Evening Star Newspaper, January 18, 1925, Page 76

BY MARGARET CULKIN BANNING. When a Weaithy Father-in-Law is a Handicap to Successful Marriage. the cards, n idea. We wretched. I that I expec move the p they do it have come Jean, und shuffl “You haven't are ply tell Sheld any day to have the out on us, the wa con thing to t bods s u ner. T a ri ther pa. Wha have : dc erged half of ghis worrying ing to the poorh Jean went back “If every had a lot show Sheldon he earns! Jean's often & one d of Sheldon earned “Sheldon has #he was wont but 1 drive He's he's the a wonderfu world, and that's all 1 have to live on what solutely. Fathe that Sheldon wo any other way of liviz terribly | independent.” | | and sot the er want he sald so, and I ear of t had the 1 dor course want pearls; ding trip to s are s expe give u presen enrthly re W give us the hou There was the house, with father's house away, slight gaps presents didn't take care of | filled in with perfectly ju bie | borrowings. It didn't interfere with your independ i * ok k% eak of hotels ive; and they have id <0 the father son v shou 1y which a block wedding | sld be | the evening when vehemently declared ge part b her hush: Jean had so her pov. the City a was com surface car. After sev Years of marriage he still had the b1y romantic look which Jean had recog 1 and advertised so widely. Several girls, watching hime had re- course first to vanity cases 4ad then | to obvious stirrings calculaysd to & tract his attention as he clugg to strap and gazed out thriagh glass of the street car Sheldon was stalwart, and 1e 1ook of seriousness that is semi-sadness and so alluring. The| sadness tonight was more than semi. | It had been one thing after another | all day. F a committes ties and th barras: Le played golf or for a couple of hu i and In these c paigns you had to live up to they expected of you. It wasn't, reflected, that he wouldn't be glad to glve what he could, but there'd be a lot more fun in giving $10 that he could afford and enjoying the sense of doing his part than to sign up for $150 and be annoyed every time an instaliment fell due. eldon’s thoughts rambled loosely, each of them Iirritating another— Jean eternally talking about new clothes. And that automobile sales- man—after he'd told him definitely hat he didn't want a car, couldn’t afford to buy a car—the salesman had the nerve to hint that he might sug- gest to Mr. Tillinghast to give it for & present to Jean. The worst of it was that every time he tried to get ahead by himself he came up against the assumption in people’s minds that old Tillinghast was carrying him. Jean was quite sincere when nformed friends that her p hadn’t anything least in her judgment, and her standard. He had been young man, who had st rooms at the Y. M. C. s one of the buyers in a h One of the daughters, scoutin | young men for a| im and sent | ng n | the | h whom | down she A., and he w Wholesale grocer vice president’s around for extra dance, had discovered him an tation, Jean Tillinghast | had met him, and th rest had been pleasantly natural 1 Sheldon had b married seven| Years, and he still was oc buyer | for Holden & Dunning. He was also ©ld Tillinghast's son-in-law, member | of a coup! clubs, driver of his| father-in-law’s cars (when Jean bor- | rowed them or the chauf was on & vacatlon), father of a mc )m.«m(r' ful and beloved daughter, good golfer, ®ood bridge and’ Jean's hus- bend Sheldon's on brother, come to have a shade of manner toward h married shortly before fme was when Sheldon Sreat frequenter ment in which bert at his bride. But Belle r own and no somehow or oth always charm the paths of the cross very often pla Gilbert, had | reserve in his | Gilbert had Sheldon, and used to be a tiny apart- | first housed | had no money of | ial positio ad, | though an was 5 to her sister-in-law, | two brothers did not * * ORE dramas come head over a break than in any other place. It @ quite violent shrew do- bully to seek his or her part- ner out for the purpose of starting discord. But when the table lies spread between a man and a woman the scene is set and the curtain ri “I wish,” said Jean plaintivel averyone would't assume that father glves me an allowance.” “Why should they? “Oh, they do. Of course he does do ever so much for us.” “I dom't know about Sheldon a little grimly “Why, Sheldon, that isn't very meous, to say the least. Why, krow how much they've done the house alone—- “Yes, and I have to keep it u And the use of the automobiles and the