The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-02
THE MAN WITHOUT THE HOE.
An Offer of Prizes for n PoeticaI Compete
iinn by a Gentlnmnn Of Reaponsibllity,

ton by n Gentleman OF ResDonsibilhy.
To THE EDITOR OF THE sUN-Sir: Last
January the much-lauded poem OF Edwin
Markham. The Man with the Hoe was pub
lished in San Francisco newspaper and the
author promptly found himself famous. While
l would detract In no degree from the beauty.
grace and strength OF his versifcoton. 1t
seems to mo TINT Mr.. Markham has
twincd some very leafy and towery vines
around vacuum Either the Man with
tho Hoe" is n typo OF the great mass OF
those who use farming implements for n liv-
ing or else he Is an exception. III the latter.
then the strength OF the sentiment uttered lies
in the conccalment OF it's weakness and II the
former then the poem does wrong to n most re-
spectacle and able bodied multitude of citi-
zons every one OF whom ought to resent Mr.
Markhams attempt to throw "tho emptiness
OF ages in his face" and>certainly deserves
better of the poet than to be called n mon
strous thing" and brother to the OK
From time immemorial the tier OF the soil
has been invested with his full share Of the
honor OF this world. and whore any individual
example OF the cass--or, in fact. Of any honest
and respectable class-has given reason for
Mr.. Markham's inquiry: Whose breath blow
out the light within this brain ~ it can. think.
be- safely said that the mans own breath blew
1t out There is no occasion for q farmer to
have his soul qucnched or to become a
dumb terror" lie can hold his head as high
as any mans. and he, generally does; and
this country2-t which. by the way. under
stand Mr. Markhqms observation and study
have been confined.
What about the man without the hoe? he
who cannot get work. or hayipg the oppor-
sands OF young men in this country who have
been educated up to the point where the
honest and healthful occupation OF their fathers
n
! ashamed of it and Of their parents In Euro
| pean countries. particularly. there are multi;
| tudes of young men. the younger sons Of titled
! peope for instance. who have been taught
| that common labor or work in the trades Is
ality. their manhood and their future in
| the ranks of the army and In petty Government
positions. They must have money. but they
are the men without the ioeMthe real brothers
| to the OK. Who shall tell their story? Who
shall hest sing the bitter song Of the ncapah,es
| like beast; by the mnlacable sentiment Of q
false social education. suffering the tortures OF
| the damned and bringing distress upon those
| dependent on them because they have lost that
the hoe and is the master Of his destiny.
Tho writer would like to sec good poem
great one He therefore offers to give for the
! best poems written on this general subject
| $500 as first prize, 5000 as second prize and
| cided by a committee Of three. one to be the
| editor Of THE, SYN and the others to be MIR 7.
T. Aldrirh and Mr. L. c. Stedman. II those gem
| tlcmen will be willing to serve on such COM
| mittcr. All poems to be sent in to the editor
| Of THE SUN before Oct Is next Brevity.
| strength of sentiment and expression and lit
"rary grace and beauty to be the factors of
New YORK. July ~.