American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-11-03
MISSISSIPPI
The Choice Of a Vocation.

The choice Of trade or profession
almost always decides the destiny of ~
individual. Nevertheless this choice i
very often abandoned 10 accident or cir
cums.ances. 1t thus happens that mum
Der Of young men who have been left It
choose their own pursuits, find them
selves obliged to accept lie first plac.
that offers. and so pass tn,ir lives in =
suhordinat. vocation, with salary inad
eqpate TO the support Of family. and
without the hope Of escaping the ut tc
which the want Of parental enGsgy OF
providence had bequea'hed them There
is in all large citi $, among those families
in narrow circumstances, and hrlreinp
TO what are called the middle classAs, Al
irjud;cious vanity which preven item
from teaching their children a trade. M
matter how profitable it may promise t,
be. They believe i, disparagea thei'
children to accept any conpeDSating en-
poy men,, even bef're they have acquired
an education or he qualifications npcrs-
sary to make their way in business
There results from IBIS common iendercy =
surplus Of young men who, upon th+
idea CT being fl for everything. have II"
special knowledge and can never d
more than earn a trtling salary. Wills
agriculture and industry reed not onl,
hands. hut active and enterpr,ing minds,
which will stimulate production and ang
ment the riches of the country. Their
are too many merchants and clerks, and
a desrth Of artisans, operatives and
farmers.
Never has this evil of which We speak
been more apparent than since the con
clusion of the war. A large number o
families. ac,uated by various motives,
have quit the country to reside in tn
towns. Tencmen.s are as scarce in New
York as in New Orleans. but this in
crease Of population here does not brin.
any aid to the industrious in want OF as
sistance, and can do nothing more thar
occasion obstrucions in the channel o,
lrade. Ii ther follows that one finds
twenty clerks to one vacant eiIuation, and
that artisans are wanted in every branch
Of in'u-Iry. The inevitable result o.
'his disturbance Of the balance Of en-
Payments is that tie wages Of tie work,
men of,eL exceed that of ordinary clelk
slips. a
Tha, which is chiefly wanting here i
the highest element Of labor-skilied ia
iustry. There are certainly in the
United States skilliul workmen in certain
mechanical departments. but they are no'
numerous. aud they earn more than very
many merchants. The master malufac
urers are obliged TO seek in Europe. at
great expense. the special artisans that
hey need when it would be so easy to
ind them on the spot il families should
consult rather the interest Of their chii.
Il Ell than an absurd pride. 1t is cer'ain
hat other industrial PURSUITS can lead to
oriune as certainly as commerce. espe,
tally in regard to such children a. mu,t
'e launched upon the world with n,
lher cspitaI than intelligence.
The great objection ofparen's and chill
rem is apprenticeship. 1t should be re
embertd that tue BnoRledge thus nc
ured constitutes a capital which will
rovide for the apprentice during iE.,
nd which will amply compensate him
" The time devoted to acquiring his ART
n engineer or mech 4nician perfectly Al
ONE in the construction of engines.
oIkman thoroughly taught in The manu-
cture Of cotton or woolrn goods. or in
rucied in the production of chemical
yencies, a masJn or carpeGter under
anding the art OF building. may always r.
ON bring j"urneymen become masters, =,
hsnever they unite with the skill nc
Ired by labor the spri, Of order, econ -,
ny, and little experience.
Besides these pursuits, ag'icul ure in :;
ouisiana. thanks TO tie p-culisr pro .
lets Of the soil. can return TO hose who
I'VE but small csIitsI. pr, fts 'qus'ly
eat and much less uncertain Ihsn hose :
commerce. Navigation and pi'oage :.
so offer professions equally profitable "
ID respectable. "
Why, therefore. should 30 many fam
rs obstinstely seek for their sous the It
ih Of commerce. already so much q
owded, in place OF choosing among. 30 II
any trades and professions SO various,
Al pursuit which will best suit The sp'i
ie Of their child. This arises from ST
Pr, judIce OF which We haze sp, ksu. "a