Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-02-16
negro ALSO A
MAN IN AMERICA
The Assertion That He Only
Has Standing in Europe
Is Refuted.
De CORD0VA TALKS

CONDITIONS IN WEST INDIES
NEGROES OCCUPY POSITIONS
OF PROMINENCE AND TRUST
ARE GIVEN MUCH SOCIAL REC
IGNITION.
Taking issue with an article recent
ly appearing in the New York Herald,
in which Miss Mary w. Ovington ID
quoted as having said that she once
heard a young negro university grad
uate declare that "a negro is q man
only in Europe" and expressing the
belief that the unfriendly attitude OF
some whites in this country toward
the negro is based on a foolish and
narrow prejudice, Attorney O'Connor'
de Cordova, 1862 Riverside Drive, gave
out the following statement to the
Age:
In an article published in the mag
azine section Of the Sunday Herald
of December 10, under the heading
Negroes Opportunities in New York.
Miss Mary White Ovington, quoting
young negro university graduate,
said, "A negro is man only In Eu-
rope | wish to join issue on this
statement.
Until the spring Of 1907 ! lived
in the island Of Jamaica, British col
ony Of the West Indies. l am white
man, lawyer by profession, and for
over eleven years, that Is. from 1895
to April, 1907, l occupied an important
office in the service Of the govern
ment. My official appointm ent brought
me In intimate association with all
classes of the community and wish to
advise gil those who think that a ne
gro is man only In Europe to 60
to the West Indies and see for them
selves how very much of a man the
negro is there.
LET it be understood that I use the
expression negro as 1t is accepted
in this country-that is, include in
the term men Of color, not black men
only. In all walks of lie in the West
Indies we find negroes occupying po-
sitions Of honor. importance, promi-
hence and trust.
I'VE find them prominent among
the legal profession. Some have been
recognized to the extent that they
have occupied, and some still occupy
judicial offices. Others being practi-
TONERS at the bar have been created
kings counsel, an enviable position
among members of the bar, and the
present incumbent Of the Office Of as
sistant encouragement is himself a
man Of color.
His position in the medical profess
sion is quite as creditable. There are
many colored doctors in the island
who number among their patients
some of the most refined white wom-
en- of the community, and what more
intimate and delicate relations can
possibly exist than those Of doctor
and patient?
1.-THE church has among its officials
as archdeacons and rectors men of
color who are revered and respected
by all classes of the community In
other professions and in all walks Of
life we find colored men coming to
the front and being accorded the rec.
ognition to which as men they are en-
titled. Among the justices OF the
peace a large number are colored men,
while in some districts the Custos Ro-
tulorum, who is the head Of the mag
istracy, is a colored man.
"The commercial community has in
It's ranks colored men whose integrity
and merit have been recognized by all
with whom they have traded. In the
legislature and town councils are to
be found colored men taking active
part in the government of the island
and even in the privy council the COL
ored man has found his place.
"Of the members of the other
branch of the legal profession-for let
me say the two branches of the pro-
fession exist there as in England
two have within the last twenty years
occupied the office of crown solicitor,
legal office next in Importance only
to that Of the encouragement, while
one Of these gentlemen, on more than
one occasion acted as attorney gen.
eral during the absence from the col.
ony of that officer.
1T is a fact that in the general run
Of the profession there are many men
Of color who enjoy extensive and very
lucrative practice. advising the white
inhabitants Of the colony on difficult
and delicate questions. So much for
the place of the negro in the legal pro.
fession.
Finally, the colored man and WON.
an occupy as creditable a status 30.
cially as in other walks Of life. They
entertain the English and native white
population and are themselves In turn
entertained on terms of social equal
ity. Is
Having stated all these facts and
being prepared to substantiate them
by giving scores, aye, hundreds of
names in proof Of all that has been
stated, I wish to ask, IL 1T a fact that
"A negro Is a man only in Europe? r
The answer comes quick and direst
in the negative. And what is the re-
suit Of all this recognition Of the col.
ored man? He has been placed In
the position to which he is by nature
entitled and In such circumstances he