Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1851-07-10
No. ~.
To eur Mechanics.

!
an undeniable fact, that the great major
ity of our mechanics are not reading
men, that is, they do not read useful and7
instructive works. We do not mean to
say that our mechanics, eannet; and do
not read at all; far from it, for there are
but few among us Who have not received
the elements of common education but
We do say that the majority do not make
"a practice of reading works which ex-
pand the intellect and improve the mind
The works which they make prac-
tice of reading tend to grossly and pud-
die the mind. This Is one reason why
there are so few among our mechanics
capable of taking charge of and man.
aging the business they have learned
as trades. 1t is also a reason why so
many IF them are rough in speech, and
uncourteous in manner. There are many,
very many men in our country who were
once journeyman mechanics, but who
now occupy high and important positions
in the republic. We rejoice at this, but
we are not little sorry to add that the
majority of them had to leave their trades,
and become lawyers-they at least did
not move out from the workshop direct
to the house of Representatives, or the
Senate Chamber Fillmore, and Doug
lass Senator from Illinois, were once
tradesmen, but they arose to their pres
ent positions; not through the tailor's or
cloth makers bench, but the lawyers
bench. There is not solitary individ-
ual in our country; who has, from a low
ly elevated himself to high position in
society, but has been and is reading
man-one who has read and does read
books that are books.
Those mechanics who rise to foremen
and employers, are the reading men Of
the mass; they aspired to be something
and adopted the best means to secure the
desired ends. Worth and intelligence
always command respect from those
whose respect is worth striving for We
are not pleading for a gross struggle for
wealth, although a reasonable amount of
it, as provision for sickness or old age,
is laudable, proper desire; but we plead
first of all for an elevation among men
of real worth. Wealth without worth
will never make man pass among gen.
tlemen as current coin; but the man
who is industrious, intelligent, trusty, and
courteous will always pass for the genu
inc metal.
Industry, honesty, and Intelligent are
qualities of character more valuable than
gold seven times purified. A talented,
frst-rate, handy mechanic, without such
qualities can pever rise, for he cannot be
trusted. 1t is not the smartest man who
is always selected to be superintendent
among his fellow workmen it is he who
combines the greatest amount of abilities
which give his employers confidence
in his moral worth. We have often been
solicited to furnish competent mechanics
to take charge of new establishments.
and have found it very difficult to secure,
at any time, the proper man; and no
further back than last week, gentleman
writing to US from the South, uses the
following language: " Last summer, l
visited the north and purchased maehin-
cry for the manufacture of chairs, and
after considerable trouble hired man
alledged to be competent to seperintend
the whole business. have not yet been
able to commence operation, owing to the
in every respect, of the
man in whom l trusted to superintend
my business can you send me man
with the requisite qualification, and a
bove all let him be gentleman 2" We
cannot send him the kind of man he
wants and requires. Our real good men
are scarce, they soon find situations, and
we believe there would be more good
situations for men manufacturing es-
would increase1 if we had
more men capable of filing them honor
ahlv and well.-Sclehfifc American.