The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-10-20
ROOSEVELT AND THE NEGRO.
ertertsins Booker Washington at Din
ner- Incident Causes Comment

cer- Incident Causes Comment
washington. oct. i9.-President
RooseyeIt dined Professor Booker I.
washington. the noted negro college
president. at the White House recent
ly There were no other guests.
There is only one other instance Of
nersons OF negro blood being dined at
the White House by the President
That was during President Cleye-
lands administration when Queen
Iiliuokalain visited this country to
resist the proposed annexation Of the
Hawaiian Islands Then the royal par
t. took dinner with the president.
Roosevelt on the Color Line.
A few days ago. when a delegation
of Southern politicians called upon
the president in connection with a
Federal appointment be took OCCASION
to remark that the color of q rlSr q
skin should not operate 90 his advan.
tage or disadvantage in an appoint.
ment or removal from Office
Some OF the men who have talked
with the president on the situation In
the Southern states have come away
from the white House impressed b.
his frankncss and independence In
speaking of the race question but at
the same time many oi them have al.
50 been convinced thar he does not
fully appreciate how difhcul. IL Is Tor
the average white man of the South %
place himself on a personal equality
with the negro
II is for this reason that il has been
more than once suggested % the pres
ideut that in the event OF a change iH
the personnel of the Cabinet it might
be to his advantage 20 select repre-
sentative from the South TO help solve
the race problem
Southern men have tonight N COM
menting on the Washington incident
declare that the president does not and
cannot understand the bad effect his
inviting the distinguished colored lead
er 20 dinner will have on the attitude
OF the negroes OF the South toward
white men. their wives and families.
Former presidents refrained from ex-
tending dinner invitations 70 such
noted negro leaders as Fred Douglass.
B. X Bruce. d. B. Elliot. p. b. 5.
Pinchback and Bishop Turner These
and other prominent members OF the
negro race. occupying Official positions
either in the Legislature OF executive
branches Of the public service wNrc
invited 20 the public receptions at the
White House and always went with.
out exciting comment
Similar Incidents.
In connection with the Booker 7.
Washington incident. an occurrence at
Albany during Mr.. Rooseyelts term a.
governor. which has never found Co.,
w,y into print. will he of much inter.
EST al this time. a young negro. who
sings barytonc In St Georges Church
ir New York. gave q concert In Al
b,uy He was a very good singer. we'll
behaved and intelligent But when he
got 90 Albany all the hotels were shut
TO him He had no place 10 go. Gov
e-rJr Roosevelt heard OF this. and in
yited him 10 the Executive Mansion.
whore he was lodged and fed during
his stay In the State capital
Inquiry at the White House showed
tina, hir Washington was treated ex.
actly like any other guest at the pres.
idents table Some OF the callers at
the White House quietly remarked
v,,hin the presidents hearing they
feared that the WashingtI dinner
episode might cause the administra-
uon and the republican party in the
South some embarrassment. AS far as
can be learned the president made no
comment upon the subject evidently
s'asfed that he had a right % select
his own guests at dinner. regardless
Of color or political belief.