Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-08-21
XII MUX KLAN
IN POLITICS NOW
AS PROGRESS|VES
(Contlnued from page onel

Wulie no one, IN dS many WORDS
announced at the Saturday meet
Ing that Clifford would be th,
sprogressive" candidate for tn,
treasury Job, the atmosphere wa
heavily tainted with odors OF tina
scent. and the deduction that tn,
cyclops would seek to capitalize
his khan affiliations and ayowet
sympathy for anti-Catholic ant
anti-alien legislation In politica
way was not hard to make.
Staged for the Public.
Saturdays ku kluxing feastivi.
ties reminded one strongly of the
ceremonies incident to the formal
opening Of dry goods emporium
where the perfected Organization
has been functioning for several
days and the grand opening IL
staged simply as a suitable means
OF announcing to the dear public
that they have something to sell
that mo home can afford TO be
without"
With true Ku Klux instinct
Norman S. Richards, at one time
attorney for the Northwestern
Electric company, the firm from
which Clifford was injected into
khan power, opened the meeting
by reminding the 200 klansmen
and 100 curious onlookers present
that the failure OF the original
progressive party was due to the
lack Of money and that the resur-
rected party would need money.
Here and there IN the audience
loyal brothers who had evidently
heard words similar to those be-
fore began to fidgit, and Richards
hastened to add:
"Of course, we will not need a
great deal OF money right away;
just enough to care for our office
and incidental expenses. A dollar
from each member ought to be
enough for the present. But |, for
one, will pay whatever Mr.. Cleaver
says will be necessary" he mo-
toned toward the party secretary
seated before him.
Officers Hand Picked.
Mr.. Richards explained that he
was both the temporary and per-
manent chairman of the reborn
progressive party Of Oregon, that
George l.. Cleaver had been made
secretary, and that he, Mr.. Cleav
er and Mr.. Clifford comprised the
general committee that would Or
ganize the party, call the county
and state conventions and run
things generally. Something,
however. prompted him to add
that every member of the party
would have an equal voice in the
selection of the candidates en-
dorsed by the party and in franz
ing the platform to be adopted at
the state convention.
While he did not take the time
to explain in detail the manner In
which he had been chosen to
speak for the parry, or how the re-
organization had been accomplish
ed so quietly through the state,
Mr.. Richards pointed out that
there are now 5000 progressives
in Oregon who, awake to the cry
ing need for third party In the
nations politics, were preparing
to take an active part in the ma
tional political campaign in 1924.
With that single assertion the in
ference that the movement was
not wholly scheme to inject new |
factors into state politics was
dropped. National politics were
not mentioned again during the
ontire afternoon.
Full Tickets Probable.
As he progressed with his key
noting 1t was quite evident that
Mr.. Richards sometimes forgot his
lines. His declaration that tine !
would place only one
on the state ticket this
fall. for state treasurer, prompted
Mr.. Cleaver to declare later that
ut is the intention Of the commit
tee to endorse a full ticket for
state Offices"
Heralded in the press announce
ments of last week as being a
meeting for the revival of the old
progressive party, 1t became EVIL
don't early in the session Saturday
that the purpose had been mis-
stated. When the would-be or
ganizers arrived they found them
selves, or their party already
quite effectively organized and Of
ricered. Their fun enlightenment
came with the reading OF the min
ates Of two previous meetings by
Secretary CleaTer, who followed
Mr.. Richards on the floor. Omit
ing such minor details as who
.alled the meetings. where they
we're held, or by whom attended,
he minutes revealed that the pro-
sressive party had been reorgan-
zed at meeting held early in
April and that at that time II had
Ieen decided to hold another meet
ng on August ., that Mr.. Rich
rds had been made temporary
hartman, Mr.. Cleaver temporary
seretary and that they, together
18th Mr.. Clifford. had been ap-
Dinted as a temporary committee
J administer the affairs OF the