Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-06-08
MARK TWAIN SAYS RELIABLE MEN IN
GREAT DEMAND ARE ALREADY HIRED
Literature. Ike nlniay and Ote. Occupations Cramped Fer Wam
On Men 10 Do Wok lAes Can Be Had by DuYqng Hand
Iachsl~ ~ Ahad to lnac A Bore On Chea, A Shakespeare. Tie
Declines TO Cnnrue Manuscript.
aRansas CIV saar.t

AAAA&#&@ Away @@@A 4
lme lssoss is.e Mari Twain. then
The editor II . sraaIl ~aew8papsF. wrota
Ghw following saaee1amoak neply &c
many af bis Soaia-be Contributors
To youngsters u tie pFrssnt day I.
may seena odd thai conditions a
seemingly aptoaats prevailed 20
many ye&Fs ago. and Twata may In
ane Il aas ehaekitns moments sin
smile 10 think thai the world has
nas changed.
Every man Who becomes editor ot
ID NEWSPAPER OF ulasaRtne sfralghtway
begins 10 receive maj nscEtpts from
literary asplrants, together with re
quests that be gill deliver Judgment
upon the same: and. after eoa.plsi ing
In eight or ten instances. he nBalls
takes refuge in a general sermon on
the subject. which he inserts In his
publication and always afterward 70
fers such correspondents 10 that SER
mon for answer. have NJ last
reached this station In my literary ca
reer and proceed TO construct my pub
lie sermon.
As all letters Of the sort an sps;tk.
Ing Of contain the very same matter.
differently woraed. I oner. an o 'atr
average specimen. the last q have
received:
Sample Letter.
MARX Twain. ESQ: Dear Sir am
q youth Just out Of school and ready
to start In life. I have looked around,
but don't zee anything that suits CT
aciiy. IL a literary life. easy AMI
profitable. or Ia Il the hard times. n
10 generally put up for? Il must Be-
easier than q good many. n not most
u the occupations. and ] feel drawn
10 launch out on II, make or break
sink or swim, survive or perish. Now.
shat are the conditions Of success IN
iiterature7 You need not be afraid to
paint the thing Just as I. IL. ! can't
do any worse than fall. Everything
else offers the same. when ] thought
Of the law-yes. and Eve or six other
Professions found the same thinr
vas the case every time. viz, oil full
overrun, every profession so erammed
that success In rendered impossible
too many hands and not enough work
But I must try something. ami 20
turn at last to literature. Somethine
tells me that that Is the true bent Of
my genius. II ! have any. l inelose
some Of my pieces. viii you reaj
them over and give me yon" candid
opinion Of them7 And now. ] hate. r.
trouble you, but Won have been q
Young man yourself. and what ! want
Ia for YOU to get me a newspaper Job
or writing TO do. You know many
newspaper people. and | am entirely
unknown. And will YOU make the
hest terms you a for me. though
do not expect what might be called
high wages AZ first. Of course. WI
you candidly say what such articles
as these ! have inclosed are worth?
have plenty Of them. II You should
sell these and let me know, I can
send you more as good and maybe
better than these. An early reply,
etc. Yours truly, etc"
Vacancies Not Filled.
I will answer you in good faith
Whether my remarks shall have any
efeat value or not, or my Suggestions
be worth following, are problem which
take great pleasure In leaving en-
tireIy to you for solution. To begin:
There are several questions In your
letter which only a mans life expert
ence can eventually answer Tor him
not another mans words. will sim
ply skip those.
/. In literature, like the ministry
medicine and law. and all other occn
pations, is cramped and hindered fol-
want of men to do the work, not want
Of work to do. When people tell you
the reverse they speak that which !,
not true. II You desire 10 test this
you need only hunt up a first
class editor. reporter. business mana
ger. foreman Of a shop. mechanic u
artist In any branch Of industry, and
try to hire him. You will find tha'
he Is already hired. He Is sober, In
Idustrious. capable, and reliable and l,
always in demand. He cannot get I
days holiday except by courtesy o.
his employer. or of his city. or OF thu
general great public. But If you nee'
idlers. shirkers. half.nstruc'ed. m
Ambitious and comfort-seeking edi
tors. reporters. lawyers, doctors an
mechanics apply anywhere. There ar
millions of them 10 be had at th,
dropping Of a handkerchief.
Might 1e Shakespeare.
q. No: / must not and will not Ven
ture any opinion whatever as to iii
erary merit Of your productions. Tn
public Is the only critic whose juda
ment Is worth anything at all. Do no
take nv poor word for this, but re
fleet A moment and take yonr own
For instance, II SIyyanus Cobb or 4
g. Arthur had submitted their maid
en- manuscripts to you you would hav
said. with tears In your eyes. Nov