Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-01-31
WHAT THE PRESS IS SAYING.
SOME CURRENT COMMENT ON TIMELY TOPICS
THE SIMPLE TRUTH OF 1T.
columbus Enquirer-Sun.)


Already it seems, the Enquirer
Suns structures on the so-called mod
e,n Ku Klux Klan-a sinister secre
order which, if permitted to flour
ish and gain ascendancy in the South
is going to do more to provoke unres
and disorder than any movement o
late ycars-has drawn the fire o
those individuals and newspapers tina
are either in sympathy with the or
der or ignorant of its real aims, a
well as the danger that turks in it
masked and hooded activities.
In the latter class, we suppose
we shall have to place our sprightly
young contemporary, the Americas
Times-Recorder; for its past record
for sancness and fairness is too wei
established, and its present profes
sions of opposition to all that is in.
tolerant and un-American are too EN-.
phatic for US to doubt that its heart
is right, however blind it may be
for the moment, to certain unde.
niable and ominous facts.
Our Americas neighbor, for in:
stance, in discussing what it is pleas,
ed to term distinct indications of
a bitter secret fight on the Khan be-
ing developed by certain church in
terests"-as if the secrecy involved
were not, in reality, all on the other
sidc-for some unaccountable rea-
son, singles out the Enquirer-Sun
for this rather unkind and unprovok-
ed rejoinder:
"The subject of the formation of
a new organization bearing the old
name of Ku Klux Khan is worrying
several Southern editors quite as
much as it is worrying certain North
ern newspapers who know little and
suspect lot about the South and
its people. * s.
"There are distinct indications in
some circles Of bitter secret fight
on the Klan being developed by GER
tain church interests. The well
known Catholic sympathies of the
new proprietors Of the Columbus En-
quirer-Sun-which is of no concern
or interest Of this paper, every man
being conceded his right of complete
religious freedom-is pointed to by
certain friends of the Khan as hav-
ing a connection with bitter attacks
on the Klan recently appearing III.
that paper. "
eve hope we are wrong in report
ing these deductions. 1t would be
indeed to have stirred up
in Georgia-Or any part Of our coun
try-a war between a powerful
church and a powerful secret or
ganization. Yet it appears that there
is a strong drift in that direction
that threatens dire trouble ahead
if persisted in"
Instead of avoiding the somewhat
personal (not to say proVinciaD issue
thus raised by our still esteemed
young contemporary, we gladly walk
out to meet it; and dispose of it,
if we may, once for all-relying
upon our neighbours sense of fair
ness to correct Immediately the inn
preston that its incorrect personal
reference to the publishers of the
Enquirer-Sun seeks to create.
In the first place, know all men
by these presents-if it is, really,
anybody's business but our own
that it so happens, that -
Neither of the owners of the En-
quirer-Sun is a Catholic; nor are
they any more in sympathy with the
Catholic church than any other
church-but, frankly, in sympathy
with all of them; though not COM
municants of any.
Nor is there anyone connected
with this newspaper who is a Catho-
lie, as far as we know; though, of
course, there is no reason why they
should not be, so far as we, or any
one else, need be concerned.
Nor do we know of any "secret
fight" being made on the Ku Klux
Khan by certain church interests; :"
on the contrary, our own condemna-
ton of it has been, and will continue
to be, open and abovc-board, and
without reference to the opinion Of
any other individual, newspaper, or
organization of any kind, religious
or secular.
SO much, then, for the silly impu-
tation that we are what we are not,
or that we have any motive or pur-
pose to serve in attacking this
sinister and mischievous order, other
than the high purpose of serving the
best interests of the public as a
whole; and, to that end, condemning
with all the force of which we are
capable, every particu-
larly a secret and masked organiza-
tion--that seeks to play on the pas.
sions and prejudices of the people,
and disturb their peaceful relations,
whether white or black, Jew or Gen
tile. Catholic or Protestant.
And, if there be those who cannot
comprehend this high and patriotic
motive, then they only excite ou
pity; while if there be those who will
not understand it, then they mere.
ly provoke our contempt.
But, in either event, we find some
satisfaction in the fact, that Other
leading Southern newspapers hap