Fiery Cross, Volume 3, Number 10, Indianapolis, Marion County, 4 January 1924 — Page 4
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PACE FOUR r THE FIKRT CBOS3 ' - Friday, Jsaatsry pti , t . :
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1; r .
E DITGRIAL
The ll-:iY 1'UOKft la uihbllshed every Friday by The Fiery Cross Publish, nj Company, Indianapolis, and will maintain a policy of staunch Protts'.ant Amerlcanlsin without fear or favor Kdid, nut to make up people's minds, but to abate up peopla'a minds; lo it if mold active public opinion which will make America a proper place to live In. Nmh of truth kills mora false news and shrivels up more- "bunk" than all the earnest arguments In the world. Truth helps to clarify opinions on strl us questions by serious people. 'Hie I'iKitY moss will strive to give the American viewpoint on published articles and separate the droaa from the pure cold In th current new i 1h day.
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KLAIT8 FROG BAM FOR 1923-24 1 . Militant, old-fashioned Christianity and operative patriotism. 9. Hark to the Constitution. 8. Enforcement of the Eighteenth Amendment so Ion? as it is a part of the Constitution, t. Enforcement of present Immigration laws and enactment of more klringent laws on Immigration.
Sparks fropi the Fiery Gross By JOHN EIGHT POINT ' ' "The noblest motive is ike public gooi." Yisan.
"Hanging in the Balance!" The disgruntled ones are busy with the enemies of the Knights ot the Ku Klux Klan. But that need not surprise anyone. In fact, it is to be expected. One night go farther and say with truth it is welcomed by those who have the real welfare of the organization at heart. No great movement has ever had smooth sailing. No movement could be great if the sea was never troubled.
The knocks of the disgruntled and the attacks of the enemies are proof that- the organization is growing and thriving and prospering and, in a
measure, at least, accomplishing the good it started out to accomplish.
Times without number within the last three years the death knell ot the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan has been sounded by the hostile press, the
enemies of the organization, the half-informed, the ill-informed, or those who go about deliberately to destroy a movement that has disturbed the serer-ity and safety of the dark and mysterious work of the hidden enemy
of America. The newspapers of the country in the last week have been carrying arti cles of great length, under display headlines on the first page, with a Wash
ington date, in which bitter attacks have been made by one of the dis
gruntled ones. It is unusual only in the fact that the broadside has been opened at the floors of the White House. It is hardly different from many other attacks gone before. The newspapers, in an effort to make the assault appear irett serious, told the story over twice or three times under the same heading. An introduction, a letter and a resume of the context repeated and repeated, and to make it most impressive the editorial writer got busy in the news columns of the newspapers and inserted in the article, "The fate of the Klan as a national organization is said to hang in the balance." "Hanging in the balance" is a fine phrase. There hasn't been a day
since the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan movement became known publicly that it has not been "hung in the balance" by its enemies. It is like hanging some public individual in elflgy it doesn't harm the individual and it seemingly gives great satisfaction to his enemies. Let the Klan movement "hang in the balance" by all means. While its enemies are "hanging it" they are temporarily disengaged from other dastardly work against the order. The only persons who can "hang" the Klan movement are those within the organization, and they are not inclined in that direction. Dissension is no more noticeable within the organization than has been met with by any other great movement in history. These movements have lived and prospered just to the extent of the good they have accomplished. There is a place in America for the order of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. It was founded on justice and never has wandered from the great purpose for which it was founded. When it does wander into fields foreign to its purpose, it will cease lo be a factor in America. That time will never come as long as the organization 13 In the hands of Its friends. These friends are as alert today, as wideawake, as jealous of it3 protection as they ever were. As long as they are on guard the assailants of the order are floundering in deep and muddy water. They may think they are stirring up great volumes of filth because they hear their own thunder. It Is well. They are accomplishing good, however much their intentions are aimed in another direction. A good workman never becomes careless when his boss is watching.
