The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-22
A TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT.

A TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT.
 During the last few days there has been a great deal of discussion in the South over the entertainment of Booker Wash ington at dinner by President Roosevelt This was natural and proper. It is the first time a President of the United States has entertained a man with negro blood at his, table. It was an extraordinary occurrence.
 Unquestionably it was a great mistake, one that neither President Roosevelt nor Booker Washington should have made. It was not calculated, to strengthen the hands of either for the good work in this section that we know both men have been doing in. their respective spheres, and that we are confident both are most anxious to do in the future. Each one of them may have had a right to do what he did, but people should frequently refrain from exercising their rights, in deference to the views of others, espe- cially when they stand in representative positions.
 But while we tnequivocally deplore the blunder that both MT. Roosevelt and Washington made, we are convinced that the discussion is reaching an incorporate degree and that injustice is being done both men. They have always been loyal friends to this section and have done it vast good in many ways. They ought to be in better position to do SD today than ever before.
 Ia halieya at F RnnSaNplf | intended, by his action, to endorse any | theory of social equality, to set an ex- ample for other white men and other negroes to initiate. He probably wanted to show Washington himself a mark of his high esteem, and to have q quiet private talk with him. It was not an official dinner. The President doubtless did not dream of any stir being caused by his action as an individual. If he had for a moment thought of any such outcome, he would have been too wise to have stirred up trouble in the very section where he has been undertaking to serve the public interests by whole some reforms.
 It is being said that Washington him self is much to blame for this blu6der. Possibly so Doubtless his knowledge of the Southern people, his strong common sense and his noted modesty convinced him that the President was making a mistake. But how could a man in Wash ington's position tell the President that? It would have been almost audacious. Very likely he construed the President s invitation as a sort of command, which no private citizen could question, much less refuse. But granting that Washing ton made blunder, and that he ought to have known it, 1t Is the first one of the kind in his history. In the light of his | record of bold opposition for years | to any attempt at social recog- milton or political activity by his race. solitary mistake. especially under the peculiar circumstances, shoult | be overlooked. It was merely an incl | dent in his life, and not at all dcclara- | ton of policy on his part. His utter ances and his conduct for years have all been the other way.
 In this connection attention has been directed to an alleged interview with Booker Washington which appeared in The Birmingham Age-Herald Sunday, and in some of the Northern papers on Sat urday. This matter was offered The Advertiser by d New York correspondent Saturday night. and was declined because we were convinced that 1t was not an authorized, accurate interview. The fol- | lowing telegram was received in this city l Saturday evening by a gentleman whose name we are not at liberty to mention: New York City, Oct. 18th, D. m | If any purported interviews with me concerning that Washington matter arc sent out from here, l hope you will deny their truthfulness on my authority. Hay, absolutely refused to discuss the mattcI
 with anybody and have not done so.
 Booker T. Washington.
 There were several things in the allege,
 interview which did not sound at all lill
 Booker Washington, notably the state
 ment that he had been received at tn
 homes of some of the best white people 0
 the South We are glad that Washing
 ton has denied the authenticity of thi ] interview. He has shown his usual sens
 by refusing to discuss the matter.
 There is another interview on the sub
 feet, however, that is of value. IL
 with an unnamed Southern leader at tn
 National Capital. and appeared in Tn
 Chicago Record-IIerald on Sunday eye
 the signature of that excellent correspor
 dent Walter Wellman It is reproduce
 on this page. It is strong, clear and y,
 judicial and wise. We trust that a
 our readers will peruse it carefully.
 is calculated to do great good at thi
 time. Our people should not suffer then
 selves to get into a tempest hastily abou