The leader., 1902-12-03
DIDN'T DINE BOOKER.
Gen. NJ. J. Wright's Statement
On That Dinner.
Roosevelt Didn't Dine With
Booker Washington-Lunch
Was Served Him in
Private Office.

Private once.
The following is taken from the
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
and which the Clarion-Ledger is
glad to print, with the hope that
it is true:
Booker Washington did not
dine at the White House table as
the guest of President Roosevelt
and family, as has been previously
charged, is the startling announce
ment made by Gen. Marcus j.
Wright, of the war department at
Washington, who has been visit
ing in Memphis for a number of
days.
"This statement was made sew
eral days ago by Gen. Wright in
the Office of a well-known whole
sale grocer who was a companion
alarms with him during the late
war. Seated around the office
were a number of welI-known bus
mess men, who were talking with
G en-. Marcus Wright over the
happenings of the past.
The President was in Mem
phis that day for the purpose
of doing honor to Gen. Luke
E. Wright, and the subject of the
Washington incident, as it always
has in the South, since the an
was first sent broad
cast over the land, was preached
by number of those present.
"That statement was false, re-
piled Gen. Wright Immediately,
to the intense establishment of
those present.
"Now, as you all know, l am a
Democrat, and have never voted
any other ticket in my life. For
the past twenty-three years, how
ever, l have been a resident of
Washington, and have had no OPP
portunity of exercising my fran
chise. But when a man has been
so woefully misunderstood, even
if he is my political opponent, |
believe it a duty to set the matter
right before the people.
"The whole truth of the matter
is this. President Roosevelt had
been anxious for some time to OBJ
tain truthful light on the situa-
ton in the South. Finally, at the
suggestion of a number of South
ern and Northern men of both
great political parties, he sent a
to Booker Washington
asking him to come to the capital
for a conference regarding the ne
gro, his needs and capabilities.
Washington came, and the con-
ference, which was started in the
Presidents executive Office and
was changed to his private Office
because of repeated Interruptions,
continued five hours.
''In the midst of the conference
between the president and Wash
ington, lunch was sent in to the
chief executive of the nation.
Desiring to continue the CONVEX
sation, and rather than lose the
time necessary for Washington to
90 to lunch, President Roosevelt
thereupon ordered that lunch be
served to the negro educator in
the same room.
'Now this was all there was to
that story. Washington did not
dine at the White House table,
did not break bread with the Pres
ident's wife and daughter, and
was in no sense a guest upon
terms of social equality
asked as to why the President
had never seen fit to have this
statement made public, Gen.
Wright replied:
Because he is too great a man.
He believed that it was beneath
him to deny story so palpably
false, and that the truth would il
time prevail. 1t is his ambition
to be the President of the whole
people of the United States, know.
ing no section or party, and his
visit here shows how fond he is OF
the Southern people. He is ar
aristorcat to the finger tips, ano
for that reason, aside from the
fact that he is the son of South
ern woman, would never be will
ing to acknowledge the socia
equality of the negro. At the
same time, he believes, as we do
that everything possible SHOULD
be done to assist the members Of
that race in their struggle fol
higher citizenship, and will be
their friend in all their worthy
undertakings. :"
The Biloxi Herald notes that
the circuit judge of that district
suspended sentence" on the sa
loon men, charged with violating
the Sunday law, until next court
The Judge admonished them HI
would impose the full penalty i
they offended again. Did the
saloon men seem much broke up
or did they just wink the Other
eye when this old song anC
dance was handed down to them
-Vicksburg Herald.
There is much ado made b,
dram-shop advocates when blinc
tigers disregard the law in Prohi
bition counties, the Vicksburs
Herald being one of the mos
conspicuous of this class; but TO
i L. l. 1 :. :, :,