Tom Watson's Magazine, Vol. I, No. 2, April 1905Various
Religion
Tom Watson's Magazine, Vol. I, No. 2, April 1905
Various
United States -- Politics and government -- Periodicals
Going across the street to the other hotel, I mingled with the crowd,
and came upon two members of the committee standing together. I
presented my request to them, and they said that they were members
of the Philadelphia press and gave me a most cordial reception. When
they asked for my authority to represent the Southern papers, and I
had none, they requested my card, but I had not even a card. They were
evidently embarrassed, for they showed a willingness to aid me, but
found themselves unable to do so. After some courteous explanation they
expressed regret at being unable to serve me, and one of them handed me
his card and asked me to apply at Centennial headquarters, on Walnut
Street, the next morning, at eight o’clock, and said that if anything
could be done, they were sure the Commission would be glad to do it.
Some time before eight I was at the Commission headquarters the next
morning, and when the doors were opened I strode in, asking for the
gentleman whose name had been given me the night before, and when I was
presented to him he looked at me with a gaze of curiosity. I told my
story as it had been now several times repeated; he listened with some
impatience, and asked for the credentials. He listened to my explanation
with a frown, which indicated that he thought me a fraud, and saying
that he could do nothing under the circumstances, swung his chair around
and gave me no more heed, until I more than hinted that perhaps I would
be the only correspondent present from the South, and that I felt some
consideration was due me, especially if the Commission cared to have the
people of the South attend on the forthcoming exposition. The question of
the North and South was a sensitive one at that time, and he replied that
the South could come if it desired, and suggested that if I wished to
remain away he did not object. I replied that the South was clearly being
discriminated against in the matter, as representatives of the North were
accorded the consideration which I sought. He demolished me with a single
blow when he said that they came properly accredited.
Nothing seemed left now but to hasten to the hotels and see what could be
done there. I accosted another member of the committee of citizens, but
in no wise succeeded. Already the carriages were drawn up along the side
of the street for several blocks, awaiting the pleasure of the visitors
from Washington to go out to Fairmount Park, where the buildings were
going up. Baffled at every point here, I stepped into the street-car
and reached the park in advance of the procession. Here I met a medical
student from the University of Pennsylvania whom I had met before, and I
told him of my ups and downs, very much to his amusement.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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