New-York tribune., 1908-02-14
LEAVE OUT THE NEGRO
No Black Man Present at Thirteen
Clubs Race Prejudice Talk.

.Is Race Prejudice a Form OF Superstition!
was the theme of q symposium at the Lincoln
dinner of the Thirteen Club at the Harlem oaSino
last night.
The Jewish, Italian, Japanese ana irish iao'
were represented by speakers, but. notwlthstano-
ing that the dinner was In ceieora'ioi Vi '
ninety-ninth birthday anniversary OF tne siea'
emancipator of the negro race, the hesfoeS "oio
unrepresented, which fact called forth protest from
a negro against this discrimination. Inc Pio'e'.a
was George w. Walker, the comedian VINO sau
in his letter to the club: ALLOW me 70 asM you a
Jather pointed question: Is it the main OBJECT Oh
the Thirteen Club to emancipate men from i"o0
prejudice not?''
The letter from Walker, however. was not read.
The only reference to the apparent INCONSISTENCY
of Lincoln dinner with race prejudice as topic
OF discussion without the presence OF negro was
made by the Rev. H. Pereira Mendes, VINO SPOKE
for the Jewish race He said: Il miss two peoPie
here tonight the Chinaman and the negro IL
prejudice is form Of superstition, tnen you
members seem to be superstitious. Perhaps there
is a superstition that it is consistent to be IN
consistent. If Inconsistency is a form Oh sopei0N
ton, then you have it..
If there not present a Chinese there was d
Japanese in the person of kaju Nakamura' an
editor. who spoke rather caustcally OF certain
prejudices that he said existed IN this country
against his people.
of his people. He said that If there was preJu-
dice against the Jews that he was too proud 70
notice it. Superstition. he said. was defined IN
Websters Dictionary as IAN exclusive exactness or
rgor in religion" He added
1t is a coincidence that well as being the
anniversary Of the birth Of Abraham LINCOLN it is
thirty-three hundred years ago that Moses ,as was
born. They were two great emancipators. NiosS'
was the emanciparor of all mankind and propouno-
d e 'se se sef CO
every form If my race has suffered rS Innop }o
we have stood for principle I admire the re man ian
who stands for principle and have no use Ior IN, rie
man who cringes We have stood for the principle
What R differences does it make il we shame
fully i'll treated? We are content 70 go on Win
work We have added sesth1ns nrs dG 'is is
worse than superstition-it is crime We .Sa az
all equally the sons Of the one good father
above US.
The letter of protest from George W. walker
which went unread and unheeded, said:
Gentlemen, please explain how it came to pass
that your learned society failed 20 invite repre-
sentative Of my to speak at your dinner; is
it possible that you have members who are seeking
to emancpate themselves from superstition, and YET
they fail to be broad enough to ask man or A1Ti-
can blood in his veins to be present and to take
part in your deliberations? .
gratifying to me personally. but to many falr-
minded and progressive white and black cltlZehS
in this republic who have the welfare or hulnaI- nI
ity and the progress or the WI1oie <Aieicd PooPio
truly at heart
The menu was in the form of coffin. Candle
sticks in the same form stood each table. at
which were seated thirteen diners, over some Of
whom there were open umbrellas and other signs
that the club members not superstitious- Even
the speeches were of thirteen minutes duration,
while the greeting II wish you hard luck
Alderman Doull presided, and the speakers besides
those already mentioned were Antonio yucca, for
the Italians, and ]. NJ. Wall. for the Irish