The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-25
THE TOPIC.

Just now the over important. mind.
stirring question is Roosevelt and his
choice Of company. While Booker
Washington has ability and character
he is of the negro race-an inferior
race for our thousand years or longer.
The letting down of the social bars at
the White house offends the instincts,
prejudices and best convictions of the
south, and no little part of the north.
No negro mechanic today can work in
northern shops side by side with the
white mechanics. No negro girl can
go into a store and clerk with white
girls there employed. No negro preach
er is called by a white church to Off
ciate as its pastor. If there be no race
prejudice, no dominant doctrine as to
race distinction why this northern way
OF rejecting the negro as a laborer? In
the south it is quite otherwise. Negroes
work with whites all about, in all
towns. The social structure is simply
endangered by Roosevelt's antics. If
he hurt no one but himself no one
would care a snap. But he violates the
convictions, the principles, the pur-
poses, the determination of the great
south in his wanton way Of showing his
disregard and defiance. 1t was a very
grave error, a very deliberate insult.
The Atlanta Journal but voices a gen.
eral opinion when it declares that 9TH
south would consider the appointment
of negroes to office a minor offence
compared with an attempt to promul-
gate h doctrine that the social color
line should be obliterated."
The presidents purpose to endeavor
to create an aggressive and respectable
republican party in the south will not
amount to anything if there was ever
any real prospect of such an unfavor-
able result. Social equality is no plat
form for even a Rough Rider" for the
nonce in the Presidential chair. Booker
Washington is the representative of his
entire race in the affair at the presi-
dents entertainment. The Augusta
(Ga.) Chronicle noting this says that
Booker represents the negro rae and
between his people and the whites there
can be no social equality. This is not
simply local southern prejudices, but
it is an ineradicable racial fact"
Every man OF reflection in the south
believes that dangers will come from
this escapade, and that troubles with
bad, aggressive negroes will increase.
There will be a greater display Of pre-
sumption and u more arrogan claim
Tor social recognition. equality and
even intermarrying, and that will only
hatch eggs that will bring forth vipers
and ~bloodshed. The Chattanooga
Times is an extreme paper of its kind.
half democratic only, if SO much, but it
is published in a southern state. From
an editorial we clip this:
" regard the incident as unfortu-
nate at this time because the south was
beginning to entertain a very kindly
feeling for the young president. and il
viii undoubtedly check any further de-
velopment OF confidence in his judg-
ment or his profession of friendship for
southern Institutions. AS to his Will
ingneSs as a man, as Theodore Roose-
welt. the individual, to sit at the social
table with the earned negro we have
nothing to say: Ia is a matter of
taste with him. But we believe he
made a mistake n a by no means in