Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1851-12-17


a pl.~sareertvle with this title, in which the
writer comments upon s,omc. of the peculiari-
ties that make the representatives Of the Prin-
tcr's Art remarkable Foremost among these
he notices their loveof home and the sssoeia-
tions connected with their cases and stands, I
contrasting strongly with the nomad;c propen.
stiles Of some trades Why. he asks. does tho
printer adhere his stand with tcnaci.y |
which the journsyman carpenter never exhibits
towards tae shop or the weaver towards his
lsom, or the blacksmith towards his anvilf--
What subtitle magnetism is there in the types
which hold him close, through the laborious
days and nightsi Other mechanics are per-
pc,ually shiftingaheirlssslity, |, hut the compoa
itor. with the patience III Job. and the adhe-
siyeness Of plaster, scsAem chspges his habit,
but through goodsreposysA;k i'll Ecpost AkssWa
1t is true that this occupation is an ansocial
one, and that he may lose the desire with the
habit of conversing with his fellows. But
there is other occupations quite rs unsocal.
such as those of accountants, whore the same
effect is not observed. Again, there are others.
which are not at all unsocal in themse ves--as
where parcel of tailors sit around board,
which provcrbially leads to melancholy, as
! that rare philosopher, Charles Lamb, has shown
Or does the fact that the printer talks through
his types thro' all the world-that his profes,
sion brings him to a knowledge Of all that is
going on in the world, satisfy his curiosity and
prevents the wish for travel or locomotion2
~ A..
death of an old hand in the office of that pa
per.
"This is the fifth do ,th in our Office with.
in 3 years, of men that had been more than
twenty years in our employ, and the long pc
riod Of whose services is the best evidence Of
the relations existing beteen the employer and
the employed. and of the high estimation in
which they were held by US. We have still
around us many who have been with us dur
ing nearly the whole Of our editorial career,
and several, who like our lamented foreman,
who preceded us in the establishment But
time, during nearly quarter Of century. has
sadly tbinned our ranks, and, in so doing, has,
we trust. not admonishcd us in vain, that we
too must be in readiness for the grim visitor,
who strikes alike at the employer and the en-
ployed." r.....
1t is true, in gcater or loss degfse, Of almost
every printing Office in the country, that the
hands have been long employed at the cascs
and often that they have learned their trade
where they have spent their youth manhood
and age. In our own newspaper Office. all th'
compositors, but two have been with us sine,
we took charge Of the Courier, and these tw'
were apprentices and jonrneymap in our Office
- batavia. In .;isss I'D rSsiev aud press. room
tle same is true. Only one solitary individua
of our whole force. can be considered strange
and his is the important duty of turning th
wheel which drives the press. What other es
establishment than newspaper concern, coul'
say thisy Wha, tailors shop or cabinet maker
n consecutive years Of service from all lis jour
neymen? None, we think, and the fact prove
the superior advantages Of the printers art owe
i all other trades, in making men steady; con
J. stantly industrious and attached to home.
Printers are, by virtue of their constant "a
miliarty with reading. often very intelligent
and possess, frequently. much knowledge {
70 books, derived from the copy" before them
N We would point to at least ten times as man
Z. distinguished men who have, in early Ii
to worked at case" as can be found who hay
e. belonged to any other trade; and we are pror
TO number among our acquaintanccs, mar
es working printers, who would do honor TO an
he place, and whose general intelligence is
~ great as that Of i.hundreds in the learned proft
no sions. We would strongly recommend t.
Ill printers, as the most desirable trade to whi
op a boy could be apprenticed. 1t is truly AT
ls Art preservative of all Arts" Buffalo Couri