Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-09-28
LARD AND LITERATURE.

LARD AND LITERATURE.
Not long ago the C.esston Gazette
called attention to Iowa's lack of a Mt
erary writer of note. In commenting
Upon the Gazette's article the Iowa
lefty Republican in acknowledging ne
truth and p%ertinence Of the tSazettes
assertion concluded that possibly III is
| lust as Well and quite rs creditable to
the state at large that The ~bull-heaied
neople OF Iowa take the lead in agrieui-
ture and finance as in literature. The
Republican believes it is more to the
credit of Iowa to have Allison at the
head of the senate. Shaw secretary OF
the treasury, Wilson secretary OF af,ri-
.tculture ana a strong congressional del
~sgation than to have q few men of the
William D.. Howeils order. and asserts
somewhat strenuously that nine
tenths of the so-called literature is rot.
nothing but balderdash Of the cheapest
order. and the less we have of It the
better. Let Iowa stick to corn and
hogs"
Now comes the Burling ton Hawkeye
to the defense of the Iowa l~iterati. II
l~ouotes Hamlin Garland. Octave Thanet
and DR.. Walter Barr. Of keokuk, as
arelights along the path of Iowa liler-
larry endeavor and leaves unnamed
many others" of whom 1t sumo TO
have knowledge. l. declares that Very
much OF the so-called lserature OF our
DAYS is exceedingly Wei written and
well conceived work aEi ii is on the
average very much better than a slTeas
norton of the literary product of for
mer times, that there Is not only more
literature but better literature turned
out in these twentieth century times
than during any other period In our
history" and attributes Mr.. BFant $
sharp tone of critique to a disord'ared
stomach. The Hawkesa believes the
literary effor, of today is better ina
any In history, but the output IL 50
| t'fs -
great that 1t Is Impossible of assiniiia-
ton or even notice.
Il Is true as the Ha'vkeye declares
.Aat the volume OF literary production
81. :ra present day Is vas ly In excess OF
ary previous period and that niuch
ipood work is being accomplished. How
/. -.@- 4, -, = ernaf MANY with fair
interary taste who viii be tempted to
lecho. after a modified fashion, The
IRepybiican's criticism Of nine-tenths
OF the so-eaiied literature with which
the country Is flooded. There is much
that is well written anil amusing, but
little that wi,l endure. Ii Is ~ephenleral.
/. is picnic literature. I Is a continu-
Gus vaudeville performa nee to- be seen
at a cheap price durir s an idle half
hour and forgotten. Next week the bill
viii undergo an entire change and the
idle crowd drop in again for another
half hour of rest and amusement. But
this Is not literature .tnd Its author
are not %literati.
Hamlin Garland. Oct w Thanet and
Walter Barr are more magazine wri-
tiers han forcefui authors whose works
are to occupy the shelves of future IL
hraries by right of conquest. Garland
has the dead level of the prairies he
writes of, the monoto,lv of the farm
life he describes. His pace, however.
Is most secure of any Iowa author. but
his stand on the ladder OF literary ac-
accomplishment Is many rungs from the
top. 1t will be necessary to admit the
truth OF the Gazette's contention, Iowa
has no great literary n en-.
But Iowa has literary taste AMI dis
erection. If II has moi produced 1T is
able 10 enjoy the productions of others
Its libraries are suffi .ient refutation
against any charge of illiteracy or lack
Of literary tendency. IL L raises much
corn and many hogs it subscribes TO in
numbe rable publications and reads and
studies the highest efforts of the bes:
thought. 1t mixes its lard and it's liter
ature. Iowa is not nearotic. IT, may
rot produce great authors. artists o!
musicians, but it breeds great citizens
and creates a model commonwealth. i
is happy in its mediocl.!ty. 1t Is salts
fed with Its prominence in trade, agri-
culture and politics. II literary promi-
@lnence Is TO be added the state will re-
} joice, but its business Is raising corr
%fattening hogs and home-making. Il
reads by its firesides, contenteday, The
literature of the world and happiness
and content are more 10 be enviad ana
sought after than the feverish .xalta-
ton of rencwn. Iowa is all right.
BUSINESS FEATURES.
notwithstanding several unsatisfac.