Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-07-27
THE MAN WITH THE HOE"
Bryan's Interpretation Of a Poets Plea for
Humanity.

bryanS Interpretation OF Poets Plea tor
Humanity.
The following is an article on "The
Man with the Hoe," by William J.
Bryan as published in the New York
Journal:
1t is not strange that Edwin Mark.
hams poem entitled "The Man with
the Hoe" created a profound sensa-
tion. 1t is sermon addressed to the
heart, and its lesson is not limited to
any nation, race or cline. 1t voices
humanity's protest against inhuman
greed There is majestic sweep to
the argument, and some of the lines
pierce like arrows.
Is this the thing the Lord God made and gave
To have dominion over sea and land;
To trace the stars aud search the heavens for
power,
To feel the passions of eternity:
Through this dread shape the suffering ages
look;
Times tragedy is in that aching stoop;
Through this dread shape humanity, betrayed,
Plundered. prOfaned and disinherited,
Cries protest to the judges of the world.
Is this the handiwork you give to God'
How feeble in comparison. have
been the answers to it.
The poem deals with the condition,
the cause, the remedy and the warn.
ing. The condition is set forth in the
lines:
Down all the stretch of hell to its last gulf
There is no shape more terrible than this
More tOngued with censure Of the worlds blind
greed
More filled with signs and portents for the soul
More fraught with menace to the universe.
1t is not an answer to the indict-
ment to say that the poet selects his
type not from the middle classes, but
from the lowest level. He is dealing
with the mill, which takes in as raw
material the man made in the image
of his creator, and, if it is allowed to
complete its work, turns out as the
finished product
A thing that gricves not and that never hopes,
OPPRESSION.
Sometime it is a tyrant who oppres-
ses for the benefit of himself, his fam
lily and the warriors upon whom he re-
lies to enforce his authority; some-
times it is an aristocracy, which
gathers in the fruits of power and
throws upon the masses the burdens
of government; sometimes it is a plu-
tocracy, which openly exalts money
and debases flesh and blood; but
everywhere it is the same brutal spirit
which invigorates the brother hood of
mun and violates the commandment:
Thou shalt love thy neghbor as thy SELF"
The extremes Of society are being
driven further and further apart.
Wealth is being concentrated in the
hands OF few and that tendency is
] on the increase. At one end of the
scale luxury and idleness breed effem-
macy; at the other end of the scale
want and destitution breed despera-
ton. Civilization cannot be measured
by the refinements and enjoyments oil
the rich. The toilers who produce
the nations wealth in time OF peace
and constitute the nations strength
in time of war, must participate in
every forward movement Of the race.
In fact, they are SO important q factor
that the real advancement of the race
is measured by their advancement.
Improved machinery and inventive
genius have multiplied the product
power of the individual, but the pro.
ducers have not received their share oil
the increase. The capitalistic class
and the speculsting class have enjoyed
and are enjoying too large part oi
the proceeds of labor. What is the
cause?
| Who made him dead to rapture or despair
GOD OR NATURE.
The literary sycophants who strew
rhetorical flowers in the pathway ol
the successful, without inquiring into
the methods employed for securing
success, cemplacently throw the. re-
sponsibility for failure in life upon
God, or nature, or upon the man him
self. Ia it the fault of God, or Of ma
ture, that children are driven into fac.
tories at SO early an age that theil
bodies are stunted, their minds
dwaried, and the strength and useful
ness of future generations lessenedi
Is God or nature responsible for the
laws which permit this impairment o.
the man-power and woman-power o
the nation? The labor organizations
have done much to mitigate the
evils OF child labor and to shorten tht
hours OF adult labor, but what en-
couragement have they received from
those who favor government by in
junction, oppose arbitration and de
nounce as disturbers of the peace al
who criticize existing conditionss
Is it the fault OF God or Of nature
that our tax laws are so made and ou
tax systems so administered that th'
poor man pays more than his share o
the taxes and the rich man less thar
his share?
/ Is God or nature responsible for
financial system which raises the pur
chasing power of the dollar in tn
hands of the money changer, while
increases the burden of debt to tn
man who owes and decreases the valu