The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1901-11-07
THE WHITE HOUSE DINNER o>'E
MORE.


MORE.
In all the range Of discussion pro
voked by the Booker Wasbi"g'on
dinner incident we have Sc. T..
more sensible utierances than xn
editorial article III the Charleston
Messenger, one Of the best known
negro publications in. the South.
After stating that harm has come
from the incident, the Messenger
goes on to add:
"The harm that has beeu accomp-
lished springs from the race pre-
judice and political animositits
which have been excited The pub
lie feeling Of the South toward the
negro IVES never better than 1t has
been within the last Two or three
years, aud it may he remarked Ia
passing that Mr.. Washing on him
self has been cOnspicu Us instru-
ment In the dew, lOpment IF this
condition Of things. He has been
accepted by the viii e people, no
less than by the negroes, as the chief
exponent Of the relationship which
should exist between the two race .
at the present time. 1t Is qu' stion
able whether the injury done his in
huence with the whites Of the South
by the White House dinner will not
Overbalanc. any credit that he may
have acquired from it for himself
and with his own people.
ave honor President Roosevelt
for the personal liberality of thought
and high sense Of public duty which
actuated him in issuing the invita-
ton to Mr.. Washington. Had Mr..
Washington declined to accept 1t be-
cause Of the strife acceptance of it
would arouse; because of his unwill-
ingne-s to &C ept the hospitality
which might prove injurious to h 9
host; because a selfrespecting negro
man, as any other gentleman should
never be willing to go where he Is
admitted purely upon sufferance-
if we say Mr.. Washington had de-
clined to accept the Presidents in
vitatiOn because OF these things ne
would have achieved for himself
and for his race victory in public
opinion besides which the present
nOtoriety being given him would
have been but small and incon'
siderable thing"
In order that the best interests VI
the white race as well as those OF
the cOlored race may be conserved
it is necessary that the relationship
between the two should be as fret
as possible from animosity and sus'
picion. AS the Messenger observes,
the past two or three years have
been particularly happy in bringing
about an approximation at least t.
this condition.
Anything tending to destroy o.
impair this balance is distinctly ,
set back, and the dining of BOOke
Wa Ellington at the White Hous,
cannot be viewed in any other light
Its effect has been-as must neces
sarily have been the case to arouse
the feeling of distrust and suspicion
with which the white men of TIT
South periorce must view any move
III mt which smacks of social equal
ity between the races. The dinne
incident has opened up old sore
which were mending and has eau ,et
new ones to break out which it will
be hard to heal.
Booker Washington perhaps ha
done more to increase the respect o
the white race for the negro and ha
contributed more to the general bet
terment of the feeling between tn
two races than any other man. W.
agree with the Messenger, however
that he would have done himsel
vastly more credit and his race in
: finitely more good by refusing t
partake of the gastronomic special
ties of house which Is calle,
"White," but which really know
no color.