The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-06-09

Columbia. sincerely,
Ashland House, New York, June, 1905.
Mr.. Dixon's reply in part, is as fol-
| lows:
I am sorry my letter to the News and
Courier was printed in the raw. 1t was
very hurriedly written and very clumsly
expressed. The truth of my statements,
however, can not be questioned.
The quotation in The States editorial
from Mr.. Ogden's private letter, as fol-
lows, is very vague:
"The statements contained in the article
| have no foundation in fact in general
and In particular
Il have never uttered word in the
Introduction of Booker I. Washington to
! public meeting that you and all my
reasonable friends in the south would
not cordially approve.
The allegations concerning my rela-
tions with colored persons in my place
| of business are too contemplate for no
tice and so absolutely absurd as to make
a denial or explanation purely ridiculous .
These lines were evidently not written
for publication and l fear Mr.. Ogden
will be far more distressed over their
| appearance than ] am.
He simply declares that his reason
| able" friends will cordially approve and
that my allegations are too contempt
iblc for notice" / 10 not understand him
| to deny them He will not deny them over
his signature, for Mr. Ogden, apart from
his crazy notions about the negro. is a
| truthful and loveable old gentleman a
very estimable citizen.
l know that lis introduction of Booker
I. Washington to Cooper Union au-
dience was a loathsome and disgusting
! performance, because l was present and
witnessed it. TIE lady with whom [ went
| awning n o
or to Mr.. Ogden. a woman of well poised
mind and sound common sense When Mr..
Ogden finished his remarkable speech Of
Introduction, she turned to me, with
look of contempt, and said:
We'll, l have heard of such things
but never in my life before did l see
white man get down in the dirt and kiss
| a negroes feetl I've enough-lets gor
| said mo, it isn't the negro's fault
He can't help it. He would crawl un-
der the table If he could, but he can't
escape The engro is good; let's hear him."
We stayed, and she liked the negro much
better.
Among the things he said in that in
PRODUCTION, l recall one sentence in sub
| stance: Men tell me sometimes that
have made a success in life. Ladies and
gentlemen, I count all my achievements
and all my honors as trash compared to
the glorious privilege of standing here
| am the personal friend of the illustrious
man whom l have the honor of introduce
ing to YOU.
This is only a sample.
| repeat the alleg ton that Mr.. Ogden
walked through the Wanamaker store in
New York with his arm around this negro,
because I saw him do it. How long he
kept it there on hat occasion. l can't
say. He may have done it unconsciously
If so, all the worse, as revelation of
his character.
] repeat with emphasis my assertion
that Mr.. Ogden is negro worshipper
pure and simple" because he teaches a
school six days in the week on Broadway,
where negro equality is taught in the
most direct and powerful manner pos
sible by personal example.
Mr.. Ogden is the head of the John
Wanamaker store in New York, and
he conducts there the only first-class
restaurant in the metropolis where a
big buck negro is allowed to enter and
seat himself at the same table with a
white mans wife and daughter. So far
as | know. this is the only restaurant
where such a disgusting spectacle can
be seen in New York. and so far as L
know, Mr. Ogden is the originator of
the idea i4this town.
am inclined to think that our people
of the south We're little unfair to Pres
ident Roosevelt about his famous lunch
with Booker 7. Washington. 1t was
purely an accident of the President s
busy life Booker happened to be there
at the lunch hour-the President wished
to talk with him and accordingly lunch
was served in an informal manner. Mr..
| Roosevelt did not mean to preach social
| equality with negroes-he does not be-
lieve in it. In the heat of politics We
of the south didn't tote fair with our
dashng young President
But in Mr.. 0gdens case we have the
real thing-an honest, earnest. we'll
meaning Yankee fanatic who does be-
leve in it with all his soul. He not
only believes in it, he breaches it, He
not only breaches; he practices 1t. /
have nothing to say about what he may
choose to do at his own table in his own
| home. But | have the right as citizen
and IL patron of his store to object to his
attempt to force my family to eat at
| the same table with negroes.
If the editor of the State wishes to
test the question of Mr. Ogdens pitiful
negro obsession, let him challenge the
president of the Southern" Educational
conference to give up his negro propa-
| ganda restaurant, or resign his presl-
dency! I'll guarantee that negroes will
cotinue to eat with white ladies In his
! store and that the conference will ina
! a new presiding officeri | may be mis-
Ogden's innovation of the past few years
in associating with southern white peo-
pie may have broadened his mind-but
will not believe it until | see It,
The State asks why | have delayed
my attack ON the efforts of a group OF
good-hearted. weak minded Yankee phil
anthropsts to pauperize the educational
system of the south In the interests OF
! negro equality.
Again l will be frank. This southern
Educational society is composed OF many
of my warm personal friends, among
them Mr.. Page, my publisher. Ihey are
in dead earnest and their aim Is high,
and in the main good. | have hoped 1has
they might shake off the influence OF
such men as Ogden and the editors of
the northern negro organs like the Ihe
| Outlook" But it seems vain nope Inc
/ truth is these negro propagandists are
! the men who secure the funds which
make the southern Educational poaro
| a power to be reckoned with.
As a southerner who loves the south
and the north and who beieves thae
the south has performed a mighty SER
vice for this republic In preserving our
racial integrity in spite of the EFFORTS
, of such men as Mr.. Ogden to corrupt ~
l view with suspicion the Greeks VINO
bear gifts. And L venture mildly 70
suggest that Southern Educationai
board with its headquarters In nesro
equality restaurant on Broadway, NeM
| York. is a legitimate subject OF DISCUS
sion.
The State has been deceived at ieas'
about Mr.. Ogden. whose real interests