The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1907-02-21
STAFF Correspondence.

Il Ills is the open sea
son" for run-in with the glib and neil
w promoter Of the colored fair.
6. Y DR.. II. N. Newsome and his Co-wor-
kers in the movement to hold a color,
ed fair at Mobile, Ala, next October,
- have extended an. invitation to PreSi-
dent Roosevelt to be present, and it is
, said that q special committee has
been sent to Washington to urge him
to accept. Mr.. p. w. Chavers, repres-
enting the promoters of the annual
fair to be held by the Ohio Colored
Educational and Agricultural Associa-
ton at Columbus in August, has just
visited the President with a similar
invitation. No answer has been given
the Mobile people, as far as we have
heard, Messages of more or less au-
thenticity, however, have been going
the rounds to the effect that the Presi-
dent thought the Columbus IBID"
looked good and had practically promi-
sed to attend Mr.. Chaver's enterprise,
when-as rumor had it-a quiet tip
was handed him by Vice President
Fairbanks that the affair was not just
on the level. Then the Presidential
acceptance went a-glimmering. He
couldn't come ION account of pressing
engagements. lhe irreverent says he
-'side-stepped" the invitation because
he heard from Mr.. Fairbanks, as
it has since been proven that the
Columbus demonstration was not a
peoples movement at all-that it was
simply q private moneymaking snap,
gotten together by coterie of self
seeking individuals, who by glib pre-
tensions and monumental gall were
making a practice of roping in the big
gest men of the nation as speakers
and eAdorsers, to give it a standing
and fictitious Importance in the eyes
of the uninitiated. 1t Is alleged that
last summer when Vice President
Fairbanks and Dr.. Booker T. Washing
ton were led into delivering addresses
there on the opening day, all kinds Of
gambling devices were in operation,
the fakir was there In all his glory,
and men and women were robbed
right and left by pickpockets, who
- came by paying concessions to ply
their neefarious trades. While there
Is nothing to indicate that either Mr..
Fairbanks or DR.. Washington made
any remarks to reporters about what
went on that day, a myriad OF ugly ru-
mors followed the exposition, and lit
tie was said about repeating 1t another
Year, until the recent visit of the illus
trious Mr.. Chavers who went to wash
ington to secure the attendance OF Pre-
Bident Roosevelt. Then came a revival
of the talk about the alleged chuck-a-
luck, three card monte, she'll games
and pickpockets who figured in the
previous affair, and the meagerness
of the educational and industrial dis
play by the representative colored clti-
zens of the State, together with the
friendly tip to the President to let it
alone" If mischief has been done by
these bald assertions, and the Chief
Executive has been led to "side-step'
the show, the management must trace
it to common report, and secure Sucn
redress as they are able. 1t is likely
that they are more conVersant win
the real situation than any other per-
sons.
AS to the truth or the falsity Of the
statements made in connection with
Mr.. Chavers enterprise, we know
nothing. We hope there is no founda-
= tion upon which they can rest perman-
emily We trust they are born OF jeal-
Il ously and malice on the part Of the
8proverbial "knocker," who is always
on hand with his little hammer
when anything creditable is attempted
by a hustling member or the race. We
Mobile affair will be Of such represen
tatiye character as to warrant the
: President in seriously, considering the
! profPered invitation to attend, but
I there are others in the minds Of our
! truly thoughtful people realization
y that there is danger that this thing OF
e besieging the President Of the UNITED
4 States to lend his presence at celebra
IS tions or expositiOns Of minor charac
I ter to be carried to far. Mr.. RooSe-
& welt as we have all found out, is
= man Of generous impulses kind-hear
p ted and enthusiastic to a fault-anc
4it may have been impressed upon him
E by shrewd politicians that in view o.
y certain unfortunate Incidents OF re
\ cent occurrences, that he must per
II force make his appearance at every
"a little Negro show that may be devise
ID by honest men or by mere adVen
5~Yirers, in order to disabuse the minds
OF a suspicious element among on
: neopje Of the notion that he Is mimi
cal to the progress Of the race. Mr.
I Roosevelt knows the great needs OF
the coiored masses, and he Is usually
willine-if not anxious-to NEE
them upon every proper Occa5ion-es
%pecially when they have something
tangible to exhibit--to tell them how
they may build on solid foundations
and how they may make themselve
worthy Of the fullest citizenship. |
Ia possible that some of us may rims
the changes upon this string ono
too often, and then-well, we shall b
told a. few other things.
We will not throw out the hint ina
This generosity of the President ma
n he imposed upon by the minimizing 0
the interruptions; but we do fear tina
400 many well-meaning, IL not bump
IS xtfous persons, among US may so owe