"The Klan movement in Wilford Springs has been discouraged by the best citizens of the community. The organization here at present is small and, as it is elsewhere, composed of the derelicts of society, together with a few foolish individuals who are easily influenced to part with their money to enrich Klan promoters, not knowing the real nature of the organization. "This incident should arouse all good citizens to do their utmost to oppose the Klan." * * * * * Saturday evening when the employees of the bank were receiving their pay Rastus Jones said to the cashier, "I wants some change fo' my chu'ch envelope tomorrow." "I thought you had quit paying to the church." "I done quit but I'se gwine to sta't to payin' agin. I don't believe a Christian should quit payin' the preachah jest 'cause he don't like all the preachah does. I wants the change so's I can get sixty cents out of it fer my envelope." "All right, here you are, but I thought you said that you only gave thirty cents." "Yas, sar, dat's all I gives regular, but I didn't pay las' Sunday, so I'se gwine to make up fer it this time." The following Sunday evening the Reverend George Washington Bascom discussed "The Questions of the Day." The Union Avenue African Church was well filled. Many of the members of this church were among the best colored people of the town, but of course the Union Avenue Church also had its share of the other kind. The major portion of Reverend Bascom's address was devoted to the coming election. He discussed the issues of the campaign and then he aroused tremendous interest when he said: "They tell us that the Ku Klux Klan is a factor in this campaign. They told us in the city election that if we did not line up for certain candidates that the Klan would get so strong here that no negro would be safe in the pursuit of his happiness. Now if there is any nigger here whose pursuit of happiness leads him to the chicken coop of his neighbor he ought not to be safe in that pursuit." ("Dat's right, dat's right," came from a number of his auditors.) "Now they are trying to scare us with that bogey man, the Klan." "Now the Klan may go out and do unlawful things and then again it may not." ("I know it does," came from the pew where Rastus Jones was seated. "Amen," shouted Sam Jenkins.) "As I was a saying, the Klan may sometimes whip a nigger and then again it may be some folks who have no connection with the Klan, but if the Klan does do it I want to tell you that it isn't any more than some of you rascally niggers need." ("Amen, amen; dat's right, dat's right," came from various parts of the house.) The Reverend Bascom ceased to speak. His mouth dropped open, his eyes, fixed on the door in the rear of the room, protruded from his head.