The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-29
HAMLET AND HALIFAX.

Not long ago North Carollnian VINO
was interviewed In the city Of Washing
ton told the newspa per representative VINO
sought his views that there was no race
question in his State; that they hae no
such trouble at all down there
He ought to so back homo and mingle
with the people now. If he should do so
he would hear some lively discussions
concerning the Halifax murder and the
Hamlet dining-room Incident, and ne
would find in many nelghborhoods much
Y excitement prevailing.
In the Halifax case there was lynch
Ing consequent upon the murder OF
twelve-year-od glrl-a murder ana
crime worse than murder-under circum-
stances the most atroctous and heart
rending.
"A letter written to tho New York Herald
by North Carolina lady putting the
plain facts before the American people.
and which has been reproduced In this
and many other newspapers, has aroused
All uncommon degree OF interest 1t was
( an appeal TO the world. not to give all Its
sympathy to the monste. lynched. but to
consider the need OF protecting the
southern country women.
The simple pathos OF the letter In tho
powerful presentation of facts It con-
tained have made deep impression upon
the reading people Of this country. Il
seems to have been an epoch taking
publication. so many people has It set TO
thinking.
Then came the dining-room incident at
Hamlet. The managers of ythe hotel at
that place opened their cliningroom to a
large party OF negroes returning from
convention held at Nashville and crowded
their white patrons into the reading room,
which was transformed into a, dining
room for the occasion.
Booker Washington was In the negro
party; Senator Bacon. of Georgia, wks
among tho whites, and was one of those
who refused accommodations In tho read,
,ng-room. and who went hungry in pro-
ference to eating there.
Booker Washington seems to be helping
to breed a good deal OF trouble nova
days. Tho lunch that he nte with the
President doubtless was extremely graft
flying to his vitality, but was certainly
harmful to HIS race and injurious to tho
political welfare OF his host. II Booker
had been truo friend Of Roosevelt's
tended him. So. too, no would have done
better not Ito have dlned as he did at
Hamlet. At any rate his appearance on
such occasions Is surely undermining
his Influence with southern whites
He may or may not have clearly I'm,
derstood the position of affairs at Hamlet
when he entered the dlning-room there
but he must be aware now that no has
been helping to kick up another big row,
And It he be the leader and the patriot
ton must present itself to his mind
whether he had not better stay at the
college more and prance around the
country less.
AS for the managers Of the hotel nj
Hamlet. who gave UP their dinng.room tc
I2OOhCA W ucNAhS'o'' . lSi W dHN Slu6-
tracked into the reading-room those
whites who wanted dinner. they exhibited
inexplicable folly. and for a good while
to come will suffer from the publics dis
appreciation.
And so We find tho people OF Nortl
Carolina, calm and conservative as the
are, deeply aroused by these two Incl
dents. Well they may be! They are SUI
face indications OF deep-seated feeling
that prevail there-that prevails every
where where race issues ae raised undo
such circumstances. The wonder to US 1
that leading negroes are not more ac,ty
more urgent moro pronounced In the
hostility to everything which is likely
excite the Indignation OF the whites.
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