The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-01-30
NEGROES TO VISIT WHITE HOUSE

Ro-ton negro recently appointed as
,,stant district attorney, and his wife
to BAY ? visit to the White house.
Ny. Roosevelt, in his inordinate de-
sire fer the presidential nomination. is
getting deeper and deeper in the mire
of social equality between the two
races. He seems to have became COM
ple.ely daft on the subject. His pro-
xress On the down grade TO the level
Of complete obliteration of all distinc-
tons between the whites and the ne
xroes in social life has been SO rapid
a. to startle the whole country. His
dinner to Booker T. Washington dis
xrsted every body except the part.ci-
pants and q few white fanatics and
poIpe negroes who did not have sense
enough to see to what evil consequences
such conduct would tend, or were so
slated at the recognition being given
one Of their race by the president that
they did not care for results.
Then followed Mr.. Roosevelt's open
championship Of the egro in the In
cADola, Charleston and Boston affairs.
In these matters he went much furth-
er In his language and actions than
was necessary for a president in order
To show tina he was going to perform
his duty az president.
Then came the reception at the White
house last week where those who at
tended did so on invitations. In this
reception negro men and women par
ticipated and were put upon exactly
the same footing as the white men and
their wives and daughters present.
Thts action increased the CONSERVATION
and disgust of the people. Right upon
its heels We are told that President
Roosevelt has invited Lewis, the BOs-
ton negro to visit the White house
with his wife. We do not think it nee
essary to express an opinion on this
hast evidence of the presidents debasa-
ment of himself, his family and the
white people whom he is supposed to
represent. The Messenger readers can
form their own opinions and conclu-
sions as to the conduct and motives of
The president. The Richmond News
comments upon these recent events at
the White house and advises all south
ern people, their senators and congress-
nea to socially boycott the president.
1t claims that Mr.. Roosevelt by such
action has placed himself on a social
level with the negro and that his posi-
ton should be recognized and that all
s~elf-respecting white people SHOULD
govern themselves accordingly.
We do not know whether Lewis wife
Is a negress or a white woman. She
may be the latter, as the records show
that every year on an average of thir-
ty white women of Boston marry negro
men. If she is white it is I'll the more
reason why she should not be received
m decent white society or recognized
by s~elf-respecting negroes.
The News says:
I'VE never have doubted President
ROOSeVeltS honesty or courage He is
an Illustration of the danger and dis
comfort of a good man with a fool idea
and a hard head. Apparently, judging
from the latest news from Washing
bon. he intends TO continue to V1unt
before the country his notion of the
equality Of the white and negro races.
We are told in Washington dispatches
that he mas invited his ColOred APP
pointee as assistant district attorney
at Boston TO visit the White house
with his wife. and at the reception yes
terday at the White house the cOlOred
recorder of deeds. of Washington, D..
c., was present with two female rela-
tives.
This is about the limit.
There is just one nm for the
southern people to do. There is no use
IN their indulging in any idle abuse or
foaming at the mouth with rage. They
cannot defeat Mr.. Roosevelt for re-
election. They can prove in q
entirely deCorOus n lawful their con-
tinued rejection of the idea OF equality
between the races. They can and
should hold themselves absolutely alOOf
from any social recognition OF MIR.
Roosevelt. Socially, he has put himself
on equality with the COlOred people and
he should be treated by southern pau-
pie precisely as if he were a negro
official. This feeling should be illus
trated by our representatives at Wash
ingtOn, both in the senate and house.
Their relation with the president
shOuld be absolutely formal from this
time on and should be confined TO such
business as it is necessary to transact
with him. If he should come south. he
should be left to associate with the ne
groes. whom he has chosen to regard
as equals and fit companions for HIM
self and family. In other words, as
Mr.. Roosevelt has chosen TO put him
self on equality with the negro, he
should be treated in all respects by
southern people precisely IS If he We're
q negro OF good character and repre-
senting the government-that is po-
litely and kindly when kindness is nee
essary and with absolute indication
that he is not of our race or IN any re-
spect socially an equal with US or a
fit associate for US or any OF ours.
I'VE cannot see any other position
for southern people or their represent
atives to take, unless they want to re-
cognize the principle that the same
white man can associate on terms of
social and personal equality with
southern white people ana their fam