The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-19
ROOSEVELT STRS
Up INDIGNATION
9is Dining With a Negro
Sharply Criticised.
THE EFFECT IN THF S0lITH
THE EFFECT IN The SOUTH
Twill Influence Negroes Attitude
Toward Whites.
ROOSEVELT CANNOT APPRECIATE THIS
So it is Stated by Southern Men in Washing
ton, The Incident Almost if Not QIite
Without Precedent. Storm of
Adverse Comment.
Especial Dispatch to Baltimore Sum-

Especial Dispatch to Baltimore Sum-
Washington, Oct 17.-President Roose-
welt greatly surprised his Southern
friends by inviting Prof. Booker T. Wash
ington, of Tuskegee Institute, to dine
at the White House last night Washing
ton went. There were no other guests.
Indignation iS expressed among Southern
men generally that the President should.
in the face of his declarations of friend
liness toward the people of the South,
take this early opportunity to show such
marked courtesy and distinction to a
colored man.
What effect the dining of Washington
by President Roosevelt is going to have
upon his Southern policy remains to be
seen A few days ago, when a delegation
OF Southern politicians called upon the
President in connection with a Federal
appointment. he took occasion to remark
that 1.-The color of a mans skin should
not operate to his advantage or disadvan-
tage III an appointment or removal
from office" President Roosevelt appar-
emily intends to apply the same rule at
his dinner table and exercise his inde-
pendence in the selection of his dinner
guests.
Many of the men who have talked with
the President on the situation in the
Southern States have gene away from the
Whit 'F~"-0 convinced that he does not
appreciate how impossible it is for the
white 49," nf the South to place himself
on personal equality with the negro.
1t is for this reason that it has been more
than once suggested to the President that
ir the event Of a change in the personnel
Of the Cabinet it might be to his a1van-
tage to select a representative from the
South to help solve the race problem.
Southern men here tonight. in comment
ing on the Washington incident. declare
that the President does not and cannot
understand the bad effect the inviting a
negro to dinner will have on the attitude
OF the negroes of the South toward white
men, their wives and families.
Inquiry shows that Washington was
treated like any other guest at the Presi-
dents table. Some callers remarked with
in the Presidents hearing that they
feared that the episode might cause the
administration and the Republican party
ir the South embarrassment, but so far
as can he learned the President made no
comment
Dispatches from the South tonight show
that there is much excitement among
the Presidents new political friends over
the fact that he had black man to din
ner. Southern members of Congress who
are here criticise the President. but no
one has been found who will permit the
use of his name in connection with these
criticisms. A Representative from Louis
lana said that the dinner would undo all
hr had
in on~~'~''~g Ex-Governor J. G. Jones a
I Federal judge. Another declared THE
South can never take to it's heart any man
who has had colored man at the table
with him
Still another said: "All the Demo-
cratic arnoint~erts the President can
make would fail to reconcile the South
to -" r""t that the President of the
Unite6 O. - - at the same table with
a niger .
WASHINGTON is said to be the first coll
ored person entertained at the. White
House. w'+h tho POSSIBLE exception of tie
late Senator Bruce. of Mississippi. The
latter was often at the White House with
his wife during the winter season, but it
is said he was never at a large public
dinner, alt' may have been asked
to din, quietly with the President.
Several colored men have been in Con-
gress from the South, but there is no in
stance where they have ever dined at the
White House. Few of them took advan-
tage '~0n the Presi-
dent to the large receptions each sea-
son TO the diplomatic corps, the Congress
and the army and navy, and when at the
White House they have been usually seen
in the Presidents office. where they went
on business.
Frederick Douglass often called at the
White House to see the President. but no
attache of the Mansion recalls that he
was ever dined there. Douglass was taken
to his mission at Hayti by United
States warship sailing from HAMPTON
Reads, and the officers then on the YES
sci have not recovered yet from the shock
they felt when hearing of the detail and
the service the ship was put to. Mr. |
Blaine was responsible for the order
In connection with the Booker T Wash |
ington incident an occurrence at Albany |
during Mr.. Roosevelts term as Governor
will be recalled at this time. young |
colored man who sings baritone in ST. |
Georges church in New York gave con- |
cert in Albany When he got to Albany |
all the hotels were shut to him. He had
no place to go. Governor Roosevelt heard
of this and sent for the young singer and |
invited him to the Executive Mansion. !
where he was lodged and fed during his
stay in the State capital.