The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-10-31
GUN CLUB STAND
TO THEIR! Il! GUNS
Reafirm invitation to Roosevelt and
Declare They Asked Him as a
Private Citizen.
Especial Dispatch to Tho rimes.)

LYNCHBuRG, VA, Oct. Ca few
days ago members Of the LynchburG Cur
Club decided to send President Roosevelt,
whom they knew to be an ardent sports
man, an invitation to participate in a big
canaping-out hunt from November 10Th to
November Goth. The invitation was sent
to the President through Major Peter j.
Otey, Congressman of this, the Sixth Dis
trict of Virginia. On account of the
Booker Washington incident the action of
the club has been widely commented on
and somewhat criticised in both this and
other sections of the State; and j. Hamp-
ton HoSe, the Republican candidate for
Govorncr, is making reference in mis-
speeches to the course followed by the
Lynchburg Club as a reply to the attacks
of Democratic speakers on Mr.. RooSe-
Selt'S conduct.
To-day the Gun Club took the matter
up and unanimously endorsed the sending
of an invitation to the President. The
members duplored the publicity given to
the matter, but in decided terms declared
that if Mr. Roosevelt would accept tie
invitation the club would consider it the
greatest possible honor; for they regarded
Mr.. Roosevelt as q thorough gentleman
and a courageous, broad-minded man,
whom they would delight to receive and
entertain.
They declared furthermore that MI.
Roosevelt was able TO be the judge of his
own acts. and that the club had no apollo
Ey whatever TO make for the course it had
pursued. 1t was stated further. however,
that the club did not mean by its action
TO endorse President Roosevelt's policy
in entertaining Booker Washington ct
dinner. but that the members OF the ciuD
recognized that in other sections Oh the
country his act was endorsed, ana that
it would not be expected that OUTSIDE =.
the South a Southerners S view OIL the ii'slt- MAJ
ter could be cherished.
The club did not consider the Booker
Washington incident IN any way 49,. 49,
ever. hut simply invited Mr. Roosevele lles
n,ec,,,sa they wished for the pleasure Oh
hts ,on,Y,anv. and it was not as PRESIDENT,
,,,t as a private citizen. that ne was
asked to participate in the shoot
THIS statement is made on the authority
"a t,,a secretary of the club, who feaa
a,,a endorsed it. The membership OF ihe
cInb includes a number or pro1llliisitl p''se-
ness and professional men, 90
The officers OF the byheilouis by
rr,.,t ora. T. IT, Nelson, president. ana
A. Anderson. secretary and treas
.,ra,. The names Of these gentlemen were
-:..,,,iy +, the official invitations, one #oi
,s,.al, was sent to President Roosevelt.
-, +he calnping-out hunt the club pro-
poses to have special car, which VIII hd BE
...,. rents will also be taken along
IN IN : order m that the party may leave the
line In Of the railroad If they 50 desire an, and
.,,rs,t through the back country. The
1.,,,ta tt, he taken will be along the Lynch
hurs % and Durham Division of the Nor
folk and Western Railroad, and will prob-
abiy include several well known estates
in North Carolina, particularly that OF
Colonel John S. Cunningham.
IN. addition to President Roosevelt. a
number of prominent government Off cials
OF Washington have been Invited and it
is stated that several of them will accept.
In I<ynchburg the action OF the gun club
In sending an invitation to Mr. Roosevelt
has been one of the principal topics of
conversation. and while 1t is generally
thought that the club made a mistake ia
inviting Mr.. Roosevelt here Just at this
time, their action OF to-day is applauded.
Among The members OF the club, SO far
as your correspondent has been able 10
ascertain, there Is but one ointment, ard
that u ksartily in support q: tho invita-