The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1921-07-28
INTIMATE DESCRIPTION OF COL.
VIM. SIMMONS, X. X. X. ORGAN. ,
IZER, DRAWN BY CAN'T.
Former South Carolina Editor Tell.
who Man is Who is Attempting
to Revive klan. .f,a
The Work of the Klan

r
aole controversy in the state press
over the introduction of a society
named the Ku Klux Klan, of which
Col. William Simmons, of Georgia 10
organizer and Grand Cyclops. From
what we can gather the concensus Of
opinion is that no such organization
is needed here and il is more than
llkely to do harm by melting racial
troubles and unnecessarily alarming
the brother in black" and whom.
IKE unto the poor, we will always
nave with us. But despite opposi-
tion' this new secret society is said to
De organizing lodges all over our
state and is gaining a strong foot
hold even north of the Mason and
Dixon line, where the one-time
bloody shirt wavers are alarmed over
the immigration into their midst of
50 many negroes from the Sunny
South.
have known Col. Bill Simmons
ORGANIZER and chief head of this Ku
hluN Society, for 10 these MANY
years. We lived in neighboring
counties and the same congressional
district. Colonel Simmons is an able
lawyer and polished Southern gen
tleman of spotless character. But
he has ever heen an uncompromis-
ing, rantankerous,red-h -still-a
heating, organized Democrat. Te
looked with disapproval on the Farm
ers Alliance, and to mention Tom
watson in his presence was to cause
| Bill Simmons to manifest everv
| symptom of political hydrophobia.
Colonel Simmons is a good church
man, but if the Democratic conven-
ton repudiated the Ten Command
ments and an opposition party made
them part Of its platform, he would
unhesitatngly endorse and, if called
on take the stump in support of his
party and its creed.
Colonel Simmons has a commend
able ambition for public honors, but
MS extreme views have never per
mltted him to advance further than
his front gate.
When we Democrats in the old
h'hth Georgia district were beating
the bushes to find a candidate to nit
against Emory Speer, the brilliant
young independent in Congress. Bill
simmons would have been given the
nomination; but as Mr.. Speer had
de1eated two of the strongest men in
the district by over 1000 votes, the
colonel decided not to act the mart
or political lamb led to slaughter
30 as derner resort the organized
Democrats nominated Allen D. Chan
dler, comparatively unknown man.
ana one OF the most ungainly speci-
mcnS OF humanity you ever looked
upon as their congressional Standard
bearer TO give the readers faint
id"a Of Colonel Chandler's personal
appearance when the writer of this
arur" was standing beside him.
lrlt Itk. unto Il thing Of beauty and
JOY forever Suffice to add tha, Al.
len ID. Chandler defeated Emory
Sprer by over 1000 votes served in
congress until he got tired. was then
erected Governor and died i'm harness
rms Is the time that Bill Simmons
ana not take the tide at flood and i,
never again returned He had re-
'aPSed INTO state Of innocuous
aeSurtude until the colonel again
; Drought himself into the limclioht
by organizing his Ku Klux Khan So
ci,ty
| VIII noN give a brief history of
the original Ku Klux Klan and as
po'h my father and brother were
hIanSmen. writ, authentically.
nave watched long lines of these
hlght riders, with masks and lone.
Shroud-likc robes, silently pass along
Vhe puolic roads The spectacle was
SO wlerd and ghost-likc as to not onlv
terrify the superstitious neoroas hit |
impress initiated whites.
Had Abraham Lincoln never been
asslssinated, the South would never
have been subjected to the horrors
and degradation of reconstruction
his death left free hand to the bitter
est and most vindictive enem;es of
the South, led by Thad Stevens
whose ironworks our soldiers had
burned on their invasion into Penn
sylvania.
band of political vultures from
the North fiocked to the South, back
eo ny Fredcral bayonets. Every