The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-10-26
ROOSEVELT AND WASHINGTON.

ROOSEVELT AND WASHINGTON.
Much has been said during the past
week by the press of the country in
relation to President Roosevelt's enter
tainment of black man named Pro-
fessor Booker T. Washington at the
White House. 1t appears that Teddy,
who associated with ignorant cowboys
on the plains, is not above inviting an
educated negro to dine with him at his
own table. A man ought to be at lib
crty to select his guests; but the
"negrophiles" Of the South are shocked
and scandalzed at the hospitality ac.
corded to Il colored man by the Presi-
dent of the United States. One South
ern gentleman refers to Booker Wash
ington MS "a nigger" and declares that
President Roosevelt has displayed poor
taste In Ihonoring the son of Ham in
such a conspicuous manner.
The fact lis that intellectually the
black man is the superior of the white
man who applies an insulting epithet
to him because of his color. Now, as
i'm the days of Pope, lit is "worth makes
the man," and the color of the skin
cuts but small figure. Booker Wash
ington is recognized MS the leader of
his race not only in the United States
but in foreign lands. Two years ago,
in Europe. he was honored by distin
guished white men. He was guest
Of the University Club in Paris and at
tended banquet presided over by the
United States ambassador to France.
lX-President Harrison and Archbishop,
Ireland sat at the same table with him
in the French capital. When in Eng
land he visited Windsor Castle and
took tea with Queen Victoria. Why
then should not Theodore Roosevelt In
trfte him to private dinner at his
own home?
When Frederick Douglas, who waA
once a negro slave, visited Daniel
O'Connell ut his home DIN Dublin, the
great Irish leader entertained him most
Hospitality and sympathized with the
wn-trodden race of which he was a
noble representative. The Irish eman-
cipator believed that every man Of
every race and creed was entitled to
"life, liberty and the pursuit of happl-
ness" and when a member of the Brit
lsh parliament he gave his support in
aholishing slavery in the West Indies.
When proposition was made to him
by pro7slavery advocates that they
would cast their votes for him on every
Irish question ON condition that he
would speak for the continuance Of
slavery, he is reported by Wendell Phil
lips to have said:
Gentlemen, God knows that I am
here in the cause Of the saddest people
that the sun sees: but may my right
hand forget its cunning, and my tongue
cleave to the roof of my mouth. when,
to help Ireland-even Ireland-I forget
the negro for one single hour"
So abhorrent was negro slavery to the
great Irishman that when he received
$4,000 for the repeal cause from the
shareholders of New Orleans he con-
temptuously spurned it. on the ground
that it was the unpaid wages of the
negro. Said he: "Ireland-is very poor:
but, thank God, Ireland is not poor
enough to take the unpaid wages of
anybody. Send it back"
We have at our elbow volume writ
ten by fugitive slave named VIM
Wells Brown in 1854 or seven years
before the outbreak of the Civil war.
Though kept in illiteracy by his task
masters up to the age of twenty, he
acquired an education by his own exer-
tons. never having had days school
ing in his life. After his escape he
Travelled in Europe and while in France
attended soiree at Versailles which
was given by M. de 10cqueville, the
French minister of foreign affairs. He
ate at the same table with that polite
Frenchman; and when in England he
was the guest OF Sir Edward Bulwer
Lytton, Charles Dickens, Alfred Tenny-
son and other noted men of letters.
We mention these facts to show that
Theodore Roosevelt was only following
precedent when he entertained Booker
7. Washington as his guest.
The Southern people are prejudiced
against the negro, no matter how ex.