The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-06-02
.A True to,ry
Of Roo sevelt
BOOKER WASHINGTON TELLS OF
HIS -EIRSI MEETING WITH :.
OUR PRESIDENT.


vaiise In the other.
Suddenly hand was laid on the
valise and pleasant face of stall
wart young man looked into the ne
sfo's face as he said. Pretty heavy
brothe=- Suppose you let me take
one I'm going your way
The negro protested. but the man
already had the valise and for several
blocks they walked on together talk
ing like two cronies until the hotel
was reached.
"And that said Booker T. Washing
ton recently. lis the first time ever
met Theodore Roosevelt
This little story. which appears in
this months Ladies Home Journal.
was shown to a colored business man
in this city. and asked why it is thar
so few people of the white race would
do what man did who later became
the leading citizen Of the world.
That ac, of Roosevelt's simply
proves that he is capable of under
standing the status Of the negro far
better than the ordinary white man"
idea of the negro having even a status
What sort OF status has the negroc
His status. I'll admit. is low. But
how can one expect it to be otherwise?
The negro was released from slavery
only forty years ago. They were held
in check for centuries and then Of a
sudden We're released Won't every
-.
to be condemned, after a sudden boon
of freedom2"
The speaker began to get very earn
est in his remarks. He arose from
his chair and began to drum on the
desli. AS the tottoo continued the IN
terviewer thought Of the wild rage OF
waters when the dam has broken: OF
the madness OF cattle and horses
when they have broken loose from the
control OF the men who before had
had them in control. It did seem true
that all things in nature when first
given freedom act in a manner that
tries to spread destruction in its path
What is the negro to do? Where
is he to soe What avenues are open
L
leave him no room to work at all. ext
cept in bitches and under the hod-
Can it ever be expected that that
class Of workmen shall be congen-
ial people to intelligent whites? No
and it is for that reason that people
hate the negro.
Wait until the negro has had
Nd fnf
trades. Then he will be better and
more congenial citizen AS it is now.
be has nothing to anchor him to any
one place or thing. He can't lean a
trade. He Won't be permitted to serve
as an apprentice in any honorable
VOCATION Who in this neishborhood
ever has seen a negro boy given an
to learn to be a 3eweler2
Or printer Or a teacher? Or a |
banker2 He can clean up around |
these places. but nothing more White |
men will not work beside them. And |
when a negro learns a trade. the un-
ions will not help him to improve or
to get work. There are some trades. |
however. in which negroes have en-
tered. They can be BARRIERS. Tor In |
stance. There is nothing unsishtly |
about a white man working beside a
negro in barber shop. He has won
his place there and Will hold it. Give
a negro a trade and he makes a good |
citizen. 1t is the same as with white !
men. Deny the While men a trade or
and they. too, are doomed to !
a shiftIess life"
1t does look odd that a white man
has no hesitancy in being shaved by !
a negro. but who would patronize =
negro banker Why the one business
and not the other?
It seemed that this negro business
man had given lots Of thought to
these several questions and had found
good answers to several OF them. II
will be many years before the negro
is settled. or even congenia1. and not
until he is in business This is the
OF this colored man.
"The negro started with nothing.
not even opportunities were given
him. Gradually. however. they are
coming. a large number OF the white
men are not bod carriers and ditch
disserS because their fathers gave
them something. at least an education
The negro has to begin at the same
point where the white man was CEN
turtles ago. The negro does not want
the sympathy nor charity OF the
whites, but We don't want their en-
nifty. All we ask" said this negro. as