The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-10-23
A BAD BREAK.
President Roosevelt Enterfains a
Nsgyo at Dinner
WITH His ENTIRE FAMILY.
The Action Ct Ghe President Will
Jar the Feelings Of Ncn.
Believers in Social
Equality.

Equality.
A dispatch frcm Washington to the
Atlanta Constitution says Booker T.
Washington, the ell known negro edu'
Gator, president II the Tuskegee, Ala,
Institute, vss guest Of President and
Mrs. Roosevelt st dinner st the white
house Wednesday night. Washington
is probably the first American negro to
dine with 8 president Of the United
States and his family, although it was
reported that President Cleveland once
| entertained a negro friend st the white
house board. Since President Roose-
vels occupied the white house there
has hardly been a dinner or luncheon
without its guests, and as the president
hiss been SO free with his invitation no
spscial list of guests is prepared and
the ushers do not know who the guests
will be until they arrive. Wednesday
night, just before 8 o'clock, a negro ia
evening dress presented himself ct the
white Eouse door, and, giving his name,
said that he was to cine with the presi-
dent. Booker Washington has made
several visits to the white house and
his face is known there, 60 he was at
once admitted into the private spact-
ments and the president notified Of his
arrival. No other guest arrived and
the dinner was soon served. Dinner
st the white house since the RooseVeits
have occupied the pspsion has been a
family affair, Mrs. Roosevelt and the
tWo children appearing at the tsble
With father, mother and guests, Afser
dinner the president takes his guests
10 The Library, sld there, over cigars,
things political aad otherwise are els:
cussed. WedDesday the usual order Of
sfsiIs was not disturbed On account Of
tic color Of tie guest of honor, and
Washington left the white house about
10 O'clock apparently very much
pIessed With bis dinner and his chat
With the president.
IT WAS A MISTAKE.
The Augusta Chronicle says the news
from Washington that President Book
er r. Washington, of Tusksgee 1nssi-
tute. was guest in the white house, at
dinner with President and Mrs. Roose-
:ait and family, snd that after dinner
there vas the usual social hour over
cigsrs, is 3 distinct shock to the favor
able sentiment that was crysta!li1g IN
the south for the ieV president. The
appointment o. Judge Jones IL Alsba.
ma, snd the published uttersnces OF
President Roosevelt TO the effect that
ne in:cn6Gd 80 &2roint only good men
to ofioe have led southern people to
hope that Lew political era was at
hand.
While encouraging the people in the
hope that the negro is to be largely
eliminated from odoe in the south,
President Roosevelt throws the fat in
the fire by giving countsnsuce to the
negro's claim for social equality by
having one to dire in the white house
with himself, Mrs. Roosevelt and chill
dren. We concede the fsc5 that he
could not have bad more decent ne
gro. President Booker T. Washington
is the representative man Of his race,
useful citiz,n and an able leader Of
his people. But he represents the ne
gro race, snd between his people and
the whites thera can be no social equal
ity. This is not simply local southern
prejudice, but it is an inersdicable ra
cial fact. While there are exceptional
csses at the north and east Of white
people who receive negroes on plane
o. social equality, they are exceptions.
For the most part the negro finds at
tn, north the way sternly barred, not
only to social intsrc purse, but to bssi'
ness equality, while laborers, even,
will nos work with negroes OF the same
job, and every labor union refuses to
admit negroes to membership. In the
south the negro is given full opportuni-
ty to work, but tooisl equality will not
be tolerated for moment.
If Colonel Roosevelt desired to re-
receive negroes at bis table on plane
Of social equality he hsd right to do
that in his personal capacity before
he became the executive head Of the
government, but as the President Of
the United States it is a matter Of very
grave doubt if he has the right to in
augurate custom which is repugnant
TO an overwhelming majority Of the
white people Of the country in sll Sec
sions, AID the tendency Of which is to
open anew az issue which has been
practically eliminated not only by ar
gument but unsEerViug aod determined
practice throughout the years.
President Roosevelt has made mis-
take, ore that will not only eface the
good impression he had begun to create
il the south, but oDe that will actively
antagcn:zs southern peopls, and meet
TIE disapprovsl Of good Anglo Saxon
saatiueur in all ls:ituies. Should
President Roosevelt seek to follow up
this Startling departure from the preoe'
cents Of century by inviting negroes
TO wife hvuso functie2s he will ind
aimsoii IL some very awkward aud ncr-
ti:yirg s;su .:;oas wien his white guests
reeeat tie innovation a1d refuse to CO.
vps-ate IL il. Che Dews from Wash
lagton cones il such fern and ulan-
.mi.y tast there IS 10 reason to suppose
ia is iuac,urs,e, snd if it is tEuo
President R5osa7els will do veil to
1skc this exrerineD1 his last slonS
,aas l;ue. Gne south does not relish
;45 nsgro in cface, bit inst is a aaaii
.~,cer compared wish It's uaalteraolc
opposition 20 zacja! eguslity between
tie rsces. President Roosevelt has
flown N the lace of tublio sentiment,
aod trsoipita:ed sn issue that has long
s.1ce nse1 fought c1s and which should
have bssn Lett in the list Of settled
questions.
He Was Desperate.
p, - C-I-}oy, Mo