Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1906-05-25
Hotel Denies IL.

AT the ChamOerlain hotel, where tho
banquet was held, 1t was stated that
presence Of DR.. Anderson or any other
person, and that no prohibition had been
made on the attendance OF anyone whom
the committee wished to have present
The manager Of the hotel denied that
anything had been said In any shape on
form about the presence OF the negro az
the time the arrangements were made
oy the committee. ana salu Inar rwnun
the Dutch room. where the banquet was
held, was turned over to the committee.
Il was privileged to invite whom IL
pleased, without interference from the
hotel authorities. The only limitation
placed on the committee was that not
more than sixty five tickets should be Is
sued. as this represented the seating ca
pacity OF the room.
g. s. Brown. the chairman Of the COM
mittee on arrangements for the banquet.
could not be found yesterday. He has
been registered at the Kirkwood hotel.
but gave up his room there and 1t Is be-
lieved that he has returned to his home.
Several prominent hotel proprietors, when
asked yesterday regarding the limitations
placed on the presence Of the negroes in
their hotels, stated that when room
was engaged for q private banquet it
was always considered sthat such room
belonged to the party arranging for 1t,
and that the party was at perfect lib
erty to invite whom they pleased as
banquet guests.
Attitude Of Hotels.
In regard to accepting negroes as reg
ular guests OF the hotels, 1t Is the GUS
tom in most of the hostleries to discour-
age their presence, whenever possible,
but the state law does not permit OF
exclusion. and an absolute prohibition
Ic do p,y,1ift ton n,,
arrangements endeavored in providing
for the entertainment of assembly Wis
itors. to arrange for the entertainment
Of all the negro commissioners in private
homes, and this has been followed out
with one exception. in the case of Rev.
Mr.. Johnson, negro pastor, who is
guest at the Goldstone hotel.
The result has been that the entertain
ment has passed off smoothly, and the
occurrence Wednesday night is the first
unfortunate event Of its kind to mar the
assembly. DIR. Anderson has been
Col. William Coalson, the private messen-
ger in the governors office.
Rev. James A. Worden Of Philadelphia,
who was present at the banquet Wednes-
day night, stated yesterday that 1t was
his understanding that the committee
had refused DIR. Anderson admission 10
the banquet because the members had
Deeu lHIOTiIleu the NOlGl| WOuIQ not
receive him. and that it was either a
case of changing the location OF the BAN
quet. calling 1t Off entirely. or else of re-
fusing DR.. Anderson the right to be pres
ent.
Feels the Insult.
II feel that I have been grossly In
suited" said DR.. Anderson in reciting
his experience. The day before the re-
union and banquet of Princeton alumni
I was asked to attend. 1 hesitated, but
on being urged and assured of q welcome,
bought ticket In the afternoon
before the time set for the banquet,
no intimation of what was to come But
while was at the Auditorium the chair
man on arrangements came to ma
and said that he was very sorry.
but the management Of the hotel
would not permit the etentertaiHinsnt ef
you attend the banquet he continued. 4
I'VE will be forced to hold 1t somewhere
else ~
"And then he gave me back the dollar
/ had paid for my banquet ticket.
Il was astonished at the conduct OF
these men towards me- because of my
color, especially in view OF the fact that
/ had been urgently invited to attend the
banquet. They told me that they We're
sorry, but did not believe 1t then, nor
do now. The fact of the matter Is,
that just now Presbyterians are down
on their knees before the thought of Il
church and they are espc-
cially eager for union with the southern
church. Some OF these men who insultcd
me have been my personal friends and l
have held their personal regard, bur they
would not hesitate to sacrifice me or any;
other negro rather than offend the south
by giving a negro social recognition. or
do, any thing that would put an obstacle
In the way OF the church union move
ment ss'sr@ 3->S.&| ,f$t h.s. +,
Rumor in Philadelphia.
Some weeks ago the story reached us
in Philadelphia through various news
papers. that the hotels OF Dcs A:o:nos
had entered into an agreement not to
give entertainment to any negro commits
sioners or visitors to the general assem-
bly,. We were loath to believe this story,
because we had always looked upon Des
Moines as more liberal In its views than
that, and as more generous in its atti-
tude toward the negro.
when I came here I was assigned
with other negroes to the home of q
very estimable negro family. where I
have enjoyed the most delightful hospi-
.ality. / had 1t in mind to- find out
whether the stories l read about the
luteIS were true, DuC ulO lOllIuS uH-
IL this incident. ] am now seeking to
get at the truth Of the situation -
DR.. Anderson Is fine type of negro,
md impresses those he meets with a.
sense of refinement and scholarship. Ho
S well educated. having first graduated
rom Oberlin college. one OF the leading
colleges Of the country.
hen from the Princeton Theological
and finally from Yale in
,ost graduate course. He took up his
work in Philadelphia twenty-seven years
lgo. beginning with nothing but his own
He has builded up IN the
3erean Presbyterian. church an institu-
ion that now owns church property
worth $4,000, and which maintains a.
,umbcr Of notable auxiliary institutions
Among these latter are: A kindergarten:
building and loan association with 556
MEMBERS S126,326 in assets and with las
iona owning members: seaside home;
/. bureau Of mutual help; a manual train
ng and Industrial school with more than
90 pupils and property valued at $25,-
%; an annual educational conference,
md a trades association. f# =
Tin MT II (1ut nf tin