club memberships, and then our trip to Florida last Winter didn't cost us a thing. You know father took care of all those things. Most young peol % “Most young people aren’t put in a false position. You think 1 want Your father's tips? That's what they are—tips. If he's feeling good, he offers us a trip to Florida or buys| You a coat or Betty a bracelet. Or he §Ives us & membership in a club that means that we have to run with a lo ©f people we can't afford o run with." 3y friends, you meant" Jean re- minded him. “Not mine, anyway—not the sort of friends that a buyer in Holden & Dunning ought te have—iriends that table takes anestic t that,” | to retuse. | toa | rather's | what she needed keep us bluffing the time, and trading on the fact that your father's a rich man and that some day you may be & rich womah, “The tradespeople are easy with us vour father's rich—they nag but they don't go too far. uff along. We know we're misery, but we never know stand. 1 wouldn't mind any kind of an income if I 11d just feel for once 1 had my bills all paid for the month. Why—for seven we've been living on an 1t half big enough to sup- we're lving—on that and father's tips. He likes to keep ating cut of his hand—- e fat was in the fir had wanted to forget eldon d not now, head so stifly in the air. They went intp their dellghtful living room furnished with Tillinghast donations r wedding presents sprung from Jean's connections. Ordinarily Shel- don loved his hé sternly that it sapped his manhood it was Betty who really hurt She in her fvory white bed, which Eift from her grandmother. “I want,” said Betty, “a pony I can ride on. Dorothy has one. She ride, too, with Ellen holding me. Will you get me one, Daddy?" Even at six Betty could be plead- your Even if the subject, with Jean's 1t costs t o much, dear. Betty remained blithe she said. “I'll ask grandfather.” Her father stared blackl Ler and then left the roor Jean who got the brunt of his anger. “I may take tips,” he stormed, “but I will not have my child trained to be beggar. She is to get along on what I give her. She's to under- stand i When you “All right,” * %k x ¥ JAN did not ery until Sheldon went shutting the door with an in- forcibleness that resembled a rdulged herself. to the club for some and Will Brewer halled e a fourth at bridge. got home, he found Jean for him and still looking Jean something idden discontent t some Oh, He knew the re of talk from y tried to cares intense In the morning they both felt under a ght stra which was made the less difficult because it Jean's birthday On hi always went to the Ti ghast house. The celeb: was doubtless already under v ipossible Jean, after be- weet with deliberation all h breakfast, asked, “Will it be unpleasant for you to dine at tonight 2" Sheldon wished wasn’t Jean's birthday and a day hallowed to her As it was, he merely smiled sured h wife that dining at nghast's would be pleasure. » felt that she had the better of him, and when she added that she hoped it wouldn't be inconvenient for him to come out on the surface car cause she hated to borrow father's cars so often, he realized that she had planned these statements last night, and his own hostility began to rise. Several times that day his col- leagues noted a grim dignity on his face, and once or twice his lips moved as if in declamation. “What's eating you, Shell?” one of them asked. “Going to make a speech You bet T am, one of these days,” answered Sheldon. Opportunity was nearer than Shel- don knew. David Harrison Tilling- hust was in the library when he ar- rived that eventng—old D. H. T., as he was known in financial circles. He welcomed his son-in-law heartily. He Wi fond of Sheldon. That young Fielding Davis s a smart young man Know What's he doing?" a “He's been organizing his own com- pany. Bought out the White Label Flour Mills. Came to us for money the other day and got it,” Who backed him? veral of us. Glad to do 1t.” heldon’s lips grew grimmer. If D. H. T. wanted to advance money, why dian’t he give it to himself, Sheldon? He could buy into the Parke-Austin Wholesale Grocery Company at this very minute, {f he had the mon Austin’s sons wanted to sell. And what he couldn’t do with that defunct company! sald behind Perhaps e woman?” know I dark] all th you've ere's Jean, you adore edy for that kind ars of experlence, and r. But she remalned ing throu that It therefore wishes. him? ked Sheldon. * ox ok ¥ HE presents were put at Jean's place for dessert. That was the custom. There