The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-02-18

mind. L left the White House almost
Immediately and took train the
same night for New York. When /
reached New York the next morning
l noticed that the New York Tribune
had about two lines, stating that /
had dined with the President the pre-
vtous night. That was the only New
FORK paper. so far as | saw. that
mentioned the matter. Within q few
hours the whole incident completely
passed from my mind. | mentioned
the matter casually during the day to
friend-Mr. William II. Baldwin, Jr.,
then president of the Long Island
Railroad-but spoke of it to no one
else and had no intention Of doing so.
There was. in fact, no reason why /
should discuss II or mention 1t 10 any
one.
MY surprise can be imagined when,
two or three days afterwards, the
whole press. North and South, was
filled with dispatches and editorials
relating to my dinner with the Presi-
dent. For days and weeks / was pur-
sued by reporters in quest of inter-
views. 1 was deluged with kilograms
and letters asking for some express
sion of opinion or an explanation;
but during the whole of this period
OF agitation and excitement | did not
give out single interview and did
not discuss the matter in any way.
Some newspapers attempted to
weave into this incident a deliberate
and well-planned scheme on the part
Of President Roosevelt 10 lead the
way In bringing about the social in
termingling of the two races. / am
sure that nothing was farther fro. he
Presidents mind than this: certainly
Ii was not in my mind. Mr.. Roose-
Welt simply found that ne could spare
the time best during and after the
dinner hour for the discussion or the
matters which both Of us were inter-
ested in.
"The public interest aroused by this
dinner seemed all the more eXtraor-
dinary and uncalled for, because. on
previous occasions / had taken tea
with Queen Victoria at Windsor
Castle; j had dined with the Cover
nors OF nearly every State Fin the
North; had dined in the same room
with President Mckinley at Chicago
at the Peace Jubilee dinner and l
had dined with Ex-Presdent Harrison
In Paris and with many other promi-
nent public men,"
DR.. Washington's version differs
materially from that which has been
industriously circulated in the South
during the last two or three years by
those who would soften the dislike Of
Mr.. Roosevelt which this dinner oc-
casioned. The tale as 1t has been
told latterly has been that DR.. Wash
lngton was at the White House in
conference with the President; that
lunch was announced and that Mr..
Roosevelt. being absorbed in his con-
versation with the Tuskegee educator,
said impulsively: "COme on and have
lunch with me-" that DR.. Washing
ton was reluctant, but that Mr.. Roose-
Welt repeated the invitation suggest
ing that only thus would they be able
to finish their conversation. 1t has
been understood here that this was
the story as told by Mr.. Roosevelt
himself and in the absence Of any
proof to the contrary II has been ac-
cepted and Mr.. RooseV elt's action in
this matter has been viewed in a light
somewhat different from that in
which news Of II was first received in
this part of the country. This unof-
ficial version cannot stand in the face
of the facts as they are now set forth
by DIR. Washington himself.
long since come TO the conclusion that
'prejudices are something that it does
not pay TO disturb" and that lin
dining with President Roosevelt there
was no disposition on my part-and
l am sure there was no disposition
on Mr. Mr.. Roosevelt's part--to attack
any custom of the South The fact
remains, however, that the custom
was attacked and that more grossly
than previous stories have indicated.
DIR. Washington's contention that
there is, therefore, absolutely no
ground or excuse for the assertion
sometimes made that our dining to-
gether was part of n preconceted and
well-thought out plan" may be ac-
II.