The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-11-29
WORK FOR A LIVING.

The best means OF obtaining living
isto a0ork for it. Nothing so exalts aud
enobles man as honorable labor, and
he who is the most efficient worker has
the strongest claim upon the world for a
living. The world, too, will readily ac-
knowledge the claim of all such to the
privileges and blessing of life. But let
man throw himself upon the world, re-
lying in the old motto" the world
owes me living, making no effort
to help himself, and you will see how
soon, and wish what practical emphasis,
his demands will be repudiated. The
world o1oes|t& What folly. Who consti-
tutes this world against whom the de-
mand for living is made by the idle and
Vicious? Why, a1adioiol10is of course.
Suppose, then, each iaadSviolHesI should
set UP the claim that the world owes him
q 1fvint ). and therefore refuses % work,
what would be the consequence Who
would pay the demand ? What kind of
u living should we have, and how much
would life, under such circumstances, be
worth to use?
The truth is, we owe everything to the
world-all our energies, physical, moral
dA0 1ASS1ISCIudl. 11il0 uDASo6 NO dOtOSC
these to. the high purposes of our crea-
tion, in advancing the general interests
of humanity, we shall prove recreant to
the duties made incumbent upon US from
the very organism of fonr being, and shall
deserve-the contempt and repEoach of.all
men. The following sensible remarks
upon the subject, from the Ledger, we
commend to our readers:
"THE WORLD Owes Me- LIviNG"-
One of the cant phrases of the day, in
vented by laziness and rascality to de-
feat its short comings, is that which we
have placed at the head of this article !;
for, as it is usually employed, it means
that man ought to be supported, wheth
er he does anything to help himself or
not. Nov SO absurd & doctrine needs
only be stated in plain language to refute
itself The human race would soon sink
to the condition of the most degraded
savages, or actually become exterpated
by starvation, or by disease brought on
by idleness or scanty food, if every man
We're to adopt this phrase for his motto.
Society does indeed, owe a living to the
MANNED, the aged, the imbecile, or those
who cannot obtain employment, but to
no one else. Whoever can take care of
himself loses his claim on the world for
assistance. Idleness, unthrift, or want
Of energy furnish no reason for demand
ing aims; for they are vices which ought
to be- extirpated, and which properly
carry their own punishment with them.
It is law of existence, applying to the
brute creation as well as to man, that
they who will not work shall starve.-
The birds of the air, the fishes in sea, the
lions in the wilderness all have To look
out for their own food; and would starve,
if they initiated the habits or adopted
the philosophy of some of our modern
Missionaries.
The world, however, does owe living
to every man who works for it and what
is more, he gets it, especially in this
country. No man need starye, or even
suffer, except for temporary period
There is always. labor of some kind to be
performed, if men will earnestly seek it
and faithfully perform it. The great
enemy of persons seeking work, is pride.
They need money for fuel their families
may be almost starving, yet they will
dOb ohlo VI OSSoo6N 1SAo DSAAS~SA
them.n We once knew young man
who started. life with manifold advan-
tages, yet who made misersable failure,
and died early in poverty, because he
would not, after a first disaster, as he
said, g stop " to subordinate position
Many man has reduced his family to
indigence; shas left his wife penniless
widow or has brought his orphaned
children to the almshouse, because he
would not go out and seek fortune, or take
fortune in whatever shape she offered
her self To sit with folded hands and
piteous face, waiting for work to come,
is not the way to deserve ones living
Bread is not rained from herven, man
na-like Those who we would succeed
must strive. Prosperity is only won by
strenuous exertion but energy and per-
severance are sure to command it in the
long run: and he who says, q a0iH have
work." and tries aud tries again to get it.
is certain at last to obtain it, to keep it,
aud even to attain competence through
it,