was silk lingerie from her mother—not too unexpected, as Jean had been careful to admire just last time she had shopped with her mother—a dozen embroldered napkins from Aunt Della, a purse from Sheldon, which Jean was charming abou ‘I love it, Sheldon,” “It isn’t much,” he said, heartened her thanks. Quite enough—quite enough,” said old D. H. T. Then they waited for Jean's father to reveal his present. A stealthy feel- ing in Sheldon which he resented, hoped that it might be a check. A thousand dollars would go so far in by Tonight he felt | him. | lot | clearing up the old bills, but of course that was too much to hope for. Well, five hundred would be plenty— even two hundred. It must be a check, because there was no sign of a wrapped package anwyhere. Mr. Tillinghast finished his coffes, and they left the table. In the library, which fronted the street, he mads his way to the window. “Giood-looking car in front. Won- der who's got the nerve to park out there.” Jean followed him to the window. “Funny,” she agreed; “right before the steps, Isn't 1t?" The electric lights shone full on the car. “Now, vho do you longs to? speculated ‘l.ooks llke a good people, doesn’t 1t?” Jean turned to look at him, and his smile verified her suspicions. “You darling!” she cried, and flung her arms about her father's neck. The front door flew open and Jean |dashed down to the curb with the others in smiling pursuft. Sure enough, on a little sllver plate on the door gieamed Jean's initlals. Sheldon looked at the initials = little strangely, then at Jean's happy face. Jean turned to him trium- phantly. Isn‘t it wonderful to have a father who does things llke this for you! It's such a good car! It's a beauty!” Sheldon did not answer. He was thinking of young Davis, buying his own company, and of himself doomed for life to ride in his wife's car and eat her family's dinners. And, un- wisely, Jean pressed him: “You don't seem very enthusiastic, Sheldon.” “I'm afraid not, Jean,™ husband. He had hardly res hall when Jean, confronted him. “What do you mean by that?” she demanded. “My lack of enthusiasm? I think ou Know “What's the trouble, Sheldon? your favorite make? It fsn't | ¥You know,” said old D. H. “I'm afraid that I hard my wife's having an sald Sheldon quietly. heldon's picked up lot of silly ideas somewhere,” his wife remarked cutting nd they haven't improved his manner. “I'm sure that on a birthday—" put in her mother. “Suppose we hear the idea gested Mr. Tillinghast. “I think we'd better not,” asid Jean. * ok ok % at the gates suppose it be- old D. H. T. car for young sald her ched the very white-faced, Not final, T. kindly. approve ot pensive sug- HAT last remark flicked into action. “I think I'll ba the judge of that,” he broke In. “They aren't such strange {deas. 1 don't ses why I should welcome an expensive car, which adds to my liabllities, which are too heavy for me now. I can't afford to have my wife run a four or five thousand dollar car when I'm only making six thousand a year. It's not right. It shows the world that I'm not supporting her. It adds to our expenses. It means upkeep, gasoline, motor parties—a lot of other things we can’t afford.” “Oh, well, Sheldon, if that's all that's on your mind, T'll endow that little car,” offered his father-in-law. “I'm sorry, but that doesn’t fit the case. It's not endowment I want 3 “Not tips!” said Jean sarcastically. “No—not tips. Not. as I sald to my wife last night, Mr. Tillinghast, tips—club memberships, trips, furs, car. “I want a chance to live as we ought to live—not to be pulled into spending more a year, but less" “You want me to live in a flat Iike the wife of a clerk?" said Jean. “Well, you are the wife of a coffee buser, aren't you?" And then to Mr. Tillinghast: “And she'll always be th wife of a buyer as long as I'm put in the position where I have to be poor and live rich—poverty de luxe: I supply the poverty, you the de luxe. You talk to me about Fielding Davis. I could get somewhere myself if 1 didn’t have to stagger along under a lot of bills and a lot of social ambitions. You indorse Davis' notes, and you give my wife a car to increase my expense. Why didn't you consult me and ask whether I wanted my wife to have a car? Why didn't you assume that I have a right to determine my own scale of living?" ‘They all looked at him, Jean with anger, but a certain dawning respect, her mother angrily, and old D. H. T. stood there, wearing his poker expres- sion “When I married Jean, the under- standing was that we wers to live on what I could earn. We can't live, the way we've been expected to Ii on that. People assume that she gets an allowance.’ ou mean you want me to give Jean an allowance?” “I dom't mean amny such thing. T mean that you ought to leave us alone and not bother us with temptations to spend money, or else give us enough to do the thing right.” ¥ that last. * ok x B haan't meant to s It put the wrong construction on -everything. Old D. H. T.'s expression hardened. “I don’t know whether you are stag- ing a hold-up or not, young man. At any rate, T think T prefer the first al- ternative to subeidizing you. We can remove temptation to spend money. I'll send back the—— Nol—mother, I'll give it to you. The Initials are the same. Sheldon new | on hia own bed and chuckled. | Sheldon did not have the cash for a |in her lovely evening wrap and he in And Jean shall have a pair of for her birthday present. Not my car!” cried Jean Your husband is right. If he can't afford to let you have a car you shouldn’t have a car” sald D. H. T. and looked coldly at his son-in-law. “I understand you correctly? “Absolutely,” said " Sheldon, and squared up to the situation. “Thate fine.” He rather expected Jean to denounce him on the spot, and was not at all sure that she would go home with him. But she did, although after her tears had been suppressed thers was a still qulet about her that he dreaded. She was tense, and she obviously intended tring him to time. Meanwhile old D. H. Tillinghast sat gloves to “That young fellow certainly treated us to fireworks——" “And on Jean's birthday! I wonder if he's good to her. You must have Chris- tlan run her car over in the morning, poor girl 1" What car?” Why, the new one." Not much,” said D. L T. “She gets her gloves tomorrow. 1 send no cars to that house.’ “But, Dav Jean suffer- “In a_measure, that's out of our hands. The young man's thesis s sound enough. Of courss, in theory he's quite right. if I'd given Jean a check, he might have felt differently. But he'll | have his chance to work this out.” “How?" “As I remember, we're going ao California next Sunday for five months, aren’t we? This house is to be closed, and the cars put In storage. Not a battery left {n one of them ex- cept the one we take along. Let Sheldon have a taste of independ- ence.” “But how about Jean? She’s com- ing out to us next month with Betty.” “I guess we'll tell Jean to stay with her husband this Winter,” said D. H. I Janusry there wers taxes. Mr Tillinghast had paid the taxes on the expensive houss and lot he had given his daughter. This year he omitted it. Poverty de luxe grew more difficult. On Christmas the Tillinghasts sent Jean a phonograph and Sheldon a set of books. One night the Millses had to go home in e public bus from a dance. you don’t intend to make tE % taxl. Jean and he sat miserably be- side each other on the straw seat, she his expensive evening clothes. Shel- don feit that his wife hated him. She refused invitations after that, and in- deed she was often too tired to go out in the evening, for she had incom- petent help in the house. Jenny, her old cook, had cost $70 a month; and though Mrs. Tillinghast had always taken care of that, this| year she had forgotten. So Jenny had to go, and Jean feit adrift. She wept a good deal, alternating weeping with fits of hostility. But for once her in- tenseness, her “nervousness,” did not work. “Why must we live like pigs?” she said viclously one morning at break- fast. ‘‘Because we aren’t living honestly.' Sheldon tried to keep his voice Imper. sonal and persuasive. “I WANT,” SAID BETTY, “A PONY I CAN RIDE ON.” |o1a | er Gilbert—and Belle?" U‘, “Other people manage to have cars and a little fun.” “Not young people without an come of their own." “I'm tired of living in the gutter. Sheldon faced his wife silently for ninute. It you feel like that, &1ve 1t up—shall we?" “What?" T'm tired, too—not of living tn the gutter, bacauss of courss, we don't, but of pretending. I told you once before we were married that 1 shouldn't marry a rich girl. 1 knew it was a mistake. Now, it's bad for both of us. All my ambitlon is going, becauss I know I can't t the bur- den. Maybe I'm not of much account Anything you do is all right with me” You mean divorce?” He nodded “But 1 don't want a 4170rce.” “We can't g0 on like this, can we? I hurt you—I seem mean to you—I've killed every bit of love you had for me, and I've hurt myself too. I can't seem to go on. I dreamed of getting - dear, let's