The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-02-18
THAT WHITE HOUSE DINNER.
Booker II. Washington Tells the Story
at Last.

NhoP'ciS FIuhh MY INpcIlcnCts Ilo
tells why he has never sought or
held a Government job. gives the
story OF his acquaintance with Col,
Roosevelt and seeks To itcmlze the
things he has learned from the Col.
and tells the story Of his famous
White House dinner. He Is very
eulogistic of the Colonel. endeavors 70
discount the general disposition to
credit Mr.. Roosevelt with acting upon
impulse. contending that he Is "a wise.
far-seeing. quick-thlnking statesman,
and says tha' practically everything
that he tried to do for the South
while he was President was outlined
In conversations to me many years be-
fore II became known TO most peo-
pie that he had the slightest chance
OF becoming President. What he did
was not a matter OF impulse. but the
result OF carefully matured plans"
He says OF Mr.. Roosevelt that "after
the death OF President Mckinley. 1
received letter from him. written in
his own hand. on the very day 1, It
he took the oath OF Office at Buffalo,
as President--or was II the day fol-
lowing-in which ne asked me TO
meet him In Washington. He wanted
10 talk over with me the plans for
helping the South that we had dis
cussed years before. This plan had
lain matured In his mind for months
and years and, as soon as the op-
portunity came. he acted upon IT,"
After debating with himself the ad-
visibility OF accepting the Presidents
Invitation. Dr. Washington says that
he concluded that Ii was his duty TO
so TO Washington and that shortly af-
ter Mr.. Roosevelt became established
Ia the White House he went there
and spent the greater part OF an
evening with him in talk concerning
the South. He says that Mr.. Rrose-
welt emphasized two points i'm par
ticular: first. he said that wherever
he appointed a white man to office i'm
the South. he wished him to be the
very highest type of native Southern
white man--One i'm whom the whole
country had faith. He repeated and
emphasized his determination to ap-
point such a type OF man regardless
Of political influences or political con-
quite frankly. that he did not propose
10 appoint a large number OF colored
people to office I'm any part of the
South. but that he did propose to do
two things which had not been done
before that time-at least not To the
extent and with the definite purpose
that he had In mind. Wherever he
did appoint colored man to Office in
the South. he said that ne wanted him
10 be not only a man OF ability but Of
Y character--a man who had the con-
idence OF his white and colored neigh
bors. He did not propose to appoint q
colored man to Office simply for the
purpose of temporary political expe-
diency. lie added that while he pro-
posed TO appoint fewer colored men
10 Office In the South he proposed to
put a certain number OF colored men
Of high character and ability in office
In the Northern States. He said that
he had never been able TO see any good
lNs nTI. ~. -.
put In office I'm the Southern States,
and not put In the North as well. As
a matter OF fact. before Mr.. Roose-
welt became President. not single
colored man had ever been appointed.
so far as / know TO a Federal office
In any Northern State"
Dr. Washington tells OF some of the
appointments which Mr.. Roosevelt
made In pursuance Of this policy and
OF It's continuance as regards the
North and West by President Taft.
Coming. then, to the famous White
House dinner the incidents which led
up To a are narrated. DIR. Washing
ton was making a tour OF Mississippi.
He received word that the President
wished TO have a conference with him.
After considering the matter ne con-
cluded that ne should accept this in
Walton. and 81 as soon as his work in
Mississippi was done he went To
Washington. Arriving there In the
afternoon ne went to the house OF
his friend. Whiteheld Mckinley. for
merly OF Charleston. by the way. and
now collector OF the port of George
town. the first colored man 10 hold that
position. with whom he expected TO
stop during his stay In Washington.