There has never been a time in the life of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan when the good workmen within the order were as alert as they are now. The -disgruntled ones, their enemies and the partisan-controlled press are aiding greatly in keeping these good workmen on the job. They arc busy ua never before in guiding and guarding the ship of the Ku Klux Klan from the reefs. Every member of the giyat crew who is lending a hand to the oar is hastening the time when America will be a better place In which to live; hastening the time when Americans will rule America for Americans. If there is anything wrong in thi3 great movement, then we might as well admit that America is not for Americans. But Americans have no intention of admitting such a condition. It is something undreamed of; unthinkable. The Klan movement is not a oneman or a clique movement, and never can be. It is free and open to all clean-minded Protestant Americans, and these Americans have their shoulders to the wheel by the millions, and they are coming by other millions, notwithstanding and disregarding the disgruntled ones, our friends, the
enemy, and the misled public press. In the words of a great soldier : "We are here." We might add to this that "we are here to stay until the task is accomplished, whether it takes a few years or a century."
3few Tear -good year bo fear. Fiery crossism is death to boozing
bosBism.
Our laws need revision particularly the Ia8t two syllables of the word. When you turn over your New Year's leaf be sure to save plenty of room to write about Klan accomplishment e ' It Is those who "follow the berss" rather than those who "follow the Klan" that nre overcome by race prejudice. see You may count the thing shall be done The Klan is set to the mark The race is ready to run Faith can see a win in the dark. e
The Lack of Sehoolhouses Some visionary ass remarks that the only entanglement resulting from feeding the hungry in Russia "has
been the making of the name of
America dear to millions of Russian people." And that, of conrse, is
melodramatic hokum. The recent
frustrating of a deep Russian soviet plot to put the red flag of anarchy
on top of the White House is the sort of gratitude our efforts at com
ing in touch with Russia appears to breed in the official Slav heart at
least. It is obvious that if the soviet would use one-tenth of the energy it expends in fomenting anarchy and
communism in distributing food at
ready produced in Russia, there would be no hungry people in that vast country for Americans to worry over. The thing that bothers
Russia is its poor transportation fa
cilities that, and the lack of true religion and the little red schoolhouse
The, HsMtoa! Disregard for - Law in Ohio ,
Practical Help Always Open
Let us do our work as those toil who seek earnestly to find the heart
of their work. To be useful in our
best efforts our work must co
ordinate. The labor must be
interdependent. We must serve oth ers while we are in the act of serv
ing ourselves. Political foments must
not take from our hearts the ideals of our forefathers. School and so-; cial failures must only nerve us to more united purpose. Very practical help is always open by way of adequately-planned charities on the one hand and local reforms in civic conditions on the other. The party in power matters little the thing that really counts is that the general good shall be promoted according to methods and principles deemed bjsst by the Klan generally. Local conditions demanding change should be studied by Klansmen who live in these surroundings. Ways ot improving matters in harmony with Klan principles will always suggest themselves. What will operate for
good in a New York community may
not work so well in Indiana or California. Yet there is always a solu
tion to every problem that vexes
and thai solution is invariably a peaceful and harmonious one. This last point should be carefully considered by Klansmen. It may take
years to teach the public that the Klan does not work by violence, but
in the name and faith of the One who
brought peace to the world. That our general tasks in common service
be as well done as those who seek greatly to find the essential meaning of patriotic life and zealous en
deavor would do them, is a plain ne cessity.
The Bible GHes Us Hope
There's a shadow on the Bible
That was put there by mat's foe.
"By bur. faith, we shall remove it,"
Say our Knlahts of Lone Aco.
There's a shadow on our schoolhouse
That was put there by crass fools.
Cries the Klan, ;" We shall brims Hgnt
in; God will help ua save our schools." . V,. .
