The North-Carolina standard., 1850-06-12
o11p uEcHAN1cs AND MERCHANTS.

OUR MECHANICS AND MERCHANTS.
Our Mechanics and Merchants appear to be doing
good business. We hear of no failures, and we
learn that applications to the Banks for loans nave
greatly diminished Of late This is favorable sign.
The Banks are discounting freely on all good paper
that is offered. Money is abundant, owing mainly
to the high prices paid for Cotton The returns from
California have also. we have no doubt, had their
effect in stimulating business and I'm giving an easier
feeling to the money market. The wave of gold
from that famous land, though 'a long time COM
ing, reaches US at last
Our Mechanics are not sufficiently encouraged.
Why send North for axes hastings for mills' ma
chnery &c., and for other articles in their line that
might be mentioned, when they can be furnished at
our doors by Messrs. Burns and Bruce Or for
locks KEYS, guns, pistols, brass-wok and turpentne
stills, when Mr.. Woltering is ready to supply the
demand here at home, at the shortest notice Or for
coats. nautaloons, vests, and shirts, when we have
such Tailors as Fentress Biggs, Oliver and Proctor,
and while many worthy seamstresses among us are
in. want from a lack Of this sort of work Many
persons, is true, OiH buy where they suppose they
are getting articles at the cheapest rates but while
they are doing this, and while all business men are
duly and literally patronized, let others remember
that we have Mechanics and laborers in our midst,
who deserve more encouragement than they have
heretofore received and who really need this encour-
agement.
Our Mechanics, we fear. here and elsewhere, will
never be duly appreciated and encouraged until they
adopt better rules and unite themselves together with
the view of establishing their just claims in the esti-
nation of their respective communities. The term
Of apprenticeship is generally too short and too
certain and this defect let's in, year by year, ncom
petent workmen to the various trades. Under these
circumstances the employer often finds it difficult
either despatach job speedily, to have it done
in the best style and the result s loss patronage
on his part, to say nothing of his modification
and anxiety of mind. And besides, these incompe-
tent workmen frequently become employers, when
the trade, instead of being improved even kept up
in their hands, is sure to lose ground.
We night I" write a books on various points grow
ing of this subject; but we began this article only
with the view of calling attention, in few WORDS TO
our own Merchants and Mechanics, and to express
our sense of the improperly, under the crcumstan-
ces. of preferrng Northern Mechanics to own,
of depending for what might be produced here, on
the supplies furnished by the Northern and Eastern
States. We must learn, people, to stand alone,
and to live as much as possible within ourselves.
This is due to our interests, and is demanded by a
regard for rights we'll in view Of the social
and political posture of things.
We shall allude to this subject again and in the
meantime we tender the use of our columns to the
Mechanics generally, and to all who may wish to
them properly encouraged and steps taken to relieve
as from state of dependence on the North. Let
the Mechanics ,orite as well as talk. They have
scattered their energies and slumbered too long. Let
:hem make themselves felt and heard.