Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1904-03-10
SAYS It IS A LIE,
THAT HE NEVER LUNCHED
WITH TAYLOR.
Former President Cleveland Writes
Representative Webb That He
Never Entertained a Kan
sas City Negro.

OO0 ~ 1NNS1Os
Washington, March 3.-Repre-
sentative Webb, of North Carolina,
to-day diverted the minds of his col
leagues from the commonplace Dis
trict ofColumbia appropriation bill
by reading a letter from former
Pessdenf% Cleveland, who in scath-
ing terms denied having lunched
with the negro Taylor at the White
House.
MSasssKe2ssdd wrote as follows:
princeton, March ?, 1904.
"Hoh. E. Y. Webb, House of Rep
resentatlves.
"Dear Sir:' It is a matter of small
concern to me that a Mr.. Scott has
seen fit to use my name, in q display
of his evil propensities on the floor
of the House of Representatives.
"In answer to your enquiry, how
ever, [ have to say of his statement
that the colored man, @. III. J. Tay-
lor, took lunch with me at the
White House, that it is a deliberate
fabrication out of the whole cloth.
GAS fartas Mr.. Taylor is~concern-
ed, / understand, prior to his ap-
pointment as register of deeds at
Washington, that he had served as
an assistant in the Office of the city
attorney at Kansas City. His nomi-
nation as register was confirmed by
the Senate and he served in that
place with intelligence and eficien-
cy. He has since died. Some peo-
pie restrain themselves from abus-
ing the dead.
"My inquiries concerning Mr..
Taylor before his appointment, my
observation of him during his in
: cumbency and the little I have
known of him since, satisfy me that
his character is very unjustly attack
ed in the diatribe of Mr.. Scott.
zone. charge is made against Mr..
Taylor by Nh. Scott, which he
doubly clinches with truth when he
declares:
"'He was a black negro I am
led, however, to doubt his familiar
ity with his subject when he adds,
sAs black as you ever saw
"YQurs very truly,
{Signed.) "GRovER CLEVELAND"
The letter OF ~ex-president Grover
Cleveland is not without po-
litical significance. Many men in
public declared to-day that it would
/. increase the widespread demand for
his nomination as the Democratic
presidential candidate. It is sur
prising to know to what extent this
view obtained. One of the leading
Democrats in Congress, who was a
Bryan elector ia 1900, said to-day:
tI have never known such a
change toward a man in public life
as this letter has wrought among
members Of congress towards Mr..
Cleveland. / have heard men from
the South who yesterday were abus-
ing the ex-president speak of him to.
day in terms of highest praise. His
letter to-day will appeal to all South
ern people, for it so forcibly contrasts
the honest views of a statesman, as
compared with the actions of the
fakir in the White House, who dined
Booker Washington and other ne
groes for the effect that it would have
on his political future. have hear6
the view expressed to-day by severa
thoughtful members of the House
that this letter would mark the be
ginning of a movement, which will
result in Cleveiands nomination
Nothing has impressed me more thar
the strong applause given Mr.. Webb,
kindly reference to Mr.. Cleveland
That evidences the change that i
taking place with respect to the for
mer president. It is a question nov
between Cleveland and Bryan ant
the Democrats of the South will
have little trouble in making thei
CHOICE"