The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1922-02-07
cnAprsa


FIRST CONGRESSIONAL tNVESTt.
CATION OF KHAN
(continsed from yesterday
State. county, and city elections in
the South in 1870, when the white p0-
pulati0n was engaged in taking con-
troll Of government from the carpetbag-
gers. and control Of State Legislatures
was seized by the whies. who 0ustedl
negro state senators and representa-
tives. caused much turmoil and excite
ment south Of the Mason and Dixon
line. The KIN Klux Khan participated
largely In these elections and was a
potent factor In OverthrOwing carpet
bag and negro rule. There were many |
ARRAYS at the polls. and the Ku Klux- |
ers. as we'll as other Southern men.
used the six-shO0ter and the shotgun
as a method of direct persuasion at
many election places. The negroes
were inundated and prevented from
voting in hundreds Of places and the
carpetbagger. IL he insisted upon par
ticipating In elections was terrified by
open threats of violence. which often
eliminated In shooting ARRAYS. In this
year the whites really regained con-
troll OF their own political affairs in
the South.
Professor Walter Henry Cook. OF
the Western Reserve University. OF
Cleveland, Ohio. in his Secret Politi
Cal Societies in the South During the
Period Of Reconstruction" says:
"The Ku Klux accomplished much.
From "a political viewpoint it secured
home rule for several Of the Southern
States. II ended the disgraceiul rule
OF the carpetbaggers therein. and it
helped to reestablish honest and eff
cient governmental institutions. This
example was an inspiration which,
after 1872. soon led the men of the
Southern States, still in radical con
troll. TO the glorious victory in regain
ing self-gOvernment.
''Frnm an economical standpoint.
the negroes were frightened into going
To work and were prevented to IA
extent from breaking labor contracts.
These were important services IN the
rehabilitation OF the South.
From social standpoint. the Khan
protected property. protected life, and
brought order out OF chaos
Woodrow Wilson, War President OF
the United States, in his History OF
the American People" says:
Adventures swarmed ont OF the
/ North. AZ much the enemies of one
race as Of the other. to cozen. heguile
and use the negroes. The white mer
were aroused by a mere instinct oi
self preservation until at last there
sprung into existence great XII klu,
Khan. veritable Empire of the South
to protect the Southern country
Many accounts Of the election disor
: ders were published in the Northern
newspapers, ami much excitement ant
resentment oyer the situation existed
in the North. Northern newspapers O
that period bitterly denounced tn.
Southern people and their ELECTION
, methods. Finally Congress. RESPONSIVE,
to the agitation and antiklan propag
anda in the North, which was directed
more at the Ku Klux Khan than a
the Southern people as a people. OIL
} April 20. 1871, passed the Ku kiu,
, Act. Briefly described. this law authsr
+, lied the President to suspend the wr
I of habeas corpus in order to effective
ly deal with the Ku Klux Khan an,
the other brotherhoods, which wer,
termed "conspiracies. and it enlarg
ed the powers of the Federal courts
congressional committee was ar
pointed to investigate "All affairs il
the late insurrectiOnary states" Sub
r committees OF this committee visitet
! the South and accumulated grea
amount Of evidence which fills Is 70
iunes. copies Of which repose ON dust
covered shelves in the COngre ssiona
Library. The investigation had import
) ant results in two days From il tn
ku Klux Khan was brought to rea,iz,
the dancer To their Order and sinlila
! q san IA iol.s by Interference OF Con
l ercasiuiiai committee ins;igattd il
: the North. The investigation eonvislGct
ku klux members who had uetermiu
ed upon continuing the Khan organi2a
ticn that it would be best to dissolv
the Khan. and those Southern whit,
men who had advocated disbandin
, the kianA We're encouraged by th
Congressional committee The r,sa,
vas that the remaining Khan organi
cations in nearly every section wer
dissolved
the l<u Klux Khan had ofIiciall
ceased to exist. previous to the con
gressional Investigation. however, b
proclamation OF the Imperial WE
g ard. General Forrest. The imperia
2 edIct was issued III March. 1863 wt.el
the Khan was dissolved
Prior to the passage OF the Ku klu
Act, Congress. spurred on by the acti,
l tiles of the ku klux Khan. and Ell
1 couraged by the clamoF III the Mort
q against the Khan, passed on May 81
{ 1870, the enforcement Act This wa
planned To protect the rights OF cit
, zens 70 vote in all elections ''withoti
) distinction OF color or race The ac
q conferred upon United States court
the authority to punish persons goin
IN Disguise upon highways. or who oI
Grated disguised for the purpose OF il