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Mark Twain in German-Language Newspapers and Periodicals

"To the Person Sitting in Darkness"

Mark Twain's "To the Person Sitting in Darkness" is a polemical article which appeared in the February 1901 issue of the North American Review (161-176). The first half of it is made up of satirical comments on the recent dealings of England, Germany, Russia, and the United States for their invasion of smaller undeveloped countries. The second half has specific references to the conduct of the United States in the Philippines. According to his biographer Albert Bigelow Paine "Mark Twain never wrote anything more scorching, more penetrating in its sarcasm, more fearful in its revelation of injustice and hypocrisy" (MTB III, 1129) The article received a lot attention in the American press and divided the country into two camps. "It was really as if he had thrown a great missile into the human hive, one half of which regarded it as a ball of honey and the remainder as a cobblestone" (MTB III, 1129).

Selected Contemporary Reactions:

"Mark Twain and Ex-President Harrison on the Philippine Policy." The Literary Digest, Vol. XXII, No. 8 (February 23, 1901): 217-219.
"Among the Periodicals." The International Socialist Review, Vol.1 (1900-01): 581-582. Calls it "one of the most scathing and sarcastic reviews of capitalism that has appeared in many a day."
"Mark Twain on the Philippine Problem." The American Monthly Review of Reviews, Vol. 23 (Jan-Jun. 1901): 339-340.

Related Items:

Mark Twain. "To My Missionary Critics." The North American Review, Vol. 172, no. 533 (Apr. 1901): 520-534.
"Mark Twain and His Critics." The American Monthly Review of Reviews, Vol, 23 (Jan-Jun. 1901): 622.

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[Short notice on "To the Person Sitting in Darkness"] | 18 Apr. 1901

Süd=Dakota Nachrichten und Herold (Sioux Falls, SD), 18 Apr. 1901, p. 2. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn98069095/1901-04-18/ed-1/seq-2/>

Transcription		English Translation
Mark Twain, der berühmte am[e]rikanische Schriftsteller, hat in dem „North American Review” einen höchst interessanten Artikel unter dem Titel „To the Person sitting in Darkneß” publizirt, der gegen den Imperialismus gerichtet ist. Jedermann, gleichviel was seine Ansichten über diesen Gegenstand sind, sollte den Artikel lesen. Die „Anti-Imperialistic League” von New York hat den Artikel in der Form einer kleinen Broschüre veröffentlicht und schickt dieselbe frei an Jedermann, der Postgeld einschickt. Man adressire: Edward W. Ordway, Secretary, 150 Nassau Street, Room 1520, New York.		Mark Twain, the famous American writer, has published a most interesting article in the "North American Review" under the title "To the Person Sitting in Darkness," which is directed against imperialism. Everyone, whatever their views on this subject might be, should read the article. The "Anti-Imperialist League" of New York has published the article in the form of a small pamphlet and will mail it for free to anyone who sends in the required postage. Address requests to: Edward W. Ordway, Secretary, 150 Nassau Street, Room 1520, New York.

Alternative Format

Transcription: Mark Twain, der berühmte am[e]rikanische Schriftsteller, hat in dem „North American Review” einen höchst interessanten Artikel unter dem Titel „To the Person sitting in Darkneß” publizirt, der gegen den Imperialismus gerichtet ist. Jedermann, gleichviel was seine Ansichten über diesen Gegenstand sind, sollte den Artikel lesen. Die „Anti-Imperialistic League” von New York hat den Artikel in der Form einer kleinen Broschüre veröffentlicht und schickt dieselbe frei an Jedermann, der Postgeld einschickt. Man adressire: Edward W. Ordway, Secretary, 150 Nassau Street, Room 1520, New York.

English Translation: Mark Twain, the famous American writer, has published a most interesting article in the "North American Review" under the title "To the Person Sitting in Darkness," which is directed against imperialism. Everyone, whatever their views on this subject might be, should read the article. The "Anti-Imperialist League" of New York has published the article in the form of a small pamphlet and will mail it for free to anyone who sends in the required postage. Address requests to: Edward W. Ordway, Secretary, 150 Nassau Street, Room 1520, New York.

