The Chicago whip. (Chicago, Ill.) 1919-19??, 1920-07-31
The POOREST KIND OF
JUDGMENT
(from The Florida Times Union,
july ~


July 49,
We do not know of anything that
could do more harm to the nation,
To the South, to the Democratic party
than would be done by the forma-
ton of an order to be known by the
old name Ku klux Khan 1t would
fan the flames of race feeling and
revive sectionalism to degree that
would place the South in the position
it was in during the years following
the war between the states. The
organizers may mean well but they
lack judgment
The Ku Klux Khan was not under
stood even in the South while it
existed. Those who were not con-
nected with it supposed it was en-
tirely lawless though to great ex-
tent they were in sympathy with its
lawlessness. 1t is now known that
while it was lawless from statu-
tory standpoint it was obedient to law
of its own-laws that were founded
on the highest of all constitutions,
the fundamental law of self pre-
servation. When the Ku Klux Klan
was organized it was necessary.
There were practically no govern
ments in the South and the so-callcd
governments then existing were de
vised for the oppression of the white
people of the South. Southern men
were dsfranchised, Southern women
were in danger and the agencies of
law then existing were intended to
Cypress rather than protect Under
the circumstances it was necessary
for Southern men of courage to com
bine to prevent the crime that the
federal government and the carpet
bag governments encouraged, and
they did combine and the world nov
knows that they combined, not TO
food the country with anarchy bat
to prevent anarchy. They combined
to save the South and they saved IT,.
They combined against the govern
ments then existing because there
was no other way of saving the South.
And yet those who are old enough
TO remember the days OF the IA K!4X
Khan know now that great deal of
violence was perpetrated for which
this order was in no degree rcspou-
sible. Its existence furnished. when
any act of violence was perpctratad,
a ready object Of suspicion - divert
attention from the real perpetrators
of the crime. A man could kill an
other whom he hated and turn suspi-
cion to the Ku Klux Khan. The forma-
ton of this order would furnish the
same pfutection ~ faWlessGesg thHt Tt
would not authorize that was furnish
ed fifty years ago.
The old Ku Klux Khan was pro-
duct of the times and a necessity of
the times. There is no necessity or
even excuse for it now. There are
no crimes that cannot be punished
by law. 1t will be remembered that
when the old Ku Klux Kan had ac-
complished its purpose it disbanded.
1t was a body under such perfec. dis
cplne that when the order came for
its dissolution it Immediately ceased
to exist.
The day on which the orders for
the disarmament Of the ku kluz Klan
were sent out and implicitly obeycl
there was much more reason for con
tinued existence Of the order than
there is for its formation now. It is
safe to say that the men VINO were
members of it then would not 20 into
il now or they would not have zone
out of it then. No such discipline
would control it now as controlled
it then and yet it would furnish tho
same cloak for outside lawlessncss
now that it furnished then La"
reigns all over the South and all over
the nation and does not need any
assistance.
Up to and including the campaign
Of 1880 the "bloody shirt" was the
principal appeal that solidiied the
Republicans of the North against the
South. Under the wise administers
ton of Arthur scctionalism died but
was half way resurrectetd by Hughes
four years ago. The formation of 1
this organization would be a ehal-
lenge for the revival of secJional.sm |
in all its bitterness and the challenge
would be accepted.