The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-10-25
a BAD BREAK.

President Roosevelt Entariain9 q
Negro at Dinner
WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY.
The Action Of the Presidents Will
Jar tho FcoiIrgs Of Nen.
Believers in 8oclaI
Equality.
A dispatch from Washington to tho
Atlanta Constitution says Booker T..
Washington, tho we'll known negro edu-
GATOR, president Of tho Tuskogoo, Ala, !,
Institute, was g guest Of President aud
Mrs. Roosevelt at dinnor at tho white
houue Wednesday, night. Washington
ia probably the first American negro to
dine with & president Of the United
States and his family, although it was
reported that President Cleveland onoo
entertained negro friend at the white
houso board. Since President Roose-
volt occupied tho whito house there
has hsfdly boen q dinner or luncheon
without its guests, aud rs tho president
has boon 10 froo with his invitation no
special list of guests ID prepared and
tho ushors do not know who the guoBts
will DO until thoy arrive. Wednesday
night, just boforo 8 O'Clock, q nogro in
evening drcss presented himsolf at tho
whito house door, and, giving his name,
| said that he was to dine with tho presi-
don't. Booker Washington has made
novor"i visits .o the white hamae and
his faoo is known thtro, go he was at
ouco admitted into tho private apart
ments and the president uoti6ed Of his
| srrival No ctior guost arrived and
| tho dinner WAS soon served. Dinnor
st tho white hnuae einoo the RooscveltB
have occupied tho mansion has been q
family affair, Mrs.. Roosevelt and tho
two children appearing at the table
with fathor, mother and guests, Aftor
dinner the president takes his guests
.otho )ibrsiy, and thero, over cigars,
things political and otherwino are dia,
cussed. Wednesday the usual order Of
| affairs was not disturbed on account of
Tho color Of tho guost Of honor, and
Washington left tho whito house about
10 O'clock apparently vory much
pleased with his dinner and his chat
with the president.
/ III WAS A MISTAKE
| Tho Augusta Chronicle says tho news
from Washington that President Book
or L. Washington, OF Tuakegeo Inati-
tuto, was guest in tho white house, at
dinner with President and Mrs. Roose-
velt and family, and that after dinnor
thero was tho usual social hour over
cigars, is a distinct shook to the favor
able sentiment that was orystalliDg in
the south for the new president. Tho
appointment Of judge Jones ia Alabs-
ma, and the published uttorances Of
| President Roosevelt to tho effect that
no intonaed tc appoint only good mon
to oflioe have led southern people to
hopo that neg political ora was at
hand. b
While encouraging tho poople in tho
hopo that tho negro is to be largely
eliminated from office in the south,
President Roosevelt throws the fat in
tho fro by giving oountonance to the
negro's claim for social equality by
having ono to dino in the whito house
with himsolf, Mrs. Roosevelt and chill
drcn. We conoode the fact that he
GOULD not have had moro docent no.
gro. President Booker T. Washington
is the representative man Of his race,
a useful citisen and an ablo leader OF
his people. But ho represents tho ne
gro raoo, and betweon his people and
the whites there oan be no social equal.
ity. This is not simply local south orn
prt judiee, but it is an inoradioeblo ra
oial fact. While thore are exceptional
cases at tho north and cast Of white
people who roooivo nogroos on q plane
OF social equality, thoy arc exceptions.
For the most part the negro finds al
the north the way stcrnly barred, not
only to social intercourse, but to basi.
ness equality, while laborers, even,
vii not work with negroes on tho same
job, and every labor union refuses to
admit negroes to membership. In the
south the negro 10 given full opportuni.
ty to work, but social 60 Gislity will not
DO tolerated for moment
If Colonel Roosevelt desired to ro
receive negroes at his table on q plane
OF social equality no Lad right to dc
that in hio personal oappaoity before
no booame the executive head Of the
government, but as the President ol
tho United States it is natter Of very
gravo doubt if ho has the right to In.
augurato custom which is repugu ant
to an overwhelming majority. Of The
white people Of tho country in all SOC
tions, and tho tendency Of yhiok$ 10! tt
open anew an issue which has beon
practically eliminated not only by ar.
gument but uuawerving and determined
Practice throughout tho years.
President Roosovelt has mado mia
teke, one that will not only effaoe the
good impression ho had begun to create
in tho south, but ono that will actively
antagoniss southern people, and meet
tho diyapproval OF good Anglo Saxon
! eentimont in oil lstitudos. 4 Should
President Roosevelt acek to followluI
this s,t .tiing departure from the prouo
donts OF oontury by inviting negroes
TO wbito houso functions he will fnd
himself in somo worry ewkward and NOR
Trying situssions whom his white guess
roe ont tho innovation and refuse to 60
| operate in 1t. The nowa from Wash
ington comes in suoh form and unan
unity that thoro 10 no reason to suppose
it 10 inaccurate, and il it is true
President Roosovolt will do we'll t