ion there grew a body OF violent
men, who live on excitement and
hrive on lawlessness. Then sprang
., too, lawless bodies OF men in
many OF the Southern and Middle
Western States, who chose to call
themselves Night Riders, though the
Probabilities are that SO per cent, OF
be men didn't own so much as
orse TO ride.
II a list Of the original body Of
ught Riders could be had the
names are that the names OF many
nsn who figured in the operations
{ the old Ku-Klux gang would be
sand, and II this list were sifted
own II would show that many prop
rty-owners and men Of prominence
sd resortsd to violence because Of
heir belief that action was their
ally safeguard against ruin, and
hat a defiance Of Law had to be met
q like defiance.