Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1903-09-18

anv Of the restaurants in the metropo-
lis. Indeed, it is not at all an uncom-
mon sight to see a negro as black as
the proyerbial ace of spades leading 70
tho dining table of a fashionable res
taurant a white woman apparently VI
the highest culture-at least. so lar as
dress and bearing are concerned.
At almost any social functloh one
NAV meet colored men from west
Africa and the United States. They
are always we'll dressed and their de-
portment is beyond reproach.
It is not so long since there was
given at the Holborn restaurant. one
of London's most select establishments
a great banquet to natives OF west
Africa. Sir Alfred l.. Jones was the
honored guest OF the vening.
Sir Alfred took the greatest interest
in the Holborne dinner, and ana nos
mind in the least being wedged IN De-
tween two negroes from the west coas!
of Africa. There were hundreds OF
other we'll known Englishmen at TINS
dinner, and every one of them sat De-
side a negro guest.
Could such a banquet have taken
place anywhere within the limits OF
the United States:
How many persons OF recognized SO
cial standing would have accepted invl
tations to any dinner where upwards
of $50 negroes were to be present! En-
cuses to invitations to such a dinner
would have been wonderfully ingen-
ious. and it is doubtful if many would
have accepted.
During the past few months Mr.. W
T, Stead. editor of the Review or Ne
views. has been giving at homes to his
various friends at his offices Friday
afternoons
Not long since number OF negroes
were invited to an at home. Among
others was D. E. Tobias. colored man
from South Carolina. Tobias was called
upon for an address. and he chose lot
his subject: The Superiority of the
Blacks over the Whites
In Mr.. Stead's audience were possibly
$50 persons. mostly ladies. MIR. Stead
himself did everything in his power to
make it plain to all that he regarded
Tobias and his friends as quite on the
same social level as the white people
who had come to the at home.
Tobias and his friends openly chal-
lenged the superiority of the white race
over the black, and said a great many
pointed things which sounded strangely
to some of the assemblage.
But the position of the negro in Eng
land is on a far more solid foundation
than merely receiving Invitations to al
homes.
He tas the entire of all schools Of
learning. the museums, the Libraries
and indeed everywhere. One OF the
most select academies Of law in the
world is the Temple Law School. Yet
studying at this famous law school are
many negroes. Some are from the Bar
baoes. others from West Africa, and
elsewhere.
Intermarriage between blacks ant
whites in England is not looked upor
with any other sentiment than that o.
va gue curiosity Ivy those wlo do no
exactly approve such proceedings.
Indeed. many of the servant class II
England seem to think that nice bacl
men" make the best of husbands. 1t i
quite uSual lot Colo'eu outie LAG
fish families to marry white cooks an
chambermaids.
| At the British museum reading roon
many black men have entrance ticket
and they receive every attention iron
the white attendants who have charg
of the books. Every privilege is &C
corded them, and there is absolutely n
distinction as to color. This is. o
course, as it should be in a place Xix
the reading room, which is patronize
by students from all over the world.
In the saloons of London colored me
are served with drink by the prett
barmaids, with the same alacrity-or
little more, perhaps-than Is shown tn
white customer.
! There rec ntlv aDneared in the Dali
Telegraph an advertisement Tor stel
ographer, "colored preferred. 50