With the rush of modern living. -
Church, and school in danger are;
We are driven from our landmarks
Toward new perils and grim war;
Painted words and double moaning
Fill the world with lies and fuss ;
But the Bible in the schoolhouse
Will give back our hope to us. All the world with selfish seeking
Has gone mad will no one see We must get back to the founders Of this land of liberty? Lift the shout of loyal purpose; ' Preach the brotherhood of man "Flaj and church and school forever These will save us," cries the Klan. Opposition Brings Strength Between success and failure the bridge is unspeakably narrow. Courage, however, never accepts apparent defeat as final. The' champions of a just cause refuse to consider or to count traitors, slackers, and deserters. The reason , for the Klan's overwhelming success rests in the courage of those men of broad vision who "put the idea across" in spite of opposition. Achieving success against heavy odds has made the Klan strong. Now come some of the rewards. In almost every paper we read encouraging news about schools, churches, race harmony, and general patriotic endeavor. Probably more columns about our first patriotis, the constitution, and related subjects are now printed every day than were published during any other peace time period" in oar history. The true Klansman knows that
this result has largely come about by reason of Klan effort, propaganda, and so on. Much as the visor has called out the venom of our ene
mies, it has had its effect in central
izing the vision of the nation upon
things the Klan was accomplishing,
The Klansman, at the foundation of
things, has every right to feel that he has made his countrymen think of their country as an institution to be cherished and preserved rather than
something to. be accepted as a mere
matter of course.
KLAN NEGOTIATING TO PURCHASE CHURCH
TIFFIN, O., Dec. 31. Plans for the tale of the old Methodist Protestant church building in this city to the Ku Klux Klan are under way between members of the Klan and R. Emerson, real estate, man, who is handling the sale for the board of trustees of the church. It is said the local offlce of the Klan is willing to pay $20,000, the price asked tor tho property.
A RAILROAD TICKET IS BOOKS
William Lyon Phelps, ot Yale, once
aid : "Reading is the easiest,
wifteet, pleasaotest method ot transDortation. It beats the aero
plane. Every book ia a change of
climate, physical, moral, or spiritual.
Roys and girls soon nna mis out.
Tbey may not have the price ot a ticket to Europe or California, bat they can get a book at . the library
-which will take mem mere.
Klddletowa Han a Flaming Cross
MIDDLETOWN, N. J., Dec. 28. A ' flaming cross about fifteen feet high was the caase of calling out the nreBien Christmas eve. The cross is .apposed to have been erected by s. Ka jfju Klan. although none
of the members of the organization was seen Thea the firemen arrived.
FIREMEN RESPECT
THE BURNING CROSS
DENNISON, O., Dec. 31. A fiery
cross, burning in an auey in tne south side ot this city last Friday night about 10 o'clock, was the cause
of a fire alarm being sent in. The'
firemen responded promptly, but when they saw the nature of the fire, they returned to the fire headquar
ters, permitting the cross to burn
Brighten Way at Ravenna
RAVENNA, O., Dec. 29 Six cheer
less homes at Rootstown, near here, wau brightened last Tuesday, when
the Klan Santa Claus paid them a
visit and left substantial financial
sifts. Five of the families had re
cently lost a child each ana tnree
children of Grover Shaw were killed
when a school bus was struck by a
train near Rootstown on the. morn
ing ot October 11. All ot the fami lies were almost destitute, it is re
nortad. In addition to the gifts ot
money, they were given baskets of
Christmas dainties and toys.
Oil Fonnd in XaevA Leon MEXICO CITY. Dec. 28. A large new oil field is reported at Aldamas, State of Nnevo Leon, sear the border. Seme experts say the field will be a second Tampioa.
. The Dull Doctor Foreigners who return to their own countries with the itch to climb into profitable print frequently expose their ignorance and make themselves a laughing stock by reason of their silly .criticisms of Americacriticisms which they foist upon their own countrymen who, as a rule, know less about the points in question than their Informants.
Dr. Paul Rohrbach, returning to
his Cologne, with soothing state
ments that German morals are as good as American morals but that Americans are more successful than Germans In concealing their lapses.
is an interesting example of the classic know-it-all. And the things
he thinks he knows but does not, if
stacked up, would make a "frosh' j monument. . " -
Perhaps the eminent gentleman
may be forgiven for his ignorance in
most of his comparisons, but Americans will have trouble in forgetting his remark that co-education does not seem to have been as successful
in America as had been hoped.
