The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-31
Bitterly Arraigned by
C. B. Griffith.
Sets Itself Up as Higher Than
the Government.
SUBSTITUTE THE DIVINE LAW
Conduct Becomes Menace to
the Public Welfare.
Says Members Should Read
Bible Before Joining.

Independence, Kan, Oct. 81
Charles B. Griffith, candidate for at
torney general on the Republican
ticket, made an address here last night
in which he criticised the Ku Klux
Klan and made an appeal for constitu-
tional rights. Following his address
an announcement was made that a
new organization had been formed
here to be known as the Constitutional
society, whose expressed purpose was
to fight the activities of the khan.
In discussing the khan, Mr.. Griffith
said:
This organization, holding its meet
ings in secret, masquerading in the
habilimentS of a Halloween party,
seeks to inspire terror by appearing in
mask. A secret organization which
does not confine its operations to its
own members, but which upon the
contrary, attempts to dictate the con-
duct, control the movements, and
punish citizens who are not members,
will find it impossible to retain its
secrecy. Instead of marking men and
women, proper public resentment will
undoubtedly mark the men who organ
ize for this purpose.
Violate Law OF Freedom.
when an oathbound organization
hides behind masks and seeks to
regulate or control the lives and re-
ligion of men who are not members,
such conduct becomes a menace to
public welfare. Religious freedom is
guaranteed everywhere thruout the
United States, so far as constitutional
or state interference is concerned. Any
secret society which attempts thru
threat, intimidation or fear to do a
thing which the lawful authorities of
the state are restrained from doing.
I,fa. Ion h. r.
This organization sets itself up as
greater, wiser and more powerful than
the government itself, and all the laws
made by all the. people. 1t is de-
structive of the principle of majority
rule and proposes to substitute minor
ity rule by a secret group. 1t pro-
poses to substitute its own law for
the Divine Law expounded by our
religious institutions, and place its
own rule above the rule of courts and
law. 1t proposes to substitute the
method of the mob for the orderly
substitute. for visible and response
bic government an invisible, and ir-
responsible government. 1t proposes
to do so by stealth and mystery under
the cover of darkness. in the habili-
ments of disguise, acts which the law
prhibits and for which it provides
punishment. 1t proposes to substitute
lawlesness for law and itself becomes
an outlaw as did the masked men
who in the old days robbed stage
coaches.
Not 100 Per Cent American.
with an egotism approaching in
sanity, with an arrogance unsurpassed,
reverting to the practices of the mid
die ages, openly violating the consti-
tuition of the United States or of Kan
sas. flingfng defiance in the face OF
statutes to preserve the peace, they
have the impudence to arrogate to
themselves the term 100 per cent
American No 100 per cent Ameri-
can puts himself above the law or at
tempts to MAKE personal laws for the
control of his neighbor. No 100 per
cent American will prescribe a man
because of his religious belief or his
race
MANY worthy men misled by emo
tional appeal may be persuaded to
join the ranks of these midnight
marauders. Let US hope that. before
doing so, they will read the Bible
where meekne s, charity and love of
fellow-man is taught, and then spend
many hours in reading the history of
their own country and keep ever be-
fore them the declaration of indepen-
dence and the constitution written by
our forefathers, who did not so arro-
gantly boast of being 100 per cent
A aea,-ss, 49,