The Washington times., 1901-10-20
OPINIONS ON BOTH SIDES.
The Booker Washington Incident
Denounced and Upheld.
~ Virginia Democrat Defends the
President-Party Lines, 1t Is Stn.-
ed, Are Being Redrawn-SenatOr
Mason Endorses Mr.. Roosevelt.

President-Pnrty Lines, 1t Is Stu.-
ed, Are Being Redrawn-Senator
Mason Endorses Mr.. Roosevelt.
RICHMOND. Oct. 19-Rufus A Ayres,
ex-Attorney General, Democratic member
of the Constitutional Convention from
Big Stone Gap, Va, upholds President
Roosevelt in his recognition of Booker
T. Washington.
Mr.. Ayres was attorney general dur
ing the States litigation with the Eng
lish bondholders and was sent to Jail by
Judge BOND, of the United States Court,
for refusing to obey a court order. Mr..
Ayres said:
President Roosevelt, IS the Chief
magistrate of the nation, entertained at
dinner man who is conceded to be the
foremost representative Of his race, con-
stituting many millions of the citizens
of the country. / see no reason for all
the excitement the affair has stirred up
The white people of the South thorough
ly respect and admire Booker T. Wash
ington and are lavish In their commendd-
tion of his work. This being true, 4y
should they be so stirred at the action
of the President, in an official way, in
entertaining Washington?
He is compelled to receive and enter
tain the representatives of Haiti Liberia
and other black people not as deserving
as Washington. In my opinion, the crti-
cism is unmerited and unjust, and the
affair can in no way be said to promote
social equality with the negro"
CHICAGO, Oct 19.-'Because the Pres
ident entertained this man." said Senator
Mason to the members of the Young
Mems Club of the Fourth Presbyterian
Church, in reference to Booker r Wash
inpfOu dining al 10 White HOnSe asha
is beirg lampooned from one end of the
country to the other by 4 certain set Of
people. Did you ever meet Booker T. !
Washington? Did you ever hear him talk,
or learn of the work he has been doing? |
Undoubtedly you have. and, with me, |
you admire him for his nobility and un- |
selfishness of character, for his nodesty |
and Christian fortitude-and it is this man .
who is being talked about, and it is our
President who is being criticised for sit !
ting at the same table with him 1 tell |
you, young men Of this club, it is dis
grace"
Enthusiastic applause greeted this por-
ton of the speech. He eulogized McKin-
ley and spoke scathingly Of anarchists
NORFOLK, Va, Oct. 19-Democratic
politicians here express their belief that
President Roosevelt, by inviting Booker
r. Washington to dine with him at the
White House, ensured the election Of \.
]. Montague, Democratic candidate for
Governor Of Virginia, and the defeat of
his opponent. J. Hamilton Hoge, at the
election now impending. Judge James e.
Heath said that the lines between the
parties. almost effaced by President Nc
hinley, We're sharply redrawn by Presi-
dent Roosevelt, and the white voters,
wavering and apathetic to a degree which
made Hnra-G /
now go to the polls almost to a man ard
vote the Democratic ticket
w W. Dey, district Democratic chair
man. while claiming that Montague's
election is certain anyway, said that his
majority Will be swelled largely by the
Presidents action. Local newspapers in
editorials condemning the Presidents ac-
tien reflect the sentiment of the people.
many of whom trembled with anger when
they expressed their views upon the epi-
sode. They generally believe that the
Presidents action was a deliberate ef-
fort to break the color line and inaugu-
rate social equality between the races,
and they express horror and indignation.
COLUMBIA, S. c.. Oct. Ex-Governor
McSweeney, in an interview for pubica-
ton this evening, severely criticised Pres
ident Roosevelt for having Booker Il.
Washington dine with him. He was as
tonished, he said, that the President
should have made such a blunder.
The people, North and South, are not
ready for social equality with the negro.
However much Mr.. Washington is ad-
mireS in the South. he would not be
asked - >--2e at the family table OF any
representative citizen. The President S
act would certainly hurt the negro. and
would hurt Roosevelt.
The Governor was surprised that Mr.
Washington, who has maintained q posi-
tion opposed TO social equality. should
nave accepted the Presidents $ Invitation I ,
II would, he thought. infure Mr. WASH |
1ngton.s influence in the South
RiCHhOND, Va, Oct. I9-Dr r. Nc
I!waine, II President OF Hampden-Sidney G
college, and member OF the Constitu- ,
uonal Convention, when asked for an in ,
teryiew in regard to President Roosevelts
inviting Booker =. Washington to dine Z
with him. responded:
shall not give any interview. l have /
nothing to say. IT. none Of my business / ,
II Roosevelt or any other kind of Welt /
wishes to live with niggers l can't help /
it If he is built that way he can't help /
IL But he's got no business, as Presi-
dent. TO be guilty Of any such criminal !
folly. It's an outrage on official decency.
1t 5 contemptihle No: / shall not say !
word about it. If he prefers niggers moth !
ing | could say would help him. I'm a
COLUMBUS. Ohio. Oct Ex-senator !
Foraker in his speech at the Republican |
opening Of the Ohio campaign at Della |
L.
Washington incident: {
Il congratulate the colcred people on I :
the fact that there is now a man in the !
White House who has enough independ-
ence Of character to invite a colored man Z I
20 dine with him. The White House Is d
now a house Of the colOred man as well {
as Of the white man ,
NEW YORK. oct. 19-The Evening
Post" in an editori2I-today says:
"One OF the most prominent men IN 7
the country. a leader in the cause Of ed
uCation. visited Washington the yther ,
day. He is a personal friend OF Mr. ,
Roosevelt, and the President consults him .
freely about matters IN the section where
he lives. attaching great value 10 his ad-
vice Mr. Roosevelt Ines 20 have a friend
at dinner in an informal way. and 50 lie
naturally invited this gentleman to his \
table the evening that the caller was in !.
.
what OF It? Does IL make the slight =
est difference to anybody except the per
son concerned whether an eminent citizen !
whom Mr.. Roosevelt knows and este ems, i
dimes with the President when he hap