That statement is a surprising
challenge. Few Americans will agree with or interest themselves in Or. Rohrbach after an opinion of
that sort. Beginning with our pub-
lio schools where boys and girls con
gregate and going on up to the high
est peak ot university training, co
education has been a successtuf xaei in American educational experience. Our country's founders had hoped to nlace woman upon ah equality with
man. no doubt, hut this ideal has be
come clearer with the passing- of years. And if Klan purpose be fin
ally fulfilled the country shall see great American universities dotted
all over this broad land where'
young men and young women, to
gether in tne class room, snail warn
the same facts about national pur
pose and endeavor and shall hand la hand take up -the battle for larger
hope Jn American statecraft, prin dotes, history, and pollttca... Equally
enlightened, equally ready to' face
life's problems, the co-eancaiionaiiy
menared men ana women , a&su
prove even to the dull German doctor 'that the experiment a--toees worth while and bar been more than
theoretically successful.
Would Gratify Klansmen
An hysterical enemy of the-Klatt paints out sporadic instances where Catholic priests and Protestant clergymen have beeiv-working to
gether harmoaiouaiir lor the -good,
the communities ia whieh- they re
side. Without saying just where the lion and the lamb are. nibbling the grass together thus contentedly, the paper makes its usual and significant thrust to the effect that such beatific, harmony on the part of the dissenting religionists will do more good than "ten thousand masked men." Perhaps that may be true. At any rate any evidence that on any spot under the canopy of heaven the Roman influence is honestly endeavoring to further American educational and religious ideals, is welcome news to the Klan. " When the
Romanist willingly puts aside acrimony and Jesuitism and works hand in hand with the Protestant minister
to educate aad to succor the needy,
the Klan will be more than happy
that is an end toward which we, in
our own way, toil ceaselessly. ,-It is not that we seek to take away from
any man his religion, but that we
keep him from injuring the real pur
pose of religion as it works its holy
will in the commonwealth.
It is an outstanding characteristic of the Anglo-Saxon, and the average' American, to have the disposition to do things right. Most men and women exhibit the spirit of fairness iin public service, and have a 'tendency to live up to the light within them. So long as right prevails all is well. When social -justice prevails.
no laws are needed. It is when things are done that' deprive some citizen -of his civic rights that laws become necessary, and their ' enactment means that ' the injustice whereat they strike shall sot be within the I borders of the state that enacts them. Laws seek to prescribe conditions that shall make it difficult or impossible for offenses to be committed against individuals or groups of citizens. In this light, laws are preventatives of injustice, corruption,
and offenses. When illegal practices
are committed, the law usually levies
a penalty. Laws with penalties are
usually effective if enforced. Laws
meeting the approval of everybody,
are also effective, even without penalties.
But the disposition to do the right
thing often leads men to perform
acts in a manner contrary to that
prescribed. If the legal manner is
designed to shut out the temptation-
or possibility of corruption, and some
other method or manner is adopted,
or has become customary, it is evident that that manner may invite corrupt practices at any time. For this reason, as an avoidance of danger, citizens, and all officials, should
live strictly up to the law both as
to letter and spirit..
A case in point happened at Frank
fort, Ohio, at the last election. It ap
pears that certain election law re
quirements were Violated let us as
sume, without wrong intentions. Yet
the presence of those wrong 1rac
tices has caused trouble, and appears
to have directed attention to wrong
intentions, or tltfeir possibilities, if
nothing more.
All over Ohio there Is habitual dis
regard for law. It has grown up with this generation. Much corruption has become fastened upon our civil government because of these slouchy civic habits of both officers and citizens. Meanwhile, good men
have lamented the conditions that
prevail, Good citizens have sought
ways and means to break up this vicious habit of law breaking. The
Ku Klux Klan has come to the res
que, and hundreds of thousands of America's best - citizens have leaped to its banner, its cross, and its rule of life: and. because the Kaln Is an
operative organization, pledged to
the observance of law and to am omcials in law enforcement, looseness
of law is receiving the attention of
f those good citizens who mean busi
ness with regard to obedience to law.
Hereintone is-the Klan justified;
-those-- who are against it, classify
themselves. Ohio i already becom
ing a better state, and the work nas
only began.
I he J3 opiate
ottii
-t -
a 4i S.. . ;S':;::
aw
That "Bizarre Craving"
As a kind of spiritual reaction the
renaissance was speedily followed by the reformation and the Catholic
counter reformation. The renaissance had accepted the pleasing philosophy that pleasure is an end in itself. Its efflorescences of art
tended to arouse through a general
appeal to the sensuous those pas
sions which the church in all ages has sought to modify and control.