tl | able | JANUARY 18, 1925—PART 5. house with hall, which a rubber plant in the had come from Belle's mother, and tha living room was filled with upholstered red-painted wicker. Belle Mills, looking pretty in a gay siik dress which she de- clared she had bought for “nothing” at the after-Christmas sales, wel- comed them gayly. Bells and Jean exchanged ideas, across their gulf of different of living. B horribly (2% . f ind expensive, dld manage to hay month. That's how 1 got Fanoy Jean She aid She that the dres having a surplus!” sighed her husband. Gilbert and thought look as tired as spite of living in a rub- house and having no ser- She s ed that Sheldon en- his brother—possibly envied him his pleasant wife with her cap- hands and magic budget. not look at at didn’t Sheldon, in Jean could almost feel her husband | interest in a wholesale house of | making comparisons, always to her my own. for you." She dld not answer, That 1 wanted to make money nd he left her, nt downtown alled on Mr. who was an friend of hers and had a real estate business. They came to an understanding after much talk on her part. an * * x x HERE was roast lamb for dinner. Sheldon liked roast lamb. Until he came within the savory smell of it that night, he did not know how hungry and tired he was. Al day he had been trving to think of somewhers ha could turn money enough to buy out the Austin Intereat. There was nowhere, no one, except his father-in-law to go elsewhere, the first would be why he did not go to Tillinghast. He came home reluct- antly and as he turned at the gate Jean saw him from the dining room window and noted the slowness of his approach. He didn't want to come home. She'd done that to him. He looked like a man anticipating a blow, as indeed ha was. “How about calling on your broth- Jean asked question at dinner. They don't interest vou particu- larly, Jean.” “T'd like to, tonight, really.” The Gilbert Millses lived in a little to raise | If he tried | disadvantage herself in Sheldon and However, for it. When his wife she had let they left walked to the |corner for their bus in silence. | | | “Tired, Jean?" Oh, no. 1 enoyed it. Nice, fsn't What?" Their house.” Oh, it's livable,” answered Sheldon, but T couldn’t stand it myself. Could you? Couldn’t stand what?" “You've educated me to somewhat | different things. way of making Jean.” “They save money, “Um—so they do everything.” “They live honestlv—as you wers saying you wanted to.” % want to live honestly, do it by copying peopl I put our house on the market to- * Jean remarked. Sheldon jumped. “Put th Belle hasn’t your things " sald Jean. But that fsn't but ou did what?" house on the market. We ,00¢ Mr. Gibbs says.” sald her husband sharply “yowll no such thing. That was you fathers gift.” more T've thought of that sald his wife, “the madder I've been. Let's sell the houss and show father what can be done in your business with $25,000. We can iive somewhere—not just as Gilbert beautitul, | SEE | | | most temptea and Bello do unless you want tc you silly girl!" said Sheldon evening, I've been glad ti didn’t live that way. I've been thi: ing how beautifully you taught r live. I don't want to sell the house It's the only home we've had. I'd al- most_sooner go away and leave you and Betty in ft—uniess I can swing it. I could under c T've figured that if I Parke-Austin, 1 ha thing within a vear. I know what's wrong with that firm know lot about cerles. You see % * & d 1 a wholesale realized that he was talking just as he used to talk before they were marri “It's possible good thing of i to I'n today fully I was al- to ratse m the money But what “Why, Jean, for a little while I got the firm going. worse scraping up against yet ing everywhere my credit good. it 1s.” “It's not bad at al dicted him flatly. “We're quite com- fortable. I suppose I could cut & lot of things out. I really could do bet- ter. But why not sell the house?” “No—it seems like letting you pawn your wedding ring. I've got to do on my own, or it doesn't amount to anything. But I almost think, Jean, I could make Alton see what a rea- sonable proposition it would be bank has money loaned to Parke- as it is. Do you suppose you could stand a year or so of real economy—almost poverty? Because if I did try, I couldn’t—" He didn’'t go on. but Jean knew what he meant. He meant that he couldn’t come home to a cross wife every might. It occurred to her that he was giving her a chance to be a regular wife 1 Belle, with her share of the burde “Go ahead, Sheldon,” she answered with all the intensity gone from her voice. “Let's do it your way and watch me help.’ He saw Fred Austin in the morning. “Well—$10.000 cash and the balance over a perfod of thres years,” Austin said at last. Henry Alton, his banker, greeted him affably, but not too affably, as one who suspects that he may be until for I'd have to keep It's bad enough as Jean in conditions. | contra- | His | S —— —_———— ] THEY ALL. LOOKED AT HIM, JEAN WITH ANGER, AND OLD D. H. T. ST'00D THERE WEAR- ING HIS POKER EXPRESSION. called upon to cash in on pleasant- ness. “wen Shel havin cam th young man—=" n told him. He found that n into speech, words Ho was backed also knowledge, verified by Au bani s invoived in Parke affairs nwil to found himseif that the Austin It ride to He an get it—and make the it I can get $10,000 Sounds reasonable. T4 like to ses that business in young hands—com- petent What security would we have? e business {nterest as !t stands wou 0od enough, of course. What else “I haven't anvthing else.” Tillinghast €0 en your ldon shook his head. *I prefer not to ask him, Mr. Alton.” “Why not?" “I can't t ther. 1d e carried by my wife t like softly. , there real the igea.” vour hous for us.” -’ the house as securi 15t be a big ex t T've nc _we are go- | ut expe to the bone wh his business running. | o lend you mon a the bu hat that firm Is earr what it should earn. It hasn’t 1 bought up b bank is woing to wee ough, Mr. Alton.” over. Thers was ung fellow which he he couldn’t have any the management of ht. Good Well— at the directors’ man Parke-Aust story on Tillin up | s hand on the think I can promise vou that it will be all right. You needn’'t go farther. On the surface girls ) car that night the at Sheldoh. He looked so successful, 80 ro- they brought out their d powdered thelr noses he looked at nona of eves and his mind were hing apparently out- The car st the lighted windows of the and Country Club, and a little smile curved Sheldon's lips. Some day he'd go In thers again when | he could pay for his own membership. And he'd take Jean thers for dinner. (Copyright, 1025.) His som ictory for Daylight Government Won in Texas, Says Mrs. Ferguson BY MIRIAM FERGUSON. Governor-Elect of Texas. AYLIGHT government, op- posed to river-bottom justice of tar and feathers, was the chief principle winning vie tory for me in the guberna- torfal election in Texas. My election wrecked the plans of sheeted wizards, dragons and miscellaneous hobgob- lins, who hoped to place the political power of Texas on the throne of the emperor of the Ku Klux Klan. Two years ago my husband fought the Klan in his race for the United States Senate, hut the people had not been sufficiently awakened at that time to the danger of hooded whip- ping squads and invisible political machines to realize that a victory for sponsors of daylight government was necessary for the welfare of their State. When the restralnt of an injunction from the Supreme Court barred Jim Ferguson's name from the ticket in the Democratic primary in 1924, and I was forced by a long serfes of in- Justices to enter my name in place of | my husband's in (he campaign for governor, 1 was determined to oppose the masked order that had brought discord and strife to Texas. One of the most sacred principles in the foundation of American gov- ernment is the right of trial by jury. When mob justice threatened to su- persede rights that had been won by the sacrifice and the courage of pa- triots, and when red-blooded sons of a frontler empire of heroes covered their faces and took whips in their hands to administer “justice” to lone victims in wooded pastures at night, the thinking people of Texas realized that this was a question of life or death for the Ideals that they had been taught to venerate as the high- est standards of free citizenship. Therefore, when I entered the race for the highest office within the gift of Texas people, I made a uniform of gingham aprons, and enlisted In a political struggle hetween visible and invisible forces with the determina- tion to champion the cause of those who stand for law, tolerance and the Justice of the courts. The Ku Klux Klan in Texas was given the greatest blow it has ever recelved when the polls returned a mighty vote of repudiation in No- vember. My majority over ths an- nounced candidate of the Klan was & denouncement voicing the sentiment of the masses. * ¥ ¥ % ‘HE history of the Klan in Texas 15 An explanation of ihe cause of its existence In a