The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-12-03
Editorial
of the Day
NIGHT RIDERS


(From Christian Science Monitor)
Some months ago, in one of the
chief cities of a southern state, the
passing Of procession Of Confederate
veterans through the streets was
made the occasion of strange and
unexpected demonstration. At the
end of the marching host, coming from
nobody knew whittier, there suddenly
appeared a body of whitcclad horse
men Conical helmets and long flow
ing robes gave TO each the semblance
of his fellow, and cffectually concealed
the identity of all There were no
audible commands, no unnecessary
movement, and as the hundreds Of
ghostly figures swept silently through
the streets the applause for the veter-
ans faded away and the thoughts
of the watching crowds seemed to
turn back, with one accord, to the
days of long ago, when the South
was in turmoil, and the famous Ku-
Klux Klan rode forth a'nights. No
doubt the stirring of old memories
was one object of these silent horse
men, but the main purpose was to
call public attention 10 the fact that
the old Ku-Klux Klan has been re-
vived, and is now carrying on" with
much the same motive and method
of the days of its origin.
The old Ku-Klux came out of Ten
nessee, so tradition has it. AS the
story goes, il was originally just an
association OF the younger men for
mutual pleasure and amusement Un-
der the stress of political disturb
ances of the reconstruction period.
however, it became a widespread Sc
cret order, or fraternity, taking the
law into its own hands in the effort
TO keep the older white element OF
the southern states from being over
whelmed by the operations of un-
scrupulous politicians, whether me-
gro or white Not in all parts of the
South did the order go by the same
name. Different groups had varied
and fantastic appellations, OF a sort
not unusual among secret orders
There were the Knights of the White
Camella, and there were the Pale
Faces, for example. Sometimes the
neighborhood group merely went by
the name of The Brotherhood. But
eventually all came under the name
of the Ku-Klux Klan, and acquired
rather complete organization. An air
Of mystery was cultivated. not only
in the secrecy and silence with which
all activities of the Klan were con-
Quoted, but in its nomenclature. Its
sphere of operations was referred 10
as the Invisible Empire, a term which
came TO be sententious throughout the
South. Each state was realm,
ruled over by a Grand Dragon; each
congressional district dominion,
ruled by Grand Titan, while each
county had its camps" or "dens,
each under the sway of Grand
Cyclops. The members of den
called themselves "ghouls."
What with such names, and tho
posting OF mysterious warnings here
and there in such manner that no
one, apparently, could tell whence or
how the portentous writings made
their appearance-not to mention the
crude sign of the skull and cross
bones or dripping dagger that usu-
ally produced upon n credulous and
superstitious people. One hardly needs
to picture the appearance OF the night
riders on some lonely southern road
or their sudden though silent mid
night incursion into some quiet door
yard, in order to realize the ease
with which exaggerated tales became
current as 10 the vast numbers sup
posed to be included in the klar
or the supernatural nature Of its mem
bership and its achievements. The
credulous ones who, themselves soli'
tary, should come upon the nigh
riders in full regalia, might well have
told strange stories. For riders ano
horses were almost completely hid
den in masks. pointed caps and flow
ing robes, in which cardboard was
skillfully contrived TO present out
landish shapes and mysterious out
lines.
In its early purposes the Klan In
cluded many Of chivalrous ma
ture. In fact its members seem t'
prided themselves ON some resem
blance OF their order 10 that of th'
knights OF still earlier times. They
set themselves to protect the veal
and innocent from the outrages of tn
lawless and brutal. They undertook
the relief of the injured and op
pressed. They pledged themselves Il
assist the government in the execution
of all constitutional laws. Appar
entity purposes Of this nature are re
vived In this new version or tn
brotherhood that is now claiming al
tention IN the South. In organization
and nomenclature, also, the new kla'
suggests the old. There are eve
certain members In the new order wh
are said to have held membcrshi
\ IN the old Khan at the time when
was dsbandcd years ago. The nc'
order, like the old. bases its lnvisibl
Empire on pledges OF chivalry an
virtue. Presumably II Will neve
change. as the old did. to basis
terrorism.