The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-10-30
President Explains.
New Orleans Times-Democrat.

New Orleans Times-Democrat.
| Dispatches printed elswehere in the
Times Democrat of this morning
| make it perfectly clear that the presi-
dent has failed in his effort to explain
away the Booker Washington dinner
incident. After reading what Mr..
Roosevelt has to say in palliation Of
his unprecedented act, Americans Of
the southern states will be compelled
| to feel that the president is either
pitifully ignorant Of the race question,
or, being informed, is warily attempt
| ing to evade the one definite pointtat
issue.
1t is idle for Mr.. Roosevelt to imag-
inc that the American people will fail
to discriminate between the political
and social significance of this unhap-
py incident. It is absurd in him to
suppose that by entering the plea of
political necessity he can blind the
southern people to the social aspect Of
the subject The south has no quarrel
with Mr.. Roosevelt, because in his
official capaity as president Of the ma
tion, or because in his political capac-
ity as the leader of a great party, he
elects to confer at the white house
with men of influence III the negro
race. Indeed, the southern people
! have reioiced to observe that the pres
| ident summoned to these conferences
not the professional negro politi-
cian'' but black men of character and
ability. That to which the south does
object, however, is that the president,
in order to inform himself upon south
ern conditions, should feel it TO be
necessary and requisite to violate the
social precedents established by Wash.
ington and continued throughout each
administration until Mr.. Roosevelt
succeeded Mr.. Mckinley.
There was, there is, there can be no
posi- BILE. justification of the act.
It was in no way essential to the
presidents purpose that negro be en-
tertained at private dinner in the
white house. When the president
states that, in his judgment, it was
essential, he gravely imperials his
reputation for good taste and for
sound sense. The southern people
who know him, will decline to take
him seriously whenever he talks SO
unthinkingly. It is difficult to believe
that man of his reputed depth and
breadth could suddenly become so
warped in judgment. The explanation,
like the incident itself, suggests, the
going-of- half-ccoked'' spirit which
certain critics have been unkind
enough to predict might in emergen-
cies mar the presidents administra-
tion. It suggests also that the chief
magistrate of the nation is lamentably
ignorant of the temper, disposition
and convictions of the American peo-
pie.
The Presidents explanation, though
unsatisfactory, is yet an explanation.
1t is fortunate that he is recovered
from his more humorous mood and is
now sufficiently serious to reflect upon
the consequences of his act. 1t is not
probable that his reputed threat of
again inviting Booker Washington to
dine at the white house will be execut
ed. Time-even though it has run
through but four days-has taught the
president wisdom, or at-least dlscre-
tion. He has had leisure to think it
over; and though he does not in his
explanation disclsose the fact, yet
it may be inferred that the president
realizes how gravely he has erred.
The indignation he has aroused in
the south is based upon convictions
formed not by prejudice but by rea-
son. AS pointed out by a'correspond-
emit in a letter printed elsewhere in the
Times Democrat of this morning, the
south denies the proposition Of racial
social equality, for the reason that
its acceptance would open wide the
door to racial miscegenation and racial
amalgamation. AS it is the abiding
judgment Of the southern people that
racial amalgamation would produce
deterioration Of both races, it is clear
that the proposition cannot for an IN
slant be granted. This is the reason,
deeply felt if not completely under
stood, why the white citizenship Of the
south will enter its prompt and en-
phatic denial whenever racial social
equality in this section is advocated or
in any way encouraged. Though the
president was quite pnmindful of this
conviction in the public mind when
he sat down to dinner with negro,
he will, we trust, straightway recog-
nize and reckon with it. In view of
his explanation and eof his effort to
square himself with section whose
people cherished for him only feel
ings of friendship, it may be wise to
consider the dinner incident closed.
It has served an enduring purpose.
It has taught a lesson upon which
Americans with straight hair re-
quired no instruction.