The Tupelo journal., 1910-01-21
Night Riding at Reelfoot Lake
and Elsewhere.


Recent dispatches from Tennessee
tell of unrest in the Reelfoot Lake dis
riot. Notices have been posted giving
warning that the fish docks must
be vacated within the week, and team
sters engaged in hauling fish from the
lake to Union City have been warned
to leave the country within ten days.
Obion county, in short. fears another
epidemic of night-riding outrages.
The cause is not far to seek. says the
New Orleans Picayune. The murderers
OF Capt. Rankin remain unpublished The
work Of the first jury, whose members
braved the threats Of assassination and
returned a verdict of guilty. was IN
done in the upper courts, and on the
second trial the jury disagreed. There
seems to be small prospects indeed that
later trials, if any are attempted. will
be any more successful, and the failure
of justice brings the customary results,
more immediate and conspicuous in
this case than in others because the
failure itself has been more fragrant
ind conspicuous. 1t may be said to
the credit of Tennessee that the State
government has practically done all in
its power to avenge n of the foulest
crimes in its history, and such blame
as attaches must be charged to the
courts or the %juries.
The failures or Indifferent successes
Of state campaigns against these night
riding outlaws gives larger Importance
to the campaigns which the Federal au-
thorities have inaugurated in Kentucky.
1t is reported that for months secret
agents of the government have been
gathering evidence in the t~errorized
districts, which will be made the basis
of a suit for dissolution of one of the
Tobacco societies" whose name COM
mon report has linked with the KeR-
lucky night riders. 1t is only fair to say
that the society in question. through
its officers has always denied any con-
nection with the night-riding organiza-
ton. The government view seems to
be, however, that the night riders haye
usually selected as victims those plan
ters who refused to subscribe to the
pooling arrangement of the tobacco So
ciety. or independent buyers who pur-
chased the crops of the independent
planters. 1t is reasoned that, if the
pooling arrangement can be out lawed,
the incentive to the cowardly outrages
will be destroyed-a roundabout way of
reaching the evil, perhaps. but one
whose employment may be defended as
necessary because the more direct
methods have failed.
If the government plans have been
correctly reported. and the prosecution
is actually begun, we shall doubtless
hear loud complaints that the tobacco
farmers are being prosecuted" Apol-
ogists of the Kentucky night riders
have made much of the plea that their
quarrel was with the tobacco trust"
That plea, even if 1t were based upon
fact, might be answered. But in this
case answer is unnecessary, for the
night riders have made war upon far
mers who sought to exercise rights
guaranteed to them under the Consti-
stitution, and upon the defenseless
wives and children of those farmers.
The state has failed to suppress or pun
ish this outlawry, and it is obviously
the duty of the Federal government to
take such steps as are possible for the
suppression of what has amounted to It
times to anarchy. Ii the government
cannot prosecute successfully in a
court of law, its plan fails, of course,
and neither the tobacco society nor the
night riders have any grievance. The
last named, it is tolerably clear. are
barred from appeal to any court of
equity, for he who comes into the TO
rum must come with clean hands.