Puritans and even Jesuits endeav
ored to check the human impulses In
the direction of salaciousness and
sensuality. But cycles in history
are like cycles In thought. There
is always a marked drift toward new things or sometimes a recrudesence
of abnormalities followed by a re
action. .
The impatience with which artists
in all lines in the past few years
have flung aside technical restraint;
the urge of statesmen to invest polit
ical conditions with new and impoe
sible meanings; the appalling
insistence of religion, science, and
philosophy to abandon accepted tra
dition,, the proven, fact, and estahUshedvevidence, for the bizarre, the
unwoven, and the mogicat--tnese
point clearly nowadays to the need
of the- restrainlag band from tne
great body of tne people, if we would
escape or at least modify the cor
ruptive plunge and the agonising struggle for a solid foundation on
which to stand.
Conditions at ' the present time
therefore, it history is about- to re
peat, itself, undoubtedly justify and
demand the corrective- influence of
Klan principle sv principle broad
enough to inelude all that has seemed
good in our educational, religions
and wolUioat life, bat sot "liberal'
enough to aeeept-viclmss tread and
abnormal impulses. ;The Klan la itself become clear to .the thinker as a salutary csaetten against Impure eSewseenees tot popular government ami lsrnobl and siaUtr develop-
-I meats ia education and reUsiaa. ,-
MAYOR-ELECT WILL
NOT ISSUE STATEMENT
NEWARK, O., Dec. 29. Efforts to
draw out Mayor-Elect- W. H. N. Stev
ens concerning his appointments
thus far have resulted in failure and
he has announced that his selections
will not be made known until he as
sumes his office.
The election of Mr. Stevens was
the climax of a bitter fight in which
the anti-Klan forces waged a relent
less personal warfare against him
It is known that James S. Sheridan
chief of police, who took an active
part in the fight against Stevens will resign and similar action is expected
of Charles B. Hager, a captain.
Hager, who also is anti-Klan in his
sympathies, is the first person to un
dergo the civil service examination
for the office he now holds.
A NOVEL FOR ALL KLANDOM
By J. WALTER CREEP Jlker of"Son:s tfSixltt Summrt," ?Th ftnett e Ytan," Sit. iCapyngtst 1922, by I. .WAXTtR G l&ttf
A KLANSMAN'S CREED I believe in God and in the tenets
of the Christian religion and that a godless nation tan not long prosper.
1 Mteve that a church that is not grounded on the trincipies of moral
ity and justice is a mockery to God
and to man. I believe that a church thai does not have the welfare of the common people at' heart is unworthy. I believe in the eternal separation of Church and State. I hold no allegiance to any foreign government, emperor, king, pope or any ether foreign, political or religions power. t hold my allegiance to the Stars "and Stripes next to my allegiance to God alone. I believe, in just laws and liberty. I believe in the upholding of the Censtiintion of these United States. I believe that our Free Public School is the corner stone of good government end that those mho art seeking to destroy it are enemies of our Republic and are unworthy of citizenship. ; t believe in freedom of speech. ' 1 believe in a free press uncon -trotted by political parties or by reUghns teetr. - I heliev in lata and order. I believe in the protection of our -pure loomanhood, do not believe in mob violence, but I do believe that law should be enacted fa prevent the causes of mot violence. lec :.
believe in a closer relationship of
capital and later, . I believe ist the prevention ol u
tsarraated jtrihes by foreign' labor agitators ,
. i oeiteve in tne imaaau oi jortig. immigration ... t am a native-born American citi
sen nni t beHevh sy finhts thit
tmumy ere tvftrtw n-iitost ay, yar-
(Continued From Last Issue) . "Right there," said a man in the
audience, "I want you to answer some questions and answer them
briefly. It the Klan is not fighting tuo Catholic religion, how is it tfcat I hear so many, who are supposed to belong to the Klan, bitterly condemning all things Catholic?"
