The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-03-22
SUICIDAL POLICY.

and should be encouraged There is no reason
why the mechanical interests of our commu-
nifty should not be SO developed as to tend
largely to an increase of population and wealth
to the community. But in order to accomplish
this object, it does seem necessary that our
leading men and institutions should come for
ward and lend helping hand. They should
endeavor to give all their work to mechanics
who live here amongst us, and not send abroad
for every little job of any kind they may want,
when they can get it done here at home Just
as we'll and just as cheap.
We are led into these reflections by seeing
frequent evidences in our own line of business.
We regret to say they are of almost daily oc-
currence. One Of our merchants has been North
or sent North, for goods to sell to the families
OF our mechanics; he gets his handbills, cards
and circulars printed at the North, to inform
the family of some journeyman printer that he
has received the articles they need. Just as
though he would not be doing more liberal
and just action to give the home printer, who
he looks to for custom, the work in his line, in
order to enable him to have means to paw for
what he wants for his family use. The mer-
chant who does this kind of thing, it seems to
us, is STOPPING to an action which is not alo-
gether fair and just.
Suppose the mechanic, in this case, were to
retaliate, as he could easily do, by getting
number of his mechanic friends to club togo
ther, make up purse, and send North for
supplies in his line. How much, we ask, would
our merchant friend make by his act of with
holding from the home mechanic work which
Shout come to him legitimately,
Now, we all know that sucn things can be
done; they have been done elsewhere; they can
be done here, and will be done here, no doubt.
if more liberal policy is not adopted by those
who should be the first to set an example of
encouragement to our own mechanics and lab
oring men. We all know the power of COM
bination on the part of so large portion of
our population as pursue mechanical operations
for livelihood; and it seems prudent that we,
in our business pursuits, should at least respect
that power.
Again we have an obligation to meet at a
Bank in our city. The clerk of the Bank
draws out from pile a little blank notice,
which he fills up to remind us of our ndeb-
tedness. On the face of this notice we find
the information in print that the officers of
that Bank have sent North to have their little
two-cent job printing executed. Now, we
ask, do not these Bank officers depend, to
some extent, on the mechanics of our city for
their daily bread, just as much as the mechan-
ic depends on them. They are, after all, but
the servants of the people.
Banks are institutions that one would sup
pose are created to encourage the development
of industry in all kinds of mechanical arts, in
the community in which they are located
But Banks, we regret to say-or Bank officers,
more particularly--do not always act up to
the spirit and design Of their creation.
On this point we would like to know why it
is that the Norfolk printer cant get the work
that it appears to us legitimately belongs to
him? Surely the little ticket we are speak
ing of can be printed in as good style as the
copy before us; and as to price, We are salts
fed the work can be done as cheap here as at
the North. Within musket shot of the Bank
there are five or six job printing Offices, any
one of which will do as good work as the
sample we are speaking of, and do it as cheap.
Is it anything wonderful that the "art preser-
yative" languishes in Norfolk, while our
Banks even set such wretched examples as is
here indicated.
We, personally, are interested in what we
are talking about; and the practical thinker
will concede that every one in the community
is interested in it, more or less. But we are
not complaining because the work was not
brought directly to "our shop" As we have
said before, there are five or six job offices in
this city. They all give employment to men
who have families and live here These print
ers are all interested in the prosperity and
welfare of our city; and they will have to go
elsewhere for livelihood if their bread is |
withheld from them here.
Let lis see what effect this blight is likely
to have on the prosperity of our city in the
event of stranger coming here from abroad |
to cast his lot with us. He first goes into the
bank to deposit his capital, which be has
brought here to embark in trade with us. The
first thing that attracts his attention is printed
blanks for use in the bank; and be sees an
nounced on these an imputatlon--we might
almost say slander-on the printers of the
city. They all, more or less, have the i'm
print of a Northern printer on them. What