The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-01-28
THE MAN WITH0 our TEE HOE"
COMPETITION.
Mr.. Aldrich and Mr.. Atedman Award the
Three Prizes Of s4OO, $500 and 300 Offered
tn HnetA Insf SUMMER nv .'Re kpOnsihillty.'

'b'AN oA ptiN o9S
this com muuicatIon from q distinguished resi-
dent of this town who has preferred that his
name should be known only 10 ourselves;
To ruE lprroH or rns sus-Sir; Last January
the much.laudsd poem Of Edwin MARKHAM. "rhs
Man with tho Hoo" was published in . san FRAN
cisco news aper and the author promptly FOUND
himself fam Gus. while I would detract In 10 de-
gree from the beauty. grace and strength of mis-
'ersifcation, It .eenA to me that Mr.. MARKHAM has
twined soma vary iesfy and nowery vines around .
vacuum. ether the Man with the Hoe" is a type
OF the great mass " those who use farming nipple
nent, for = living or else he 10 an exception u tns
| latter, then the strength OF the sentiment uttered
lies IA the cor coalment Of It's weakness, and n the
former, then tho poem, does wrong to . most re-
spectacle and sble-bodied multitude Of citizens.
every one Of whom ought TO resent Mr.. Msrkhams
sttempt T. throw the emptiaess Of ages In his
face and certainly deserves better OF the poet
than to be called . "monstrous thing !" and brother
to the or"
From time immenorial the tiIier Of the soil has
been invested with hts fall share Of the honor or
this world. and where any individual ersmple or
tho Ciass or. in fact, Of any honest and respectsois
class hiss given reason for NJ. Marhhsms inquiry
who's, breath blew out tho light within this
brain? 1t can I think. be safely said that the mans
own breath blow It out. There Q no occasion fora
'arm,r to have his soul q~uenched or to become q
dumb terror He can h'ld his head - high -
any mans, and he generally does; and what calling
il more honorable-at least in this country Ito
which. by the way. I understand Mr.. Markham's
observation AnA study have been confined.
wha. about the man without tho hoe' no who can
not get work, or. having the opportunity TO labor.
won't do ~ There arc thousands OF young men In
this country who have been educated up to the point
where the honest and healthful occupation Of their
fathers in the field hos become distasteful to thsn.
and. In many cases, thay have grown to be ashamed
OF it aud Of their parents. In European countries.
particularly. there are mrlhtudes Of young men,
the younger sons Of titled people, for instance. who
have bsen tau. 1T that common labor or work In the
trades IL beneath them. and they sink their indtvidu-
atty. their manhood and their future In
the ranks q the army and IN petty Government
positions. They must have money. but they must
ealn it only In q "~ecntepl' way. These are the men
without the hoe the real brothers to the Oh. VINO
shall tell thar story who shall beat sing the bitter
song o: the incapsbles who walk the earth, driven
hither and thither like beasts by the implacabls
sentiment of q false social education. suffering the
~tcrtures OF the damned and bringing distress upon
those dependent on them because they have Lost
that true independence Of soul that comes 10 him
who dares to labor with his hands. who Yields the
hoe AMI is the master Of his destiny.
Tho writer would like 10 see u good poem written on
! these lines, ana tue euDlect IL q SreAt Ouo' "
fore offers 10 give for the best poems written on this
general subject $500 as nrst prize. s2oo ~ second
prize and 800 as third prize; the competition TO Be
decided by a ommitte OF three, one to be the editor
of luE srY and tho Others to be Mr.. ]. b. Aldrioh
and Mr.. E. c, Stedm an, II those gentlemen will DO
willing to serve on such a committee. All poems 10
be sent in to the sd. Tor Of The Sun before oot 10
next, Breyity. strength Of sentiment and expression
and literary grace and beauty TO he the factors Of
merit. hsPoSsrSrL1r.
NEW YoRA, July 2o.
The poem which had suggested to the mind
Of Responsibility tho ideas set forth In his
lettersn nd stim ulated him to makethe somewhat
unusual offer Of 800 in money prizes for oor-
receive versifcation is here printed:
THE MAN WITH Il hoe.
w>as- are, ,eino sakri vor,d-ta~oSs ~psssessl
Br rpwis MAsHHAM-
| Bowed by the weight OF centuries, he leans
Upon his hoe and gsrss on the ground.
The emptiness Of ~. in Ais face
And on his bach the burden Of the world.
Who made him dead to rapture and despair
A thing that grieyes not and that never hopes
stoid and stunned, y brother 10 the OF,
Who loosened and let down this brutal 3swf
Whose was the hand tn at slsnttd back this brow,
whose breath blew out the Light within this brlini
Is this the thing the Lord God made and gave
To have dominion over sea and land.
To trace the stars and search the heavens for power
To feel the passion Of Eternityf
Is this The Dream He dreamed who shaped the sans
Aud pillsred the blus Ornament with lightf
Down all the stretch Of hell. to its last gulf,
There Is no shape more terrible than this
More tongued with csnsurs Q; the worlds blind
greed
| Mora Had rltk atypa anil rnrfsr h Far khA annl-
More traught with menace % The universe.
What CULTS between him and the serAph.ml
! Slave Of a. . wheel OF labor. what to him
Are Plato and the swing OF Plsiades'
What the long reaches Of the peaks Of song.
The rift OF dawn. tho reddsnins Of the rose,
Through this dread shape the suffering ages look.
Times tragedy is in thai, schins stoop.
Through this dread shape humanity. betrayed,
Plunderrd, proianed and disnheritsd.
Cries protest TO the Judges Of the World.
A protest that 10 also prophecy.
o masters. lords and rulers In all lands,
IL this the handiwork you give 70 God
This mou strous thing, distorted and soulqusnchedf
How will you ever strsiahten up this shape
Give back the upward looking and the light.
Rebuild in 1t the music and the dream.
Touch IL again with immortality.
Make right ths i'm memoria infamies,
Perndious wrongs, unavoidable woest
O masters. lords and rulers in all lands.
How will he Future reckon with this Mani
How an v-r his brute question in that hour
When whirlwinds OF rebellion shake the worldt
How vii It be with Kingdoms and with tings-
With those who shaped him 70 the thing no ia
when this dumb Terror shall reply to God.
After the silence Of the centuriss1
OAKLAND. California.