Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-18
SOUTHERN RESENTMENT
AROUSED BY BOOKER wAsHINGTON's
PRESENCE AT PRESIDENTS TABLE.
Angry Comments on the Breaking
Down of the Color Line by
Mr.. Roosevelt.

Washington Corr New York Herald tIodayl-
President Roosevelt shocked his recently
acquired southern friends and admirers by
entertaining at dinner last evening Booker
T. Washington, the colored head of Tuske-
gee Institute. Southern men generally feel
that the President should not in the face of
his declarations of friendliness toward the
section. have thus early shown such mark
ed courtesy to a colored man.
Inquiry shows that Mr.. Washington was
treated like any other guest at the Presi-
dents table. Some callers remarked within
the Presidents hearing that they feared
that the episode might cause the admins
tration and the republican party in the
south embarrassment, but, as tar as can
be learned. the President made no COM
ment, evidently satisfied that he had a
right to select his own guests at dinner,
regardless of color or political belief.
Dispatches from the south tonight show
that there is much excitement among the
Presidents new political friends over the
fact that he had a black man to dinner.
Southern members of Congress who are
here Criticise the President, but no one has
been found who will permit the use of his
name in connection with these criticisms
A representative from Louisiana said that
the dinner would undo all the good the
President had accomplished in appointing
former Governor Jones a federal judge.
Another declared: The south can never
colOred man at table with him.
Still another said: AN the democratic
appointments the President can make would
fail to reconcile the south to the fact that
the President of the United States ate at
the same table with a niger
Washington Corr. the Baltimore Sun Today
Washington is said TO be the first colorad
person entertained at the White Housa,
with the possible exception of the late Sen
ator Bruce of Mississippi The latter was
often at the White House with his wife
during the winter season, but it is said he
was never at large public dinner although
he may have been asked to dine quietly
with the President.
Several colored men have been in Con-
gress from the south, but there is no in
stance where they have ever dined at the
White House. Few of them took advan-
tage of the invitations from the President
to the large receptions each season to the
diplomatic corps, the Congress and the
army and navy. and when at the White
House they have been usually seen in the
Presidents office, where they went on bust
ness.
Frederick Douglass often called at the
White House to see the President, but no
attache of the mansion recalls that he was
ever dined there. Douglass was taken to
his mission at Hayti by United States
warship sailing from Hampton Roads, and
the officers then on the vessel have no. re-
covered yet from the shock they felt hen
hearing of the detail and the service the
snip was put TO. MI Blaine was r6SDDnSl-
Bile for the order.
In connection with the Booker r. WASH
tngton incident occurrence at Albany
during Mr.. Roosevelt's term as governor
will be recalled at this time A young col
ored man who sings baritone in St. Georges
Church in New York gave concert in AL
bany. When he got to Albany all the no
tells were shut to him. He had no place
to CO. Governor Roosevelt heard of this
and sent for the young singer and invited
him to the executive mansion, where he
was lodged and fed during his stay in the
CaDital