The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-23
MIR. ROOSEVELT AMAZED
CRITICISM OF HIS CONDUCT
 WAS NOT EXPECTED.
Does Not Pretend to Defend Him. self in the Matter-Booker Washington Incident Regret
 ted by Republicans.

A special to The New York Times from Washington says:
 Quite the most exciting subject of con- versation here for a day or two has been the entertainment at dinner Wednesday by the President of Booker T. Washing ton. The news got out, just as other an- nouncements have been made of the guests of the President to dine, MT. Roosevelt having adopted that method of IT neeting persons with whom he desired to have extended conversation.
 The response that was flashed back from the South. where it was learned with something of a shock that a negro had sat at the table with the President and his family, was the first intimation to the President that he had transgressed. The subject has beer dealt with here by the newspapers with delicacy. The critical reports from the South have been printed, and there has been some depre- ciatory comment upon the resentful tone of Southern criticism.
 Among public men there is manifest a distinct aversion to be quoted about the
 matter. but the general tone of conver- sation points to disagreement with the President as to the propriety of the de- parture from a traditionary avoidance of just such events. The President has heard some of the criticisms upon him and has told his visitors that he has been surprised at the incorporate language applied to, him for inviting Washington to dine at the White House. To one of his callers, a friend who did not introduce the subject, the President Is reported to have said, in referring to the dinner incident:
 T do not need to give you an explana- ton of the Booker Washington affair. do IT"
 The visitor made a reply of inquiry. Then the President went on to say that he was amazed that he could be so mis- taken by those who had criticised him. When he had declared that he did not intend to have anything to do with the white or black "scalawags'' in the South, and followed that declaration by avoiding some appointments that he believed Democrats because he believed it to be for the best interests of the public ser vice, he was applauded. But he consid- cred that he had perfect right. and that what he desired to do. to consult with white and black men who are not scala wags."
 to question Booker T. Washington's abil- ity to give information and advice of in- terest and importance to the President. No one had ventured to say that he man, wherever he might be. In asking him to his dinner table the President has simply taken advantage of the opportun- ity that such meeting would give him of gaining benefit from Washington's s study and experience among the blacks of the South and of the country.
 He admired him for his character, his devotion to cause and for what he has accomplished.
 The President does not pratsnd to de- fond himself from his sssailants Lv en- terinE upon a discussion of t'.' color question. That seems to have had no Waighf with him in Cnnaf1 \ .nR WhetN, r he should or should not invite WasliinR- ton to dine. The idea of a violation of Southern prejudice and tradition, with the purpose of provoking and alien .ting his Southern friends never entered his mind.
 That does not palliate the offense in the estimation of hosts of people at Washington. They are disposed to be- lieve. and say. as many do, that the President did not reflect before asking Washington to be the first negro to dine attention has been directed to the fact that while President Mckinley was ex- tremely kind to all colored visitors; that he made many appointment of colored men to office: that he provoked some bitter criticism at the South by putting colored men in postoffices, against the determined opposition of white people in the towns where the negroes were to collect and distribute the mails, he never went to the extremity of asking any ne- gro to dine with him.
 When he visited the TuskeRee Institute he was the guest of Washington, but did not dine with him. This was commented upon as thoughtful regard for loyal opin ion against social association between whites and blacks. It cannot be truth fully said that the President regards the incident and the subsequent comment as humorous. although it has been snld that he did. and that he proposed to get more fun out of it by asking Wash ington to dine with him again.
 No such reckless story is believed by those who know Mir. Roosevelt. That it is regretted by many Republicans is plain enough.
 Maryland Democrats have seized upon the incident to turn 1t to a crown in tho pc nding State campaign, and Republicans have admitted that it may give the State to the Democrats.
 The prosecution of Rear Admiral Schley has been 8 pretty hard load to carry, 1t is admitted, and would have handi- ;rrero Ct-dinner incident is being adver- tised in campaign fashion in all the lt adilE papers of the State.
 ln Virginia, where a rather brave boast of Republican success had been put forth, the Booker Washington incident is pro- claimed by some of the politicians as settling any doubt about Democratic vic tJTy.
 It does not appear that the President viting Washington, or that he cared to know whether he had departed from tradition or net. No man knows better what the traditions of this country are than the President.
 It is probably a matter of indifference to him that he was the first Presid&at to entertain a colored man at the table.