[Publication of “To the Person Sitting in Darkness”] | 18 April 1901

Süd=Dakota Nachrichten und Herold. (Sioux Falls, Süd=Dakota), 18 April 1901. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn98069095/1901-04-18/ed-1/seq-2/>

Transcription	English Translation
Mark Twain, der berühmte am[e]rikanische Schriftsteller, hat in dem „North American Review" einen höchst interessanten Artikel unter dem Titel „To the Person sitting in Darkneß" publizirt, der gegen den Imperialismus gerichtet ist. Jedermann, gleichviel was seine Ansichten über diesen Gegenstand sind, sollte den Artikel lesen. Die „Anti-Imperialistic-League" von New York hat den Artikel in der Form einer kleinen Broschüre veröffentlicht und schickt dieselbe frei an Jedermann, der Postgeld ein schickt. Man adressire: Edward W. Ordway, Secretary, 150 Nassau Street, Room 1520, New York.	Mark Twain, the famous American writer, has published a most interesting article in the "North American Review" under the title "To the Person Sitting in Darkness," which is directed against imperialism. Everyone, whatever their views on this subject might be, should read the article. The "Anti-Imperialist League" of New York has published the article in the form of a small pamphlet and will mail it for free to anyone who sends in the required postage. Address requests to: Edward W. Ordway, Secretary, 150 Nassau Street, Room 1520, New York.

Transcription

English Translation

Mark Twain, der berühmte am[e]rikanische Schriftsteller, hat in dem „North American Review" einen höchst interessanten Artikel unter dem Titel „To the Person sitting in Darkneß" publizirt, der gegen den Imperialismus gerichtet ist. Jedermann, gleichviel was seine Ansichten über diesen Gegenstand sind, sollte den Artikel lesen. Die „Anti-Imperialistic-League" von New York hat den Artikel in der Form einer kleinen Broschüre veröffentlicht und schickt dieselbe frei an Jedermann, der Postgeld ein schickt. Man adressire: Edward W. Ordway, Secretary, 150 Nassau Street, Room 1520, New York.

Mark Twain, the famous American writer, has published a most interesting article in the "North American Review" under the title "To the Person Sitting in Darkness," which is directed against imperialism. Everyone, whatever their views on this subject might be, should read the article. The "Anti-Imperialist League" of New York has published the article in the form of a small pamphlet and will mail it for free to anyone who sends in the required postage. Address requests to: Edward W. Ordway, Secretary, 150 Nassau Street, Room 1520, New York.

[Publication of “To the Person Sitting in Darkness”] | 18 April 1901

Der Deutsche beobachter. [volume] (New Philadelphia, Ohio), 18 April 1901. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86063815/1901-04-18/ed-1/seq-3/>

Transcription	English Translation
Mark Twain, der berühmte am[e]rikanische Schriftsteller, hat in dem „North American Review“ einen höchst interessanten Artikel unter dem Titel „To the Person sitting in Darkneß“ publizirt, der gegen den Imperialismus gerichtet ist. Jedermann, gleichviel was seine Ansichten über diesen Gegenstand sind, sollte den Artikel lesen. Die „Anti-Imperialistic-League“ von New York hat den Artikel in der Form einer kleinen Broschüre veröffentlicht und schickt dieselbe frei an Jedermann, der Postgeld ein schickt. Man adressire: Edward W. Ordway, Secretary, 150 Nassau Street, Room 1520, New York.	Mark Twain, the famous American writer, has published a most interesting article in the "North American Review" under the title "To the Person Sitting in Darkness," which is directed against imperialism. Everyone, whatever their views on this subject might be, should read the article. The "Anti-Imperialist League" of New York has published the article in the form of a small pamphlet and will mail it for free to anyone who sends in the required postage. Address requests to: Edward W. Ordway, Secretary, 150 Nassau Street, Room 1520, New York.

Transcription

English Translation

Mark Twain, der berühmte am[e]rikanische Schriftsteller, hat in dem „North American Review“ einen höchst interessanten Artikel unter dem Titel „To the Person sitting in Darkneß“ publizirt, der gegen den Imperialismus gerichtet ist. Jedermann, gleichviel was seine Ansichten über diesen Gegenstand sind, sollte den Artikel lesen. Die „Anti-Imperialistic-League“ von New York hat den Artikel in der Form einer kleinen Broschüre veröffentlicht und schickt dieselbe frei an Jedermann, der Postgeld ein schickt. Man adressire: Edward W. Ordway, Secretary, 150 Nassau Street, Room 1520, New York.

An identical article: [Publication of “To the Person Sitting in Darkness”] | 18 April 1901

This page references:

Newspaper | North American Review