The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1921-07-29
MODERN WIZARDRY

The late Mr. Noah Webster defines the word "wzard"
devoted the black magician socerer Formerly
the also meant wise sage but this use OF is now
obsolete.
there member OF the class whom the meaning oil
this mysterious still less hazy may remark
for his benefit that wizard merely hewtch and everybody
knows what witch is. witch hides seqnestered spore
feraby or swamp-by day and by night goes gall
wanting about the country broomck bent devil
b business Witches have always been regarded undesirable
citizens and period in the history Of the planet
pous pastime to burn em.
Col William Joseph Simmons of Atlanta. modesy styles
himself Imperial Wizard OF the Knights o' the Ku klux Klan
Judging from Of the fruits of this modern wzadry the
title chosen by the colonel entirely inappropriate Since the
Kansmen of Beaumont Texas. published communication
under their SEAL plead guilty act OF gross awessness
there doubt in the mind Of any reasoning that the
gangs OF masked who have been pulling off daboca deeds
in many parts OF the South during the last few months derive
their inspiration from the doctrine dispensed by the imperial
wizard however loudly he may disavow his responsibility
The ancient practitioners of the black art had nothing all
the devotees of this modern wizardy when the
of helishness. For instance Teneha. Texas
masked bandits wearing white uniforms took Mrs Beulah John
from hotel where she employed stripped her gave
her coat of tar and feathers The under bond on
charge of bgamy but however guilty she may Be- it incon
cevabe that she stands low the human scaeas the butes
branded themselves lacking in primary essentials of
decent manhood by the treatment which they her No witch
wizard real imaginary, pepetrad oaer crime than
committed against this Whatever the character OF
the be- she angel of light compared with the
wleps who attacked her. .te
In communication to the press condemning the Beaumont
Klansmen as departing from the principles upon which he de-
Invisible empire built imperial wizard gives the
world to understand that he rules his Kan with rod Of
and hence the popey of the adjective Imperial Of the
imposing handle which he attaches to his He he will
revoke the charter and burn the paapheaa of every X
organization America rather than the Child of his handi
work. thus degenerate One would infer from the that he
weds the of real autocrat spite of the fact that
tocracy is said to be out of fashion te57
Without deacting in the least from the high character oil
Col Simmons and without mpugnng his motives in launching
the of which he the head is clear that this modern
wizardy contains the seeds Of infinite evil regardless of the good
purposes which followers press dispatch reports
the organization of amt Ku K,x Beaumont the
being pledged shoot down Klansmen the organization
dsband this logical result of methods have been
employed at Beaumont awessn beges lawlessness Wiz
ardry thus breeds feudism and anarchy.
However, if the "hd of his handwork" has developed evil
popense of which its daddy dreamed when he brought
into the world there all question the busi
sagacty of Col Simmons Procanng principles which on
their face appeal good everywhere his organization
grown at remarkable rate and the imperial wizard has
ed that he going to build ten weve-stoy in
Atlanta for its headquarters Isn't this proof enough the the
imperial wizard knows how to get the money? Commercially at
least, modern wizardry complete success
If Col Simmons had been able control his Child" conn
its activities to the purposes which he declares
in his mind the movement might have been powerful ad
junc the forces Of law and order is evident that the
ry yongster has fgranty dsregarded patena teachings
and that the has been provoke awlessness both
the part of the unruy Kansmen and other
from their example, using their name and
gab coaks for deeds of evil The fact autocrac
grand wizard has not been able his child
inference that there something inherently evil nature
element of danger which its daddy didn't Modern
wardry IS matter which calls for serious reflection