Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-06-16

The cant-saying so popular now In
the slang Of the day, they all look
good when they're far away" has pres
ent and vital application In the dis
cussion as to whether America or Eu-
rope Is to be preferred by the Ameri-
can colored citizen. The number of
dissatisfied and disgruntled colored
people In this country Is growing
daily and the much heralded free
dom from color prejudice of the old
world has caused not few strong
and sensible colored men to ponder Sc
riously the question as to whether
they should not flee from the color
phobia Of these shores. No one has
yet come forth to deny the assertion
that Europe Is far less prejudiced than
America.
But II Booker T. Washington
may speak through the notable
series on The Man Farthest Down."
In the Outlook, the United States
is infinitely better as a home for the
black man than any country in Eu-
rope. On his recent trip abroad he
ttS ll1pol luHcu, uc lSetlCo, W lhdAy
Americans, both white and colored, to
assist them in getting passage back
home. A colored citizen especially
bemoaned their fate. declaring there
was no work in England for his race.
Nor would Mr.. Washington have US
side is only better of than the COL
ored man on the other side. He de-
clares that the colored man here Is
Infinitely better off in his chances for
work, life and enjoyment than the
white man Of his same station there.
In short, the distance Of Europe lends
almost her only enchantment.
Singularly enough, George Clemen-
ceau, former premier of France, re-
Gently In his series In the New York
Times, gives complete collaboration to
the words of the Tuskegeean. In
studying conditions IL Brazil on his
travels. no tells his French brethren
in shiny threadbare sleeves" that the
black people of Brazil are better off
than they. Come out here" he asks,
young men, in shiny threadbare
sleeves, who make your way nightly
homeward to the close dens around
the Sacre Occur: come and see these
black coffee planters, men, women
and children, living close to nature
on the outskirts of civilization, and
compare your own wretched quarters
furnished by Dufayel on the Hire sys-
tenn that has cost you such anxious
moments. with the blissful nudity Of
these cabins and tell me where you
see tho worst form Of slavery, here
among the newly emancipated Afri-
cans or at homo under your own
roofs?"
To all those colored men grooming
with discomfort at American condi-
lions and yearning for Europe, We sug-
gest that they follow these series by
Frances great statesman and Ameri-
cas- great industrial educator. Yet to
those same men we do not urge that
they abate by one jot or title their
fight to have America give their race
the rights and opportunities of equal
citizenship which belong to them by
right. The colored citizens of this
great land would be unworthy Of their
citizenship. unworthy possessors Of
the great heritage of freedom and
equal rights handed down to them
by 100000 of their heroic fathers, If
they did not press the battle to the
gates until they are admitted to an
equal place in their fatherland. And
for this reason, too, they should stay
here
Europe is settled with her fixed
classes and her poverty. This is still
the land Of wealth and opportunity.
1t is for Americas colored citizens to
make the most of it-Editorial: Am
sterdam On. ~ News.