The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1904-07-21
RESULTS OF ROOSEVELT'S SOCIAL
EQUALITY TEACHINGS.

L It oCtihi CIudHtt pIob1Nhi he'
been transferred to Oyster Bay, right
under the very nose of the President,
as if to further embarrass him right
On the eve of the campaign. Quite
a tempest has been created there and
all because a negro preacher de-
manded to be shaved at a white bar
Der shop. But he didn't get accom-
modated, Whereat there has been a
stir among negroes round about the
Presidents summer residence.
AS the press dispatches tell it Rev.
James T. Gaskins, pastor OF the Afri-
can Methodist Episcopal church,
went into David Newport's barber
shop and said he wanted to be
shaved He was informed by the
proprietor that he could not be
shaved in his shop.
"Why nOt?" asked the negro.
Because wedo not shave negroes, .
was the ready response of Newport.
Gaskins turned to the patrons OF
the shop and asked:
"Are you gentlemen going to allow
a Christian man OF character and ed
ucation to be treated in this way lust
because OF his colOr?'
The spectators made no reply.
Newport then told the preacher po-
litely that he could not be shaved
there, and asked him to leave the
shop.
IL insist, sir. as a Christian and a
gentleman that | be shaved" said
the negro.
81 insist, as the proprietor of this
shop, that you get outside" replied
Newport.
The next moment Gaskins found
himself on the sidewalk. He declares
that the proprietor of the shop took
a policeman club from behind the
mirror and threatened to strike him.
Witnesses denied this.
The Rev. Gaskins Immediately call
ed upon Walter Franklin, Justice of
the Peace, and asked for a warrant.
Mr.. Franklin told him that while he
might have a basis for a civil action
against Newport, it was unwise to
stir up the matter, as it might weaken
his influence in his church and the
community.
Commenting on this the Whining
ton Messenger says:
This negro preacher was Onl v carry
ing out the Roosevelt idea of social
equality, but the trouble is he under
took the experiment in the wrong
locality. Had this negro preacher
gone into Il barber shop in a South
ern town ard been refused a shave
the Northern papers would have been
full OF the incident. But as it occurred
in the State of New York, we hear
little of it in the Republican press.
This man cannot be blamed for
what he did He was doing Just as
the President by his action aud con-
duet regarding himself has led this
negro and all others to believe they
can do. Mr. Roosevelt is directly re-
sponsible for the demand of this man
lol cNludl Will W IlllC llItll
in Il barber shop. No one should be
surprised at this occurrence. 1t is the
natural consequences of Mr. Roose-
velt's conduct. The negroes though
will find that they cannot carry into
practice even at the North the
theories of the President on the sub
iect of social equality Mr.. Roose-
welt may have them to dine with him
at the White House and he may re-
ceive them socially at his receptions,
but this will not enable them to
force themselves upon the white
people.
We are glad this occurred in a
Northern and not in a Southern
State. The negroes attempt to force
equal social rights is all right with
his Northern friends so long as he
confines such attempts to Southern
localities. They pretend not to be
| able to understand why the Southern
people SO bitterly oppose the idea OF
social equality. But let it be at
tempted at the North and it becomes
another matter with them.