Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-12-06

SUPPORT YOUR OWN NECHANICS.-1n ne
following sensible remarks, which we find
in some of our exchanges, we transfer to our
culumus, and would earnestly commend them
to our readers in this city, and the State at
worthy and indispensable class of men,
and we find no town or village hourishing
without their aid. Indeed their presence
or absence is always true index of the con-
dition of place-whether it is advancing
in wealth and importance, or sinking into
decay. Whenever we pass through vii
lage and lear the frequent sound of the
carpenters hammer, the clink of the black
smith anVil-that village, we say to our
selves, is dourshing. 1t cannot be other
wise, for the producers are actively employed,
and outnumber the consumers. Whenever
and wherever this is the case, the people are
growing wealthy, and at the same time train
ing up the rising generation to habits of in
dustry and morality. Where, if a city or
village pursue the opposite of this course
neglects its mechanics and supports those of
some foreign town-those who can, will be
compelled to go to somo other place, and
those who are compelled by the force of
circumstances to remain, will become idle
and profigate-they will cease to produce
and be consuiners-in few years they be-
come beggars, and their children ignorant
and vicious.
If there is any truth in the assertion, that
we ought as a nation to give the preference
to domestic manufacture, the fact is equally
true with regard to the community both
are sustained by the same arguments. IF
a merchant would have around him SUBJ
stantial customers, let him by every means
in his power support and foster the mechan-
les of his village, and as they become more
wealthy their custom will increase, especially
in those articles on which he makes the
greatest profits, for it is undeniable, that as
men become more wealthy, they also become
more luxurious, and no merchant will deny
that articles Of luxury always afford the
greatest profits. The habit of importing
large quantities of cheap and and half made
articles of competition with our village me-
chanics, is short sighted and wrong, both as
regards the mechanic and consumer and if
the merchant would look further into the
operation of things, he would find that he
crosses the path Of his own interest by do.
ing SO.
Let the merchant bring the case to hi:
own door, and he perhaps may better under
stand it; suppose that every individual whc
/, possesses the means, and who uses in hi.
; family four or five hundred dollars worth o
! goods per annum, should, instead of buyint
of him at retail, 60 to some city wholesale
: establishment and purchase his year IS supply
would he not in bitterness condemn such al
iliberal course, and would be not say to hin
with truth that be was warring against hi
own interest, by destroying the business o
n his town and giving it to another; and tha
his lttleness would react upon him in doubI
fold by the decrease of his property ant
business. So, in the case above instanced
could the mechanics say the same to th
merchant. We say, then, let all classe
, support each other, and by mutual exchange
keep that wealth at home, which, if unne
E, cessarily expended abroad, tends to destro
o o the business of your neighbor, and which i
Il turn destroy YOUR own.