The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1867-11-16

neerss ouf as lawyers, doctors, and clergy
men. they srs Of no use either to themselves
or To society.
lt Is always honorable for q man 90 try to
improve his condition, bu. this wretched
striving foS professional vkrnish isa mere
abuse or perversion OF ambition The true
course Is Tor y0ung man 70 find out what
ne = ne Tor. to qualify himself for il with a
diligence, and devote himself TO II with per-
severing industry.
| Parents have much 70 answer for in this
respect. They give false bias to their sons
career. They are not willing to allow them
| TO begin wher. they did. They seem Ia
think that they must commence at the poinl
which 10 only attainshle by patient sxertion
| and industry. Ia place Of counseliing and
| training them in the paths Of industry by
which they'schiered emi leuce, they induce
them to kick aside the ladier, and strike
out on path that iesds in very many cases
TO disappointment, failure, dissipation and
suicide. There are hundreds Of men in
down Gown Offices and uptown lodgings who
would gladly exchange, If they could, their
shabby ge0tiiity and narrow means for the
comparative i9dependeocies and comfort en-
joyce by Ersdasmen and good mechanics
The worst Of 90 that such persons nevei
rise. A shpemskes usy rise to be United
States Senator, an o&ce boy may be Gov,
ernor Of . State, or rAil-spltter" may
reach the Presidency. Bu. as for the poor
crowd Il at hang on the skirt Of ]" respect
able professions, they siIk 70 the condition
Of political crimps, lobbyists, ba--room loaf
ers and Broadway swells-
the remedy for all this ia to teach boys !
trade-to give them m industrial training
that will secure them an honest livelihe
when aIl else lads. II they have o sound
education. and good moral principles and
habits, they are likely to rise higher from
the workshop thss from any professions
pursuit Take our most successful men, and
" will be found that they nearly all com
meDced at the beginning aSd rose from ths
ranks. Why should not their sons imitat,
them Why should not .thsy commenc'
where their father did, and not where the,
left of
As matters now stand there IS danger o.
Young America becoming snobbish. .Tom.
paratively few American boys now Learn
trades. The ranks Of skilfll workmen are
recruited from the emigrant ship. Il il
thought to be better for a young man 10 b
map seller n peddler, a conductor, a quacs
doctor, or a confidence operator, than 20 b,
mechanic. IL IL this false sentiment thai
renders the fash Commercial colleges "a
prosperous. They too Often spoil farmers
and workman's boys. and tsrn them into
good for nothing book-keepers, worthless
statesmen, and bogus merchants, whose only
vocation IN .Ife seems 70 be % bother their
friends for situations which they are not and
never can be qualified 10 I'LL
These structures ~ no means apply tn
those persons who are imbued With d noble
love of knowledge for the sake Of its IN
trlnsic excellence, and not for the loavss and
hshes which II gather, and who develop IL
the minus Of their chiIdrsn the same love OF
study and scientific research. Parents "a
that class are certain TO Irsin their children
60 usefulness. But the wrstchsd snobbish-
ness that undervalues honest lad nstry, and
2erve-ss the energies Of boys and young men
70 unccngenial pursuits, cannot be toe se-
vereiy condemned.
LABOR mas always been held i'm deserved
honor In America, and We would despair oi
The future Of our country if Il shSsid ever be
regarded as o badge Vf inferiority. =