The Washington times., 1901-11-03
THE NEGRO POINT OF VIEW
The Booker Washington Dinner
Discussed by Leading Colored Men.
Nothing Approaching Social EqunI
ity Dcsired-only Civic Rights
WRnted-Incideut Not Calculated
to Cause Any Further Trouble

All those VINO nave expressed alarm
on account of the possible consequences
of the Booker T. Washington dinner at
the White House have based their fears
upon the belief that the negroes of the
South would become more assertive
"biggity." impudent. and, in general,
mot stay in their places" Just what is
the negro's place never seems to be
clearly defined, but in general it seems
TO mean that he must not aspire to
pass beyond Il vague dead line called
social equality. In the Transvaal
under the Boer Government, it is re-
! garded as social equality for the black
Africans to walk upon the sidewalks
| hence the natives are forced to walk in
the middle of the street. And yet. in
asmuch as most of the Beers live in
| one-room houses their African servants
sleep in the same room with the family.
In parts of this country ii is a violation
of the laws of social equality for white
and colored children TO sit in the same
school room, and yet the same children
play together for hours without the pro-
| lection of a teacher to direct them.
The most intimate relations frequent
ly exist between employer and employe,
in which there is a freedom of inter
course quite impossible among social
equals, nevertheless If the employer and
the employe are of different races and
must take the same train it is social
equality in some of our States for them
to sit inside of the same coach. or to
secure lunch provided for passengers
in the stations at the same counter
But as indeterminate as social equality
may be, it has been universally decided
in the South that there must be none of
it, and the cOlored people thoroughly
understand this. Further than this. the
negroes Of the South do not wish or
seek social rights pure and simple. 1t
is only as civil rights are taken away
under the false name of social rights
that the negro finds complaint. No one
who has ever known negroes intimately
has ever heard them express any com
plant at not being admitted to white
churches, of not being invited to tea and
euchre parties. to the balls and dances.
or TO any purely social functions of the
white people. But whenever the negro
is invited he usually accepts and re-
CARDS his invitation as a mark of dis
unction rather than matter of person.
al pleasure To be thus received The
one great wish Of the negro is to enjoy
his full civil rights. the freedom to use
the public highways and aecommoda-
tipns, the freedom to secure employ
ment where his talents eatItle him, the
equality of protectioa before the law,
the equality Of educational opportunity. !
the equality OF political privileges in
proportion as he prepares himself to
bear them. Bur beyond these funda
mental rights the negro believes with
his greatest spokesman, Mr.. Booker r.
Washington. that we can be as sepa-
rate as the fingers in all things purely
social, and yet united as the hand in all
things essential to mutual progress"
The simple dining of colored man at
the White House will not and cannot |
change this practically universal feel
ing.
AS proof of this assertion study |
Of the editorial columns of negro news |
papers is inviting. There are about 200 |
such papers published by colored men
in various sections of the United States |
It will be conceded that they ought to
reflect the opinion OF the race. The
press Of any people or any race is al
ways the most independent and the
most exact expression Of the true feel
ngs Of the people. A careful canvass
If this entire press since the discussion
has arisen over the dinner Of Mr. Wash
ngton at the White House discloses u
unanimlty of expression of
he negro's position.
In the Star Of Zion" organ of the
African NJ f. Zion Church, published
It Salisbury. N. c.. is found the follow
ng by Bishop Clinton:
THE persons who are criticising the
President seem to think that this act
N his part viii cause the negro to get
,eside himself. When it is remembered
hat Mr.. Washington has been the
-uest Of such institutions as Harvard.
which gave him the degree of \. NJ,
nd whose president entertained him;
urther, that ne was the guest of a
trictly social organization at Birming-
IAN, Ala, one year ago. and invited to
he homes of leading white families the
ext day. and later the special guest Of |
he great Missionary, Conference of the
A. f. Church South. held recently at
Jew Orleans, La. to say nothing of
nany marks of distinction which he has |
moved at home and abroad because of
is work and worth. all of which are
yell known to the leading negroes of
he country, it seems passing strange
hat this great ado should be made and
uch direful consequences predicted as
he outcome Of Mr.. Washimgton's din
lg with the President. The white peo- 5
le Of the South need have no fear that
lis will turn the head of any sensible
egro. The negroes are not half so silly
; many white people seem TO think s
icy are. and not as unwise as those l
no seize upon everything that seems G
show them respect and encourage s
ent which they assuredly deserve to I
Use hue and cry against them and G
eir friends. The worst effect this I
hole affair will have VIII be a renewal '
the already overwrought race ques- V
on. Such bitter and uncalled for dis I
ssion about q matter that no true
lristian people c"r consistently find $
ult with, will into sify the hatred and f
tterness Of those people who do not a
ant the negro TO be anything but a Il
udge and a minion, and bring forth Il
ore riots upon the slightest proyoca- g
IN. The negro will keep the even a
nor Of his way ever onward and up p
ard until his progress in character Sc
IL command the respect at home II
nich they command everywhere else
the world. No negro of standing s;