The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-10-20
ROOSEVELT DENOUNCED
BY THE SOUTHERN PRESS

race or elevate the black race by ea>-ng
or sleeping with negroes have studied
ethno;ogy to little purpose. President
Roosevelt is half Southern in blood. Had
his mother been present when he seated
Booker Washington at his table she
would doubtless have declined to sit at
the same table. President Roosevelt has
made a blunder, the bad effect of which
will reach beyond him."
WILL CHILL TILE SOUTH'S FAVOR.
The Evening Banner of Nashville,
Tenn, denounces the Presidents action
as a mistake and goes on to say: What
ever justification may be attempted of
the Presidents action in this instance,
it goes without saying that it will tend
to chill the favor with which he is re-
garded in the South and will emba,Tass
him in his reputed purpose to build up
his party in this section.
QUESTION OF TASTE.
The Register, Of Danvillee, Va, says:
We never feel quite secure in CRITICS.
ing conduct involving a question Of taste.
In regard to President Roosevelt's pre-
vailing upon Booker Washington to dine
with him, it suffices to reDeat that s.rl-
cient observation, "De guStbuS non est
oesputandunl.
WAS MRS. ROOSEVELT THERE'S
The Fredericksburg Free Lance says
Surely there must be some mistaae
about ii. Booker T. Washington is Il
most respectable colored man, the head
Of the Tuskegee (tNaeama) Institute, but
he is colored, and the South, at least, is
not prepared for social equality, the
blending Of the races in social functions
the sure forerunner of miscegenation.
When Cleveland invited Fred. Douglas to
White House reception, which was
probably accidental because Doughlas was
an officeholoer and the clerk sending out
&o4s
ed the list on the Congressional Directory,
there was q. mighty howl and the invita-.
ton was never duplicated. The Southern
people, at least, will be curious to know
If at this, the first entertainment OF a
colored man in the White House, Mrs
Roosevelt participated and if So how far
this great social departure will be ac-
ceptable to the swell set in Washington:
and whether President Roosevelt having
set the pace of entertaining black men,
his example will be generally followed
If SO Preacher jasper may have been
mistaken in his contention that ''the sun
do move" but surely it will not be de-
MED in the light of the foregoing state
ment that the world edo move' Presi-
dent Roosevelt has started out well. but
if he has entertained Washington as a
social equal. the South will be disap-
pointed and saddened simply because its
people are not prepared to accept the idea
OF the social equality OF the races
PIcAYUNE NOT. CRITICAL
The Picayune, os New Orleans. SAYS:
great deal Of criticism of various
sorts is going to be poured out ,,pon Tres
ident Roosevelt for having entertained at
dinner the negro leader-Booker Washing
ton. The Picoyune regards this act on
the part of the President as an official
and not a social matter. Necessarily, if
the President Should take negroes of both
sexes into social relations with his fanai-
ly. it would excite a great deal of pre-
JUDGE; but officially. as the chief n,agis-
trate Of the republic, which embraces in
its citizenship people of all colors and
many races. he may confer with and en-
tertain people who are black, red, brown
and yellow, as well as white. and eat and
drink with them
.'lf, however he should endeayor to
bring the peoples of all races, colors and
conditions into the same social plane and
into intimate INSTRUMENTATION, it is
much to be doubted if he could make it a
success. either politically or socially. But
II should be remembered that the Presi-
dent is a very peculiar man and has in
many Instances shown little regard, either
fer official routine or social and political
Probably he is more indif-
ferent to all restraints of routine and
ceremony tnan was ever any OF ms pre-
decessors, and he may carry this pecu-
liarity to the extent OF eccentricity. so
that scarcely any act Of his no matter
how much out Of the common course,
need he surprising, IS
.sNeverthe without anticipatings
anything in the way Of speculiarities. the
Picayune takes it for granted that tie
Would do officially that which
heEWou!d not dream of in the way o & vio-S
lating accepted social usages and conyen-s
lions, and, therefore, the. PlcaYune has
no gcrlttc ism TO make III the present in-s