The times., 1898-09-25
A New Field i'm Fiction.

whether White or Black, a Man."
is the rather striking title of a novel by
Edith Smith Davis, and the book is full
ly as original as it's name. 1t is an at
tempt to present picture of the educat-
ed negro of the South, and of the condi-
tions under which he lives. The author
says, in preface which clearly defines
the scope and purpose of the book:
1t has been my good fortune to know men and
women among the colored people OF the South
of such great worth and character, men and wom-
en- of such sterling qualities men and women OF
such culture and refinement that it has seemed
my duty no less than my privilege to make them
known to others.
In sending out this story, l wish to say that
there is no character in it that / have not per-
sonally known no incident that has not been
paralleled by fact; and in many instances the
words used the exact words of colored men,
uttered under circumstances Of similar charac-
ter. .
The book is sent out with desire of making
men and women better acquainted, not with the
typical negro of minstrel shows, or with the ne
gro caricatured in comic newspapers, but with
the refined and cultured negro gentleman.
This is point of view sufficiently rad
ical in its novelty to make the story un-
usual Mrs. Davis is absolutely the first
writer who has attempted anything of
this sort in fiction, and this book is evil
IDENTIFY the work of an author without
writing. 1t is crude to the last degree in
places, and the diction is sometimes care
less. The pictures of Southern arstoc-
racy have some rather serious faults and
the condition of things pictured in the
last few chapters will strike most peo-
pie. South or North, as decidedly i'm
probable. II is unlikely that any such
conditions of amity and mutual respect
between the races will be reached In this
fry or FL 10 II
The character of the Northern school
teacher is also presented with a some
what determined attempt at idealization.
But so far as the educated negro is con-
cerned, the writer has done precisely
what she meant 10 do; she has given
picture which is essentially accurate and
entirely without eXaggeration. The type
portrayed here Is not the average negro,
but the best type of the race, which.
except in one or two OF Cables stories
has never gotten into fiction at all. II
is certain that the character of the hero
is drawn from life. and that the words
put into his mouth are those uttered
by a real man at some time or other
The scene which takes place at his fu-
neral also bears the stamp of realism
and Is perhaps the strongest and most
dramatic chapter in the book.
Although the purpose of the novel is so
radically different from anything in the
Southern idea of the proper solution of
the race problem, there is one thing for
which Mrs. Davis must be given due
credit. She evidently wishes TO bring out
the facts that 1t is conditions and not
malice which make the lot of the edu-
Gated negro hard; that the representa-
tive white people of the South strongly
disapprove of anything which will stir
up lll-wlil between the races, and that the
element which creates mobs and lynch
ings Is a low-class element She also
touches on race-feeling as 1t exists In the
North, and there is nothing which can be
called sectional prejudice In the book
The way in which the race problem is
regarded by her is fairly well expressed
in the words of the hero during dis
cussion of that question:
/ believe that it is Gods thought for us that
I'VE rise or fall together, dwarfed or God-like
bond or free"
The negro is here in the South because he was
brought here, but he is here to stay, and Just
what his relation TO the white race is TO be I
do not know. But this do know that the negro
cannot be kept a slave in land of freedom. He
cannot be kept servant for in land OF liberty,
If ne possess God d-giyen qualities Of strength. he
will rise above his surroundings and prove himself
a man of strength
But have been wondering why il is that as
people We are so thoroughly misunderstood
can remember tDat When IN Boston q dear old
lady invited me to her home and gave a dinner
party in my honor. Every conceivable attention
was heaped upon me, not because amounted to
anything one way or another, but because was
black and her husband had been distinguished
abolitionist. .
And once / heard Prof Boyesen, the scholarly
Norwegian, lecture, and in speaking OF "Uncle
Toms Cabin" he said that before leaving Norway
he had read the book, and from the study OF
more saint than human, but since coming TO
America he had found that the negro did not
come up to his preconceived ideal
We are not saints like Mrs. Stoves
ideslized Uncle Tom; are not heroes
| TO think; we are simply black who
| have been slaves and are not today; and we have
the odium Of the past to overcome in the oppor-
| tunities of the present.
| But | wish that people could realize that It Is
only fair chance for which we ask II is not
TO be made more or less OF because OF color or
previous condition, but it is to stand on level
| with other men and be allowed to work out our
own fortunes in the same way and manner.
Any one who reads this novel, with Its
| passionate desire to see justice done to
| the educated negro, and then, meeting
| the half-educated negro politician preach
er, or servant, jumps to the conclusion
!
exaggeration, win make mistake. There
are men and women like those she de-
| scribes, but they are, as a rule, engag-
| ed IN work for their own race, and are
| but little known to white people, North
| or South. There are college men among
| them, who have spent years of study in
! Europe, but who can get no foothold here
in any professions which would bring
| them in contact with white men. Conse-
4 -
| as did Tanner, the artist, whose pic
| ture has been purchased by the Lux
! embourg, or. like Burghart Dubois, ac-
| cept positions in some colored college, or
| like many others, without money or in
! fuence, whose names are never known
| strive to get decent living without be-
| coming Wallets or walters or Pullman por-
ters, until they die, disheartened and dis
| appointed. The view taken by this au-
| thor is decidedly optimistic There is
more tragedy underlying this peculia,
| and little known phase of the race ques.
| ton than any fiction writer has cared
or dared to paint. BY some writers the
| "free-issue" negro who has any aspira
| tions beyond being a good servant is
| treated with simple ridicule; by Others
he is ignored completely. If Mrs. Davis
| or some one else who takes her view OF
| the question and is possessed of the
| storytelling genius, chooses to go into
this field there will be found some ricI
| gleanings which nobody else has touch.
ed. This book is a pioneer, with all the
| weaknesses of pioneer. It is with lit
erature as with science and discovery
somebody always has to blaze the wa,
| for a new venture, and Mrs Davis ha.
introduced a new character In fiction
Chicago: Fleming H. Revell Company