The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-03-11
GIVES 1T THE LIE
Grover Says He Did Not Lunch
With Colored Man
as CHARGED ny A CoNGRE: smAN.
Social Equality of the nooseveltion
Variety Discussed in Very
Plain Manner in tho
House Thursday.

10y A1AoGuSbGo Iu IL very
Plain Manner in the
House Thursday.
In the house Thursday letter from
Grover Cleveland to Representative
Webb OF North Carolina was read de-
nying that @. Fl. j. Taylor, a negro,
had dined with him at the White
House while he was president, as
charged by Representative Scott Of
Kansas a few days ago. Mr.. Webb
said he had written the former presi-
dent sending him an extract from
The Congressional Record and asking
il the statements made by Mr.. Scott
were true.
This morning." he said, 81 receiv-
ed the following reply" which he
read amid applause:
Princeton, n. j., March =.
e. Y. Webb, House of Representa-
tiveS.
Dear Sir: 1t is a matter of small
concern to me that MIR. Scott has
seen tit to use my name in a display
or his evil propensities on the floor OF
the house OF representatives. In an
swer to your inquiry, however, l have
to say Of his statement that the col
ored man, q. II. j. Taylor, took lunch
with me at the White House that it
is deliberate fabrication out Of the
whole cloth.
AS far as Mr.. Taylor is concerned,
understand, prior to his appointment
as register of deeds at Washington
that he had served as an assistant in
the office of the city attorney at Kan
saS City. His nomination as register
was confirmed by the senate and he
served in that place with intelligence
and efficiency. He has since died.
Some people restrain themselves from
abusing the dead.
My inquiries concerning Mr.. Taylor
before Lis appointment, my observa-
tion of him during his incum bency,
aud the little have known or him
since satisfy me that his character is
very unjustly attacked in the diatribe
OF Mr.. Scott.
One Charge is made against Mr..
Taylor ty Mr.. Scott which he doubly
clinchcs with truth when ,he declares.
He wa: a black negro" / am led.
however, to doubt his familiarity with
his suge estion when he adds: LAS
black as you ever saw"
Yours very truly,
GRoyER CLEVELAND.
Mr. Webb said he war ted this de-
nial tf,c4ra al tst sIt be statement Of
MIR. ScotC:n shtgbe overtaken. So -,
Mr.. Cleveland was friend Of the
negro, but not fool frlend," said MIR.
Webb. He never by word or action
encouraged the dream OF social equal
ity In the breast OF the black man"
This was greeted with applause by
the Democrats.
Again." he continued ''he was
the frierd of colored men, but he also
was the friend of the sol thern white
II an and sympathized with us in our
race problems and race burdens, and
that, sir, Is more than Mr.. Roosevelt
seems ever to have done.n
MIR. Scott said he accepted the
statement OF Mr.. Cleveland as true
and offered his apology to the former
president. In justice to himself, said
MIR Scott, he desired to say that he
never before heard the report denied
MIR. Swanson Of Virginia asked Mr..
Scott where he had heard the report,
to which Mr. Scott replied that he
had seen the statement in newSpa-
perS.
Mr.. Swanson asked further for a
copy OF Il newspaper containing the
statement. Mr.. Scott explained that
these statements were made several
years ago and the papers might not
be easily procured. He said that re
had made full apology to Mr.. Cleye-
land.
Mr.. Scott added that he had
brought to Mr.. Cleveland for the first
time in four years applause from the
Democratic side.
This was loudly applauded upon the
majority side Of the chamber.
Mr.. Williams, ethe minority leader,
charged that Mr. Roosevelt mad dined
Kooke! Washington to carry the light
or example to the south which does not
believe In social equality. When a
question Is raised, he said, against the
appointment OF negro to positions in
tne south the statement is made that
there can be no discrimination on ac-
count OF color; but, continued MIR.
Williams, the administration would
not appoint Chinaman as a. postmas-
ter on the Pacific coast if he possessed
the ability of Lii Hung Chang. Mr..
Williams said the whole incident was
telling blow at the abstract theory
OF general equality and that it 's a
discovery OF the underlying hypro.
crisy of the contention thaS all men
are socially equal, regardless OF color,
race, traits and tendencies
Mr.. Scott desired to know who had
been asserting social equality.
I have understood" replied Mr..
Williams, that the political theory
of your household political faith for
the last 20 years has been that men,
regardless Of color, race, traits, ten
dencies, characteristics, capabilities
or what-not ought to be strictly equal
politically" and said social equality
must follow
But that is not all, the head OF
your party set the example Of social
equality In the only manner it can be
SET by inviting black man to a
table"
MIR. Williams said that If what the
president had done was not to carry
the light Of example it was done for
no purpose at all.
t was an unconscious exhibition. ,
continued the minority leader, "of
the arrogance that teaches men now
and then to shed the light Of example