The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-10-22
THE COLOR LINE.

{. prcs;den, for inviting DR.. Booker l.
Washington TO dine at the Wliise
House. It tells us that 'here sal
down together on that OCCASION Two
gentlemen. one white and the oti'ei
colored. who are Two OF the 7ruess
Americans born on our soil and two'ct
the best and most Intelligent ana ~
fuential friends of The South now
living.
we are not quick 10 impeach anF
mans motives and we are wiling 10
believe that these Two men are. Us iile
Times says. friends of the South. ha1
that they are intelligent friends OF the
South ne deny. We say THAI these
Two men could not have done amy one
thing less likely to serve the interests
of the South than to meet together on
terms of social equality Mr., Roose-
welt was in a position 10 do the South
q great service. He had made over
lures to the Southern people and they
had received them kindly and gladly.
They believed that he. with southern
blood flowing in his veins, would do as
much as any man could do to wipe otis
the last trace of sectionallsm. biit
when Mr. Roosevelt serves notice on
the Southern people that he is n favor
of social equality between the races,
he cuts himself off from them as 40
President since the war has done MI
Roosevelt has deliberately snapped Ills
finger at the traditions of our people
and has destroyed his influence with
them. No statesman would nave done
such a foolish thing.
As for Booker Washington. he knew
as well as the President knew, anil
perhaps better, just how this incident
would be received and Interpreted by
the people Of the South and il. is said
that he expressed his misgiyin2s ID
colored woman, after he had received
the Presidents invitation, and That size
warned him that it would stir up 4
hornets nest in the South. Washing
ION knew this and he knew that lie
was doing himself and his race aud
the institution which he represents III
calculable harm by accepting Mr.
Roosevelt's invitations Yet, he seems
10 have been unable TO resist the temp
tation.
We say. therefore. that these Two
men. however friendly they may DE 10
the South. have n very poor way of
showing it, and by this act have
largely destroyed their power Tor good
insthis mart of the country.
But the New York Times says that
the President wanted information from
Washington concerning conditions n
Inc South: that he had a perfect right
to consult him as to such matters; thai,
it was net only his right but his plain
duty to have a conference with WASH
ington. and that the notion that in do
ing SO in the way in which he thought
most convenient and proper, at his
own table. he was endorsing the idea
of social equality between al whites
and all colored, is absurd.
OF course it was right and ptoper
for the President TO consult Booker
gain any information concerning
Southern affairs from him. Nobody
in the South would have thought OF
objecting to such Il conference. But
this conference could have been he'd
IN the Presidents office rs we'll rs IN
i the Presidents dining-room, and 1t is
idle for the New York Times TO say
that it had no social significance. Mr..
J Roosevelt evidently had Il purpose in
inviting Booker Washington 10 dine
with him beyond the mere purpose Of
consultation and if there had been
any doubt on this score it was re-
moved by Senator Foraker. who said
in a public speech on Saturday last
that the incident showed that Air.
4 Roosevelt would not draw The color
line.
What does this mean2 Itmeans that
the President of the nation is in. "a
vor of wiping out all racial distiac-
lions. Ii means that he is in favor of
n social system which will draw the
line against no man or woman because
of such persons race. 1t means that
the President is willing that negroes
SildiI III NilttISa IL llit
social circle-that white women nlay
receive attentions from negro men. It
means that there is no racial reason il
his opinion why whites anu blacks
may not marry and intesmarry, way
the Ansio-SaNen may not mix negro
blood with his blood. That is WHAT
abolishing the color line means, and al
the special pleading in the world viii
not alter the fact.
1t is a very simple and insignificant
thing to President Roosevelt and ais
defenders that he has received a negro
IN his household upon terms of socis,l
equality, and perhaps il is a simple and
Insignificant thing 10 the people of lie
North. But il we Of the South should
adopt this doctrine, il we should agree
To abolish the color line and wipe out
all racial distinctions, it would mean
sooner or later social decentralization
and the degeneration of the proud
white race into a race of mulattoes.
The white race of the South must pre-
s,,x.