"For this reason: There are,, it
is true, some bigots in the Klan. There are also some bigots in the Catholic church. Only last year, in my home state, a man was shot by a Catholic because he made a speech against that church. Several Protestant meetings have been stormed
and the speaker mobbed in that state.
inese acts were committed by lawless hoodlums and did not, I trust,
receive the sanction of the church. Both Protestants and Catholics can
be intolerant on occasion. There
are some Klansmen who are anti-
Cathohc and there are some Knights of Colummis. who are anti-Proles taut. But the whole order can not be judged by a few. As far as lies
within our power, we guard against. recuiviiiK the religious bigot into our membership, and if our speakers make bitterly partisan speeches; we take them off the platform."
i'Do you think that Roman Cath
olics should not be allowed to hold
omce or participate ia governmen
tal affairs?"
"We do not. If a Catholic is clean
and conscientious he' has the same
right as a clean, conscientious Prot
estant, xne other kind are nr.t
warited in office, no matter what
their religious persuasion.!.'
mi . -
men, wny oo you limit vour
memDersnip to Protestants ?"
Because this is a Protestant or
ganization. The Catholic church has
her organizations, the Protestant
emircnes nave tne same right."
men wnat is your attitude to.
ward the Jews, negroes and for eigners?"
What I have said mieht ermaltv
apply to them."
"Then," continued the questioner, since you are not flehtine anv of
u.. .. .
lue classes mentioned, as you say,
wnat are you fighting? It is evident
mat you are opposing something.
it . w are ngntmg many things, the speaker answered. "We
are a great positive organization, WI being positive, we have our en
emies, our enemies are likewise
America s enemies. While we op
pose no man on account of his craert
or color, we do oppose certain un-
Ameriean influences which are
aoroaa m me land.
In the first place, we are fiarhtinir
,.,-, .. . . e
puuucai corruption, a free democracy has no place for demaeosnprv
We do not need machines or political
oosses. we are out to clean the
political slate of America.
we are opposed to the lawbreaker. For the last year we have
oeen waging a war of law enforce
mem wnicn is the wonder of the
country at large. A nation that
does not respect its laws is in dan
ser oi anarcny. it America is to
survive, the lawbreaker - must eo.
"We are opposed to foreign propaganda. During the World War, it
is -said, there were forty thousand
agitators in America, sowing sedi tion, and these were paid with for
eigu goia. soviet Kussia is now
sending her emissaries here by he hundreds. They are , spreading
weir propaganda among the ne
groes, the foreign-born and radical Americans. We want to clean the 'melting pot of this scum. "We are fighting war. Every thirty years there is a terrible war, taking as a toll thousands of lives
and upsetting the economic condition for decades. We do not recover from one until wd have another. These wars are invariably fought by white men. While the
Wiite race slaughters its fairest
sons, the darker peoples grow and
prosper.
We are advocating a program of
reform, removing those forces which
are morally detrimental. We are
for cleaning up the movies and the
press, and for strengthening and purifying our public schools.
"We are battling for racial. In
tegrity. North America is a country
of the Nordic it was discovered by
L,ier nsricson, a Norseman, settled by Anglo-Saxons and has ever been the bulwark of Saxon liberty. While not opposed to other races, we are
tor strengthening the white race la
America.
'This, in brief, ia nart nf the
Klan's program."
The people listened attentively When he finished and left the Plat
form the crowd started to break up
and leave. Then Sheriff Beatty
mounted to tne speaker's stand and addressed the audience. "Ladies
and gentleme&r we have listened ta4
a splendid address on Americanism
I now want to Introduce a man who has had the courage to? espouse these
principles and now aspires to repre
sent you In eongre?sMProt George Taylor, of Calhoun!" ' The audience tyelle&"nats were pitched In the air, hundreds pressed
closer to hear Taylor's speech.
When the meeting anally ended, at midnight, it was no longer doubted that Taylor would carry Prairie
City, almost to.a man.