State that has al- ways asignified fair play and broad- Tinded men. The Kian swapt Texas at a time when unrest and turmoil, following the . terrific trial of the World War, had demoralised the stamina of the people. Any panacea HERE IS “MA” FERGUSON IN G SHE MADE INTO A UNIFORM DURING HER CAMPAIGN. OF HER SUNBONNET WERE SENT TO THOUSANDS OF TERN ADMIRERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. DAUGHTER DORRANCE. NGHAM, THE SORT OF STUFF PAT- BESIDE HER IS HER for relief from the chaotic turbulence of the times was eagerly sought. Agents of the Klan told dissatisfied men that they brought a remedy for threatened disasters of society. These agents also made the most of each community’s chlef prejudice, and capitalized race hatred, religlous in- tolerance and political greed by mak- ing magnificent promises of the power that would come with secret conniv- ing and with invisible rule. Religlous prejudice Is the founda- tion of the Klan, when all camou- flage Is torn aside. The Klan, shut- ting itg doors to certain citizens, brought dissolution and hatred from the start to towns that had been har- monious and to neighbors that had been friends. “The Kian gained dominance In Texas In the bogiuning because of its birth in & time of chaos. Then its agents bullt up an army of good men and of BarTow men allke by of- fering the bait most acceptable in each community. In negro-populated districts the fear of race equality, as the result of uncontrollable conditions, offered a strong incentive to sincere men to join the cause. In_other districts the vanguard of the Klan plctured the Pope's alleged encroaching power. Bverywhere the danger, of foreign control was stressed. Statistics show- ing the increase of foreigners within the country were quoted and the im- migration doors were made o subject of argument. A heartbreaking war with forelgn- ers was just over. sentiment was strong. That our best citizens aro a result of the melting pot, that had blended the strensth of all nations into a democratic people, was for- gotten. Jewish domination of the in- dustrial power of America was pic- tured. Patriotism and the preserva- | torture. were made a basis many officers Thus thousands of men, whoss in tentions and purposes wers the best were Inducted an organizat that soon hegan a program of punish ment on a par with medieval fnquis tions. RLY in Tex gan to realize based on inter own welfare and they refrained from joining the invisible empire. But here were many who could not ses the Klan for its pre- tensions. Immediately after its organization in Texas a series of outrages, again Ity and against innoecent victims ed sane people and threat ve unlicensed power tb any man who wore a mask. Uniawfu gangs took this op portunity t us purposes behind the shect, and private hatreds were satisfied woods with Whipping squads were or ganized in every Klan, and it beeame a common practice for Klans to ex change visits in order to administer floggings and tarring-and-feather- ing to stranger victims for nelghbor ing Kl As a candidate for governor promised that when I reached office 1 would urge laws limiting the license of hooded mobs. I shall ask the Legislature to pass laws requiring the membership of each Klan to be filed with the county clerk, and I would have a law that made mask-wearing in public an offense punishable wit} one years Imprisonment for one pe: son alone, and with two year's im- prisonment for thres or more cor gregated with masks on. Although at one time ths manac of the Kian, with its silent politica machines and its determination to ac- quire power through politics, seemed to threaten internal dissolution that would have brought shame and di tress to this country, I belleve that, as far as Texas is concerned, th crisis Is past and that sincere mer with the best Interest of State ar I neighbor at heart, will forsake the mask for daylight rule, court justice and religlous tolerance. There are many people who hav been in bad company befors wh manhood rescued them from the peril {of too much assoctation with un worthiness, That the worst {s ov in Texas is best demonstrated by the State elections of the last two year The 1922 election netted some victor- fes for the Klan, but the last electlon was almost a complete victory fc anti-Kianamen. (Copyright, 1925, in United States, Canads, of the Klan n people be nnishness was tful to the the histor. the comn that k ests enace of e ened to lonel ns. 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