The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1903-01-28
0AWSONIANS DISGUSTED WITH ROOSEVELT.
Comment Concerning Presidents Action in Having
Negro Women as Guests at the White
House Reception Thursda. Night.

Voluminous and exceedingly unfa'
yorable was the comment heard all
day long Saturday on the streets OF
Dawson concerning the reception held
by President Roosevelt in Washington
Thursday night, at which two negro
men aud three negro women were IN
vited guests. The morning dallles
brought the disgusting news, the At
lanta Journal containing the following
account of this last caper OF our freak
president:
Southerners who attended the re-
ception at the white house last night
fairly boiled over with indignation
when they encountered two negro
men and three negro women, all IN
evening clothes, among the guests
who had assembled to greet the judi
ciary at the invitation of President
Roosevelt,
AS soon as they realized their situa-
UkOu LuC WIN SLSAA
withdrew from the reception, and to-
day their indignation is expressed IN
most emphatic terms all over Wash
ington.
The negroes who were accorded So
cial equality by Roosevelt were Judson
Lyons and his wife of Augusta, Ca, and
John L. Dancey and wife and another
negro woman who came as Dancey's
guest
The resentment which arose over
the Booker Washington dinner is but
ripple compared to that which RACES
in Washington as a result OF the incl
dent last night at the dinner party.
Only the president was thrown in the
company of a negro at the Washington
dinner but last night hundreds OF his
guests whose instincts and breeding
have held them above social inter-
course with the negro were forced to
stand ia line behind them and then to
stand side by side with them in the
densely crowded east room after shak-
ing hands with the president.
- 1t is the first time in the history OF
the white house that negro woman
has accepted an invitation as guest.
Since the incident follows so closely on
the heels of the storm which followed
the presidents appointment OF the ne
gro Crum at Charleston and his de-
Tense of the negro postmaster at In
dianola, Minnie Cox, there are many
who are ready to believe that the
whole affair was deliberately planned
as rebuke to those sou5herners who
have criticised the presidents evident
affection for the negro.
The negroes were among the first to
reach the presidents receiving parry
after the members of the judiciary had
shaken his hand. In the receiving
party were Mrs. Roosevelt and the
presidents daughter, Miss Alice
Roosevelt.
Daucey was the first of the negroes
to grasp Roosevelt's hand. The two
bowed as they clasped hands, and then
the president extended his usual greet
ing:
81 am delighted to meet you tonight,
Mr.. Dancey."
Then came the negro women, who
got the same greetings, and after them
came Lyons, who paused for a moment
or two and carried on a conversation
with Roosevelt
In the meantime the negroes ahead
of him had passed on down the receiv-
ing line and were bowling and smiling
at the ladies' in line.
Several ladies, it must be said, turn
ed aside and would not notice the me-
groes.
Lyons soon followed and joined his
rarity in the east room, where nearly a
II ousand guests were assembled.
The negroes betook themselves to a
conspicuous corner and remained to
themselves for the remainder OF the
evening
Among the other guests the storm
was bre wing as the negroes were
marching down the line toward the
president.
One southern congressman, who had
his wife and daughter with him, OBJ