University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1910-12-13

zation was the grand Wizard" who
was none other than the famous Con
Ifederate cavalry leader, General Nath-
an Bedford Forrest. The object, as
set forth in its constitution, was to
iprotect people from indignities and
wrongs; to succor the suffering. par
iticularly families of dead Confederate
soldiers; to defend the Constitution
OF the United States and laws passed
in conformity thereto: 70 support the
constitutions OF the states; to aid in
executing constitutional laws; and to
protect the people from unlawful seiz-
ures and from trial otherwise than by
| jury. The one inviolable law among
its members was secrecy and silence.
The other similar organizations
were smaller in membership. but they
were operated upon the same general
plans and We're looking to the same
ultimate end-the driving out of the
stranger in the land and the re-estab-
!ishment of white supremacy. The
knights of the White Camellia" de.
clared it was their aim TO maintain
and defend the social and political su-
periority of the white race on this
continent" giving to the negroes the
fullest measure OF those rights which
We recognize as theirs.
Though negroes were treated un-
fairly at times. and it was right for
the Federal government 10 try to sup-
press such clans. it is evident that
the "kukluXinS' administered to mcm-
Dcrs of the disturbing element did
much toward holding in check the
criminal and trouble-seeking class OF
blacks. With the negroes, "carpet
baggers" and 'scalawags" in control
of the legislative. judicial and execu-
tive departments, the most imperious.
proud and sensitive branch of the
English race was forced to bow in
obedience to q strange hand; or il
must rise up in great and secret
movement to regain its position of
leadership And practically every one
of this branch was a member of or
'ympathiZer with one of these organi-
cations.
These people saw their friends con.
Hlctsd by incompetent, unfair and Of
ten negro judges and juries; they saw
negroes being taught to commit crimes
and depredalions against their former
masters; they saw the Loyal League"
urging the old slaves to take advan-
tage of all the privileges and powers
granted them; and they saw the
'Freedmans Bureau" deliberately try
ing to force upon them its alien ma
chinery for the natural relations be.
tween blacks and whites that seemed
to the Southerners proper and newt.
able. They saw and understood all
these things, Yet they dared not move,
save in secrecy.
II this had been all. there would
have been just cause for such move
ments as the "Ku KluX Klan:" but
there was more In every drunken
carOusel in the negro quarters: in
every outrage against persons or
property; in every fiendish laugh from
a group of idle blacks; in every case
ol repeating al elections, in every de- |
liant move b. one of these liberated
men. they saw the strange and scarlet
hand
Though they operated more by in !
t!mldation than by violence, but by /
violence when necessary. the secret
clans did much toward curbng the
power that threatened the whole
South. Because they did not and
could not know the conditions of that
section. the people of the North looked
lpon this movement as menace to
tne nation. 1t was a menace. in so Il
Tar that people were fighting to re-
gain power that had been taken from /
them and placed in the hands of an.
other that was just emerging from
Gradually the whites regained the
land, and in 1876 the last vestige of
'carpetbag rule and negro domina-
ION passed away. Though nominally
iisbanded several years previous to
his time, the "Ku Klux Klan' had !.
continued to exist But with the res
-oration Of the states into the hands
,f its own people. the Khan had per-
.ormed its service, and it, too, passed
1ut or existence. 1t needed not TO
i've, for new South was born and
here was not "the stranger in the
and" JASPER C. HJrTTO
ONLY ONE SEAL