The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-07-11

With the rsms discouraeenenss; be TOO, ssss
that mechAnical talent md shin ere not ap-
prssiatsd. and be gives u up. He 100. will
not plod N thsough ysars Of woodwork,
neehing bat eoFk. for mere pittancs. he
win 90 out west who're land % cheap, II he
10 counsncsd without ssy aeans, be wiz
avail himself Of the pleased homestead law,
and got farm, where he csn be indepsnd-
end and raise his own living, and always be
ssse Of living. His sick days aed rainy
days win MOI dstracs 90 much from his In
come. fos his crops win grow in spite Of rain
Or sickness, and Ia bic old age, when be has
sgeed, improsed, wsll-stocksd iasn, he can
rest oontent. be win DO In mo danger Of dy-
ing In . poor-houss or filling . psnper's
grave. In his case, the skilled labor Of which
be vas capable 10 lost. The world did not
appreciate and encourage it, and 10 therefore
deprived Of ito advantages.
The writer says Of apprenticeship: "The
apprentice fell into social dis-esteem, and
the jOurneymas Of our day is not rid Of It,"
and he proclaims lamentsble fact. Why
should . young man spend bis time and
talents to learn trade, when that very trade
which he has taken 90 much pains to learn,
will only servs to make him . dredge and
place him low in the scale Of humanity-far
be meath the position to which be considers
himself sOcislly and intellectually entltled.
How often do We hear ii said, he 10 nothing
but shoemaker, blacksmith, carpenter, or
. greasy mechanic, and no young man with
particle Of energy or ambition in bis COM
position, will voluntarily place himself 90
fsr below his competitors 10 the highway Of
life.
Our doctors, lawyers, merchants, &C.,
have higher social standing, they frequent
the concert and lecture room; can usually
boast Of library; live in better houses /;
crafty re6asd tastes; In short, make more
display, and appear to enjoy more than the
mechanic, however poor they may be-for
there are degrees in poverty. The lawyer.
doctor, and merchant may be reduced to
much greater straits to keep up appear
sr1ss, than the laboring man to furnish suf-
icient shelter, TODD, and clothing for his
family. And our young men, noting only
the display-and never getting q peep be-
hind the scenes-imsgine that to enjoy any
Of the amenities Of life they must become
merchants or professional men consequent
ly, our mercantile and professional world 10
crowded to the detrimentof all. We have
many poor doctor, lawyer, author, 60,
who would have made good mechanics il
sufficient inducements had been held out to
them to have cultivated their mechanical
genius.
"Every mechanic in every operation
brings into use some principle OF science"
Science is valuable only % far as Il can be
brought into use a. . mechanical art, and
while we need scientific men to search oui
the laws Of nature and form their theories,
we NJ ed mechanics just rs much to reduce
| their theories to practice tor the benefit oil
mankind. Mechanics must always be the
most numerous, for while ore scientific man
may publish q theory to The world, it will
require great many mechanics ID give the
world the benefit Of that theory. Mankind
has 90 far advance in conssqusnce.of the
arts Of the mechanical world, and the time
has come when we can no logger be blind
to the fact, that II Is through their lsbors
and inventions that We have progressed
thus far
Il il Just as true Ia this case as it Is in any
other, that We cannot sin without suffering
the penalty, and now we must accord to
them higher position in society I; We must
allow them the pleasures and happiness &C
cruing from this state Of being, or We will,
az . necessary result, be deprived Of their
ingenuity and skill. Owing to our free in
stitutions, they are our most intelligent ass
of citizens. Again, we repeat, We kno Of
what we write, for we have moved in polite
society. and we have lived among mechanics,
aud We reiterate, thsy are our most intelli-
gent, upright, honorable citizens. Very few
Of our ballroom bellies and drawing groom
ladies', alt. ough more showily accomplished,
can equal our mcdaniel wives and dsugh-
ters in intelligence, and deep, rcn mines Of
thought.
Our Saviour, Of whom il is written, "Iu
the beginning was tbs Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God. The
same was in the beginning with God. All
things were made by Him, and without Him
was not anything made that was made. "
And the word was made hssh, aud dwelt
among US; appeared as carpenter. This
fact has its significance. Why, We ask, why
did Jesus come in the guise Of mechanic :
THE PLAsTERER'S CONVENTION.
A great portion Of the present issue Of the
ADvocArE is devoted to the publication OF
the proceedings Of the Plasterer's National
Convention, now in session in this city. One
prominent feature connected with their
deliberations is, that they have not thrown
the cloak Of sel6shness around them, as we
are sorry to say too many Of our associa-
tiOns are prone to do. The generous sym
patty expressed In behalf Of the bricklayers
Of New York, to whom they extend the hand
Of genuine fellowship, is worthy Of smula-
ton. In future issue We shall comment
somewhat freely on their transactions, In
the meantime, we trust their proceedings
will be carefully perused by every reader Of
the ADVOCATE.
OF the delegates personally, We cannot
speak other than In terms Of the highest
rasnact Cor while "a have m nsneh nnf FOR