The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1921-02-25
THE HISTORY OF THAT
ORIGINAL KlJ KLUX KLAN.
They Used to Call Themselves Ghouls, They Now
Call Themselves knights and Imperialism
Is a Fetish of The Present Ruler of
The "Lnvisible Empire
BY w. o. SAUNDERS

L
K1an are undertaking to organize
branch of their mystical order
in Elizabeth City and probably in
other towns and communities in
this part of the state. They have
no <canvasser at work, so far as
can be learned, securing their,
membership by correspondence.
Some one spots likely members
for them and to these prospective
members a membership is ten
dered by mail. The prospective
member is advised that he must
discuss this with no one. IF you
wish to learn more, address Ti-.
BoITim" The mysterious Ti-
Bo-Tim's address is given as post
office box No. 312. Wilson, N. C.
But the invitations and other,
publicity matter are mailed from
Norfolk, Va.
The prospective member is advised
that he has been awarded membership
because his friends state that he be-
lieves in the tenets of the Christian re-
ligion, white s. premacy, protection of
our pure womanhood, just laws and lib
erty, closer relationship of~pure Ameri-
canism, the sovereignty of state rights,
preventing the causes of mob violence
and lynchings, prevention of fires <ahd
destruction of property by lawless ele-
ments, preventing unwarrented strikes
by foreign labor agitators, law and or
der. All of these fine things are what
the individual is said to believe in and
not necessarily what the Klan believes
in.
The prospective member is assured
that membership in the Klan is award
ed him for services he has rendered So
cietys and that the membership can not
be bought But just before he signs up.
he Isl naixely told that he must steontriss
butte $40 toward its propaaation."
1t may be in order to find out what
the Klan stands for. have before me
a phamphlet issued from the ''palaceA
of the Imperial Wizard of the Klan. This
pamphlet quotes the following declara-
ton as from the constitution of the or
der, officially adopted Sept. %, 1876
eve do solemnly declare to all man
kind that the Knights of the Ku Klux
klan, incorporated, is the original, gem
ulne ku Kluz Klan organized in the year
1866, and active during the reconstruc-
ton period of American history. - =
We do further declare that our original
Prescript used as the governing law of
the Ku K1ux Klan, during the period
of its former activities, and all official
titles, mannerisms, usages and things
therein prescribed have not been aban-
doned by US; but to the contrary all of
such together with designs of parapher-
MALTA, regalia, flags, banners, emblems,
symbols or other insignia and things pre-
scribed or previously used by or under
the authority of the Ku Klux Klan are
held sacred by us as precious heri-
tage"
The Original KTan
1t being officially declared by the con-
stitution of the order that this is the
original and genuine Ku Klux Klan or
ganized in the year 1866 we have only
to go to history to get an idea of what
is about to be imposed upon us. His
tory unqualifiedly discounts the origi-
nal Ku Klux Klan. Woodrow Wilson,
himself a Southerner and an authority
respected by the South, tells the sstory
of the original Ku Klux Klan in his ga
History of The American" I quote at
length from Vol 5 of this history.
Woodrow Wilson, the historian says
'In May, 1866, a little group of
young men in the Tennessee village of
Pulaski, finding time hang heavy on
their hands after the excitement of
the field, so lately abandoned, form
ed secret club for the mere pleasure
of association, for private amusement,
for anything that might promise to
break the monotony of the too quiet
place, as their wits might work upon
the matter, and one of their number
suggested that they call themselves the
kUKLOS, the Circle. Secrecy and my
stery were at the heart of the pranks
they planned: secrecy with regard to
the membership of their Circle, Sc
crecy with regard to the placegand the
objects of it's meetings; and the my
stery of disguise and of silent parade
when the comrades rode abroad at
night when the moon was up: white.
mask, tall cardboard hat, the fig
ures of man and horse sheeted like a
ghost, and the horses feet muffled to
move without sound of their approach.
1t was the delightful discovery of the
thrill of awesome fear, the woeful
looking for of calamity that swept
through the country sides as they
moved from place to place upon their
silent yisitations, coming no man could
say whence, going upon no man knew
what errand, that put thought of mis-
chief into the minds of the froIick-
ing comrades. 1t threw the negroes
into very ecstasy of panic to see
these sheeted 'Ku Klux" move near
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