Final answer:
Hamlin Garland appears to be critical of Andrew Carnegie, portraying him as detached and insincere regarding the violent Homestead Strike. Garland's portrayal suggests a sympathy for the workers' plight and criticizes Carnegie's failure to act.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hamlin Garland exhibited ambivalence towards Andrew Carnegie but leaned towards a critical view, showcasing the plight of the workers during the Homestead Strike of 1892. Garland used descriptive words that highlighted the harsh conditions of the workers and the disparity between the workers' struggles and Carnegie's wealth. Specifically, he characterizes the actions of Carnegie and his plant managers as ruthless in their efforts to break the union, resulting in a violent conflict that ultimately left several men dead.
The portrayal of the men and conditions at Homestead suggests that Garland saw Carnegie's detachment and inaction during the strike as hypocritical, given Carnegie's distressed stance yet unwillingness to intercede. This view is substantiated by phrases such as 'crocodilian tears,' implying that any sympathy expressed by Carnegie was insincere and resembling the superficial tears of a crocodile.