The- fourth- f November mwfced. aosptciously aad'fraH" yartenVfw
three men. For Taylor, it Was to be
a day of victory, yet a day of hor- ... ror; for Forthoffer, one of inglori- ' '.' . ous defeat; for Judge Karraker, the Ides of March. At least this November day was to him the same as the famous March day to a certain Roman politician long ago. The polls opened early and wereclosely guarded. Long lines of voters were already waiting when the: doors were thrown open. Dozens, of cowboys in spreading sombreros, display ing. revolvers of no iocensid- -erable size, hung about the doorways.-In almost every precinct . special police were on duty. The, day passed without any noticeable disturbances being reported., ... Judge Karraker came down - and
voted early in the morning, then re
tired to bis nome tor the remainder
of the day. Several of his hench- -
men remained with him during the
morning.
Cameron and Forthoffer -were Tn
conference during the entire day. They discussed plans for operations after the election, in case Forthof i fer carried sufficient votes to elect him. However, they realized that this was a slim possibility.
Taylor mingled freely with the
people during the day. His attitude '
was that of confidence. The victory, was practically won.
By four o'clock the voting was
over and the polls closed. Soon
after, reports from the outlying dis
tricts began coming in. By six o'clock the town was astir, the peo
ple crowding the corners to watch bulletin boards as the returns were
flashed in electric letters. It was plain to be seen that Taylor was
the popular candidate in Prairie
etty. The first count gave him six thousand majority. The first hour,
the votes coming mostly from Bois d'Arc county, gave George an over
whelming victory. The next hour, however, showed a decided change. Taylor carried Freeland, the negro town, by a small majority. Reichland went solid for Forthoffer. El Cajon, the Mexican "capital," also
gave him a good vote. Judge Karraker ran, far behind his other opponents.
At the final count, when all the
returns were tabulated, the report showed that Georgsr Taylor had been elected by 26,000 majority. This was -
received with tremendous enthusiasm by those. .JKhgu were watching; the bulletins. When he appeared to thank the people for their support his ovation took on almost the nature of a panic. Men shouted and cheered, women wept and cried hysterically. Similar demonstrations were held throughout the congressional district that night. The results of the election, aside from the triumph of a man who wa3 clean and faithful to his trust, were significants It was plainly -victory' of the Ku Klux Klan. The Karraker machine had been dominant for thirty years. This time Judge Karraker had run third ia the race. The Klan had been vilified, abused, written against, preached about, cursedand condemned but it had won. Klansmen had been called intolerant, lawless, bigoted, un-American, seditious,. ignaran,t, murderers, thieves, cuMhroats, bandits and the scum of the earth but they were victorious. Out of the one hundred and six officers elected at this time, one hundred and two were supported.
by the Klan. Not all of these were
Klansmen probably not more than
one-half of them were members
but they were men, upright and above board.
Alone in his room. Judge Kar
raker sulked, despondent, beaten and discredited. His wife was away
from home. Gene was in the par
lor, singing, seemingly . oblivious ot
her father's discomfitare,; - e did
not doubt that she secretly exulted over Taylor's election. But why
should she be blamed sHe loved
him? And Taylor had played fairhe had won honestly. The Judge thought of this and the AngloSaxon sense of fair play:-arose
in him. A con of Old .Virginia, lie
could not help being ehr?atrous-t
heart. He nad -put -up. a hatd .fight w and bad been deleated.-8--he hold a grudge; against the who had beaten him? He reached
for the telephone." He called Taylor's number and George answered,
"Is this you, Taylor?" "Yes." "Well, this is Judge Karraker." Evidence ot some nervousness at the other end of the line. The judge laughed. He would heap coals ot fire on his rival's head. ' "Oh, dont get nervous," he said. "This is a friendly call. I amwnlpped in a fair fight and willing to smoke the pipe of peace. I want you to come over to dinner, tonight at eight o'clock. I will nave some good cigars and, it you desire, wilt give you and Gene my paternal -blessing!" , "Judge Karraker 1 . Do - you meaa it?" "I certainly do. I am an American and so are you. It I could not be elected, I am glad you were. You would not have won had not Cameron proven a traitor. But now. that-is all over. I am willing to bury the hatchet and. let .bygones be by " gone. I will. xpect. you at eight." The judge chuckled as e hung up the receiver, and called Geae. "Well, I have Invited your fiance, the new oBfswhag,vTef supper," ha tot offfle her,- "oryia Washington (Continued on Pags tf ' '
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