The Booker T. Washington Papers, Vol.11, page 460, Jan. 1912, U. of Illinois Press

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The BOO KER T. WAS HINGTO N Papers his willingness to restate his Southern policy so as to leave no room for doubt that he does not mean to close the door against the Negro holding office everywhere in the South; expressed his decided opposition to court decisions upholding j~m-crow car laws, and to denial of suffrage, and his willingness to strongly pronounce against lynching. Sitting around him, smoking his Havana cigars, which he passed to us, we remained at the White House from 6:30 to 8 o'clock Wednesday evening, and from 6 to ~ on Thursday evening—a record-breaker for conferences between a president and Negro officials. In every way it was a most satisfactory interview. He seemed deeply interested, and equally Interested in hoping for an opportunity to shelve his Southern policy without stultifying himself. ~ certainly wish you might have been here and with us. The understanding was that the conference was to be sort of confidential, but ~ requested that he remove any restriction as to secrecy, and permit me to see that the colored press received the news of the conference having been held, and he readily gave permission, and ~ shall therefore send a number of colored papers an account of it. ~ told ache President that although his other cabinet held but two sessions a week, the ''black cabinet'' held daily sessions, whereupon he said our cabinet was the most industrious. Nothing come up to mar the meeting, and he appeared to recognize that we were primed with facts and figures. We hardly left anything untouched that deeply concerns the race. ~ told him that you had only arrived home when the message was received to be present, and could not make the journey in time. Frequently we referred to the Doctor to give him the impression, which he has, that we regard the Doctor as the real leader, and that our protestations against unjust policies Is but a backing kiln up or carrying out his known wishes. He was In splendid humor both evenings, and the conference was enlivened by a story by him, and one by Lewis. We early—immediately, got down to brass tacks, and without hesitation or interruption kept hitting that tack squarely on the head. Sincerely yours, though hasty, Tyler TLS Con. 466 BOW Papers DLC. ~ William Cather Hook ~ 1857-~9 ~ served as a judge of the eighth U.S. judicial circuit from 1903 until his death. In 19~2 Hook was considered for elevation to the Supreme Court, but failed to receive the appointment. BTW's opposition to Hook was expressed in his letter to Blanche Kelso Bruce, Feb. ~7, 9, below. 460