The Washington herald., 1909-01-17
rBv Permission Of ths Author.l


and the map-makers 90 not show it as
very large dot on the surface OF the Unit
ed states. But the dot IS the lower part
Of a gigantic interrogation point. and the
question which il indicates is no less i'm
pOrtant than this:
Shall American institutions Crunble in
10 anarchy or shall the spirit of the law
prevail?
Never has similar question been more
sharply presented 70 any community than
20 the people Of Montgomery County. Of
which CIarksville is the county seat, and
never has a community been thrown
more absolutely upon its own resources
10 fight and worry out an answer For
that portion of Montgomery County's
citizenship which stands for law and or
der and makes no truce with crime has
had bat little help. little understanding.
and little encouragement from the outside
world
The stranger entering CIarksville for
the first time is at once struck by the
anomaly Of the situation in which he
finds himself
Here is a city Of 1000 people. in the
midst OF one Of the richest sections OF
country supposed to be at peace with all
the world; but here. also. is town which
has been an armed camp for mare than
year. ready day and night TO do battle
for its existence at the first sound Of an
alarm.
Pickets watch the ways Of entrance at
night posses Of citizens, armed with au-
tomato shOtgUns charged with buckshot.
patrol the streets OF hold themselves in
readiness in the armOry- a lookout
searches the country and listens from the
courthouse tower. which dominates the
landscape for miles around. and the
streets buzz and whisper with TumOr,
suspicion. and distrUst
For the night riders have sworn that
they viii raid the place and wreck IL
even as they dealt with Hopkinsville. a
few miles away across the Kentucky bor-
der. on the morning Of December :. 1907
Therefore Clarksville sleeps on its arms
and watches
ClarksviIle is the Oldest market in the
dark tobacco district. and its destruction
Is the goal OF night rider desire even
more than was that OF Hopkinsville-
Plans Frustrated.
An advance upon the town has been
planned three separate times. but the
plans have been given up in each instance
before an actual conflict with the citizens
took place
II would be hard town 10 take. Il is
situated on sort Of peninsula. near the
junction Of the Red River with the Cum
berlard.
From the country districts where the
night riders operate there are three rr;n-
r-f-- ---~D
Two Of these approaches are over narrow
covered bridges. where quite an army.
unless IL had cannon, could be stood OF
by a smaller body
Night rider spies are forever recon
nOitering the town, but the reports which
they take back TO their secret meetings
DO not seem 70 be favorable Il is how
ever, the plan Of the ciJy's defenders. II
the night riders ever get up enough cOu-
rage 70 make a raid. as they have upon
HopkinsViile and other Kentucky towns.
&c let them enter. 10 guard the wavs OF
egTess 50 that none OF them escape. and
TO kill them all IN the streets, Il possible
do not care 10 advertise too thorough-
y the plans OF the defenders Of Clarks-
vile, but my advice 70 any enterprising
band OF night riders is 10 stay away.
For the town IS not only a camp at pres
4
6s well SeEne Kentucky towns are re-
ported to have invested in GatIings and
Maxinas, but Clarksville wants the night
riders to get far enough into the city so
that the range viii be nice and easy for
No. 8 buckshOt. which, as enc citizen ex-
pressed II TO me, certainly does DO con-
siderable tearin'"
The history OF the night rider outrsces
IN Montgomery County and the adjoin-
ing counties Of Tennessee is not essen
italy different from the story Of the to-
becco war across the border in Kentucky
The half dozen Tennessee counties and
the score Of Kentucky counties which
have a natural monopoly OF the produc-
ton of dark tobacco are separated only
BY political and imaginary lines: the
sentiment and conditions which prevail
are very similar
In spite OF the fact that they had prac-
tically z monopoly OF the production Of
dark tobacco, the farmers found. in the
year 1903 and for several years preceding
that they were unable 10 get enough for
their tobacco 10 pay them for raising il.
The tobacco trust had practically de-
EtTOyed competition; the farmers had to
take what the trust offered OF nothing
They awOke 10 their opportunities and
organized trust OF their Own-a trust. or
union, or an association; call Il what
you please. This organization was formed
at Guthrie. KY. September q. 1915. and
Its title was the Dark District Tobacco
Planters Protective Association. II was
capitalized az only Sl,090-there were 900
shares at par value Of 81 each-and
with this arrangement il was proposed 10
control the marketing, and therefore the
price. OF the 100. 000.O .O0O pounds Of tobacco
~saf Fr ~~r-~- Z u
Black Patch" in Kentucky and Tenues-
see, worth about $5.0o0,O0o
X was the intention Of the leaders OF
the association 10 sell the entire crop
pledged by the planters IN one lump 10
one buyer It was announced thai. % Der
cent OF the whole crop had been pledged.
but II IS very doubtful IL the proportion
pledged was really that great. The first
pledges 10 the association were made for
one year. They covered the crop of Igl5.
Then pledges promising the handling of
The crops of 1876, 1867. and 1893 70 the
leaders Of the association were circulated
BY the district managers. The response
70 this three-year pledge proposition on
the part OF the farmers was not rapid
enough TO ssit tie leaders. and 50 they
began 10 cast about for some method u
persuade al the farmers TO pledge their
tobacco and join the association.
General Boycott.
The method hit upon at first was a gen
eraI boycott. Resolutions we're adopted
stating that the association members
would withhold from the hill billies7 (es
the nonassociation farmers are called al
the friendly and neighborly assistance 50
usual IN rural communities. such as helT
IN harvesting. gathering ice. killing hogs
and 50 forth Merchants were called upor
not 70 buy any produce from the hill
billies o. to sell them anything Al
varieties Of social boycott. extending &c