F THE ANTILLES-AMERICAN
PREJUDICE CANNOT EXIST THERE-A CATHOLIC PRIEST VOUCHES FOR THE
ACCURACY OF STATEMENT.

The article we reprint from the New York Sun touching the status of
the Colored man in Cuba was shown to Rev. Father Walter R. Yates,
Assistant pastor of St. Joseph's Colored Church.

A Planet reporter was informed that Father Yates had resided in that
climate for several years and wished his views.

"The Sun correspondent is substantially correct," said the Reverend
gentleman. "Of course, the article is very incomplete, there are many
omissions, but that is to be expected in a newspaper article."

It would take volumes to describe the achievements of men of the
Negro, or as I prefer to call it, the Aethiopic Race, not only in
Cuba, but in all the West Indies, Central and South America, and in
Europe especially in Sicily, Spain and France.

"By achievements I mean success in military, political, social,
religious and literary walks of life. The only thing I see to
correct in the Sun's article, continued the Father, is in regard to
population. 'A Spanish official told me that the census figures were
notoriously misleading. The census shows less than one-third colored.
That is said not to be true. As soon as a man with African blood,
whether light or dark, acquires property and education, he returns
himself in the census as white. The officials humor them in this
petty vanity. In fact it's the most difficult thing in the world to
distinguish between races in Cuba. Many Spaniards from Murcia,
for instance, of undoubted noble lineage are darker than Richmond
mulattoes.'"

[Illustration: GENERAL RUSSELL A. ALGER, SECRETARY OF WAR.]

May I ask you, Father Yates, to what do you ascribe the absence of
Race prejudice in Cuba?

"Certainly. In my humble opinion it is due to Church influence. We all
know the effect on our social life of our churches. Among Catholics
all men have always been on equal footing at the Communion rail.
Catholics would be unworthy of their name, i.e. Catholic or universal
were it not so."

"Even in the days when slavery was practised this religious equality
and fellowship was fully recognized among Catholics."

Did you know there is an American Negro Saint? He was born in Colon,
Central America, and is called Blessed Martin De Porres. His name is
much honored in Cuba, Peru, Mexico and elsewhere. He wore the white
habit of a Dominican Brother. The Dominicans are called the Order of