The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-04-16
Organization Saved Civil
zation in South and Cor
rected Wrongs Caused by
Postwar Rebels" the
Speaker Told Huge Audi
ence. ;,

Granville Jones closed his political
revival Friday night with a great au-
dience and great address on the
original Ku Klux klan. 1t was easily
the largest audience of the series and
many pronounced the lecture the best
of ALL Mr. Jones was brought 10
Ardmore the second time by the Lions
Club but the meetings. grew con
stantly ia public favor until they be
came the Community revival in pa
triousm. Probably no man has ever
stirred Ardmore's civic conscience as
has Granville Jones. He has prom
ised TO come again at the earliest pos
sible date and repeat his lecture ON
The Philosophy Of a Hin Billy"
Concerning the original Ku Klux
Klan he spoke Friday night in past
as follows.
ITO understand this ancient organi-
zatiou we must know the background
the excuse. the reason for its creation
What was the difference between the
North and South. II was a question
Of emphasis. The question was
whether the constitution was more
important than the Union. a Georgia
congressman said: We are going
90 maintain the constitution. Union
or no Union \ New England con
gresham said; We are going to
maintain the Union. constitution or
no constitution War followed and
both these congressman died for their
convictions. 1t was not slavery. This
issue was dragged in
How They Divided.
Lincoln took the position that the
South was never out Of the Union.
not even during the war: the South
accepted this position. Another party
arose headed by Thaddeus stephens.
n Pennsylvania, who believed that
the South was conquered territory
and the North had a right to impose
any terms This party proceeded to
punish the southern states. Eleven
southern states then had no local
self-governmcnt Lincoln's death left
Andrew Johnson as president. whose
views harmonized with Lincoln's but
whose Will was too weak 10 give
them force. Military power then gov
erned the South.
"The States were divided into dis
tricts with a provost marshal over
each district. Under this sham gov
ernment they appropriated the South's
cotton. mules, corn. and land. Only
one Of these carpet bag governors in
all the South was a native born citi-
zen Of the state he governed. 1t was
horde Of huZzards. not soldiers. but
imported politicians and grafters.
Youths Started Klan.
I'm March 1868. at Pulaski, Tenn.
i've young college men, purely for
'un organized society and called It
he Ku Klux Klan. II was only
or amusement. Another chapter was
organized in a neighboring town. Then |
mother in Alabama. They held n /
and rode in on horses. |
overed with white. There were 40 |
II so members.
When the white men went away /
o war they left the slaves TO guard |
md care for their women and children /
While they fought to keep slavery.
'he honesty and fidelity Of the blacks /.
Turing these years has no parallel in |
history. The whites told the negro |
hat If they We're unfaithful and the /
White men We're killed their ghosts
would soon come back to haunt them. !
When the negroes saw these white
'obed figures they thought the spirits
# the dead had surely come back.
The effect was instantaneous and ef-
ectual.
THE convention met at General
iordon's town in Alabama. The sec
md and last convention they had was
10 Nashville and it attracted the at
ention Of Gen. Nathan Il. Forrest.
Three Cardinal Principles.
They We're sworn to support con.
'tituuonal law, the supremacy Of the
white man and to guard the safety
IF al! women and children These
we're the three cardinal principles of
he Klan. Almost Immediately they
lad more than million members.
They excluded from membership all
who belonged 10 the Union League or
who sympathized with its purpose.
lnly white American born men could