The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1901-10-26
col | OR LINE
Used AS A Sermon Text by
Chicago Pastors.

| remarks to the effect that this is a
white mans country "
ct all that the President really
seems to have done was an act of cour-
tesy in asking Mr.. Washington to sit
down With him to dinner and have a
talk with him. AS Booker T. Wash.
1ngton is an entirely reputable man. as
well as an interesting one. the Presi-
| dent doubtless enjoyed his comDany.
MANY Presidents in the past have had
1ar less reputable and agreeable men
at their table. II Mr.. Roosevelt shall
; nave no worse ones among his private.
guests. the, country will have no cause
for complaint
The right Of the President to dine
win anyone he may please ID have
with him is entirely his own affair.
anu Theodore Roosevelt is not d likely
man to pick out bad company. black
or white, for his personal or social
companlonship. The rumpus which
some lndlscreet Southerners are trying
TO raise because he has been Hospital
Die to colored man is foolish dis
play of both manners and temper"
New York, oct. 19.-The Tribune
says:
THE Southern politicians who criti-
else President ROosevelts action in in
Wiling Prof. Booker T. Washington to
dine at the White House is likely to
raise the query whether the manager
! OF the Tuskegee Institute or himself is
really the more deserving and genuine
friend of the South 49,
In December 1898, the President Of
the United States and the Governor of
Alabama were received and entertain
ed at Tuskegee Institute by Booker T.
Washington. In writing of this visit
the correspondent of the New Orleans.
Picayune said:
No white hosts or hostesses could
have been more courteous il attend
ing to and more thoughtful in fore
stalllng every want of their guests
than were these refined and educated
Africans during all the. time of our
visit. Ssis2a.4s4ss{ ssss. Z. 81. s "a:
This was in keeping with the prac-
tice at Tuskegee Institute. In the last
ten years hundreds of distinguished
white men, from the South and North.
have sat at Booker T. Washington's
table. Booker r. Washington has
been the host and there has been no.
protest.
In the last five years Booker T..
Washington has attended three ban
quets given by a conspicuous Chicago,
club, and on two occasions he has had
the seat of honor. In the same years
he has been guest at banquets in
nearly every large city in the country.
He has been received with courtesy
also by the Governor and Legislature,
of Alabama. Yet, on these occasions,
no one has accused either clubs or
Governor or Legislature of purpose to,
''break down the social barriers be
tween the races
Nevertheless, the act of the new
President of the United States, in re-
ceiving and entertaining Booker T.
Washington at the White House a few
days ago, is being described by many
Southern newspapers as IAN outrage
and "a declaration of war
In view Of these Southern newspa-
pers, the President of the United
States may dine with a colored man at.
a colored mans home and not depart
from the strictest lines Of propriety;
but if he invites the most distinguished :
cOlOred man in the country to dine
with him at the White House he is
guilty Of an Outrage In other
words, the President of the United
States may accept the hospitality of a
+colored man, but he may lot return it.
This is absurd. The President re-
ceived, consulted, and entertained
Booker T. Washington in his character
as President Of all the people. There
was no protest when Mr.. Washington
advised the President to adopt new
policy as to new appointments OF
white men in the South. There was
no protest when such appointments of
white men were made in accordance
with his advice. The line was drawn
only when the President invited Mr.
Washington to dine with him.
We are thirty-ive years from the
end of the civil war. We are living
at a time when it is the duty of the
President of the United States to re-
ceive Hospitality the representatives of
all nations--White, black, or yellow
and all races-white, black or yellow
and yet, when the President in the
performance of his duty receives hos
pitably the chosen representative of
5000, 900 native Americans, there are
those who pretend to see in this act Of
official courtesy an Outrage" and
of war; on some Ameri-
can institution or institutions.
Nonsense!-Ch chicago Inter Ocean
Philadelphia Get 19.--The Ledger
this morning says:
Because President Roosevelt, saw fit !
in his good Judgment to invite Booker
Z. Washington to dinner, strong words
of disapproval are heard in the South
Mr.. Washington is a coiored man who
enjoys the universal respect of all peo-
ple in this country black and white,
on account of attainments, character
and deeds. As the President invited
him to be his private guest. and did
not attempt to force the companionship
of a colored MAJ upon anyone to whom
the association could possibly be dis
tasteful, any criticism of the Presi
dent s act sayors of very great imperti-
hence. But, considered in any light,
the invitation is not subject for criti-
cism Booker 7. Washington is one OF
the most notable citizens of the coun
try just because he has done note