The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-08-24
MISCELL LANEOUS.
Thoughts for the Working Classet

|
Thoughts for the Working Classes
| We find in the last received
Liverpool Mercury, second Rath-
bone Prize Essay, by Thomas Row
lands, Journeyman ZincPla,e Work
er. The subject is
GLOW the working Glasses may
best improve their circumstances, so
as to raise the physical, social, and
moral condition Of themselves and
families"
| Considering that it will be doing the
laboring classes o good service, we
publish the most generally important
portions. In his predatory remarks
the ,essayist says:
If our position in life is not what
it ought to be, we are perhaps too
much disposed to blame others rather
than ourselves for our misfortuncs.
Parliament always comes in for a
goodly share of our sins. forgetting
how small part of our ills it
can cause or cure. 1t is well known
that no act of parliament can make
n drunken man sober, wasteful man
thrifty, or a wicked man moral. SO
cai advancement does not depend SO
much on tho removal of this or
that law, for social advancement does
not of necessity follow political
advancement. The people of France
lately made great stride in political
advancement, when, socially speak
ing, they made none. Thus, we
think, it is plain that whatever the
working classes may obtain in the
Shape Of political reforms, their social
condition will always depend upon
their own individual exertions. One
writer has said. THE wagSto wealth is
as plain as the way to market; it
chiefly depends on two word sin
dustry and frugality.
HABITS AND CONDITIONS oF THE WORK
:: INC CLASSES.
As society in general is moving
upwards, we may inquire whether the
working classes are making the
samc strides in social advancement!
We think, on the contrary, that
a large majority Of this class will
be found i'll the same position now rs
that they occupied when they
first entered life. There are many
mechanics who receive q wage of
30s week, or .f15 year. This is
as much as is realized Ivy clerks in
banking houses, dissenting ministers,
and others, who are expected to
appear rs gentlemen, and whose cloth
ing, consequently, must come heavier
than that Of the mechanic. To
live thus crcdilably, and free of
debt, they must practice rigid econ
omy and foresight, and buy nothing
but what is really wanted. There
are thousands Of families among
the middle classes engaged in this
noble struggle to better their cir
cumStancca and to keep up their
se.frcSIe.t We can see no rca-
son why the working man should not
be rs comfortable and rs respectable
rs the professional man Of the same
means; but if We compare the two
classes together, how few Of our me
chahlcs can compete with them in
comfort and future prospects.
If we visit their respective dwell
llnSs We shall probably find the pro
iesslonal man livinS III some neat
cottage III the outskirts Of the town,
with small Hover ground before
the door, IN when he divcrts his
evening hours III the summer months;
whist the mechanic with the same
income occupies house IN some
dirty, close, and lil-ventllated court or
alley, INTO winch sunbeam nev-
er enters, and where the fresh
AR OF heaven Is converted by
the surrounding hiih INTO poison. The
ProieSSiohal mas ahoIfcr advantage
over the Workman i,Ias'n''ch as ne Qua