The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-06-17

| Elulu tney dSSehIUio
Just for the "hims."
Mechanics Needed in the Reconstruction
Of the South.
From we'll considered article in the
last Abbeville Banner, we make the fol.
lowing extracts. The writer shows the
folly and stupidity of the policy hereto
fore pursued in depending upon the North
for superior mechanical labor, and pro-
ceeds to urge Southern parents to devel-
ope mechanical genius whenever found in
their sons. He then administers q just
rebuke to the false pride and narrow pref
udice against mechanics always existing
to greater or less extent in Southern
society, and upon this point we desire to
have our readers benefited by his illus
trations and sound reflections:
Experience teaches that we should fos-
ter the mechanical arts, at least, to the
extent of supplying our own wants, and
cease to be so entirely dependent UPON
the Northern States. Such change in
our policy and practice cannot be wrought
in day. This is no reason why an effort
should not be made to introduce change.
AS means to this end, we suggest, that
parents should study closely the charac
ters of their sons, and direct them to
those pursuits, for which they seem to
have greatest aptitude. Itseems to have
been taken for granted, heretofore, that
all mechanical salient and inventive genius
had been monopolized by the Yankees.
The history Of the late war put an end to
this fallacy. A vast amount of mechani
cal talent has been buried at the South.
Our;. present nocessitous condition de-
mands that all such talents should be de-
velopsd and applied for the benefit of 80
ciety.
A very strong and very general preju-
dice lies in the way. Employment in the
workshop has been regarded in this State,
especially as degrading. In our early
wears, nothing was more shocking to the
members of the old families of the State,
than the idea of one of them learning
trade. 1t was too decidedly plebeian.
1t might be known that they were gam
blcrs, imtemperate and licentious; but,
they did not lose caste. TO handle the
trowel or the jack plane, however, was
death to character. An intimate friend
of our boyhood, belonging to an old fam
ily whose estates had dwindled away,
not willing to live poor, in order to feast
pride, determined on becoming brick.
mason having noticed the great success OF
the father of one of our classmates, who
belonged to this class of citizens. His
eldest brother demonstrated vehemently
against this determination, and said to
him: "Do you suppose that, if l meet
you in King Street, (the fashionable
promenade) with trowel in your hand
and mortar on your shoes, shall speak
to you"? He replied calmly, but firmly:
s'The day will come, when yon will be
clad to have room in my fine brick
6ouse." This as we happened to know,
was literally fulfilled. Thisincident serves
to illustrate the feeling that has asprevailed
in this State with regard to boys learning
trade. We confess, that to us, 1t has al
ways seemed very silly. We have known
man To affect superiority over the me-
chanic who built his nice mills, though his
own father laid the foundation of his vast
fortune in selling half pints. Mixed
LIQUORS was decidedly more aristocratic
than mixing mortar Different eyes GER
tainlv REQUIRE different glasses. Parents
shouid teach their children that
"Honor and shame from no condition rise"
Even in this State numerous cases could
he adduced 10 show that mechanics share
a pretty fair chance for wealth and posi-
lion let few suffice. Jonathan Lucus,
who amassed a fortune and was made
Baronet by George III. for introducing
rice mills into Eng land, was mlllwright'
His next neighbor, Thomas Bennett who
became very wealthy and was made Gov
crnor Of the State, was also millwright.
Old Mr.. Schnerlc was q carpenter, and
acquired riches by his industry; but this
did not prevent his son, the General,
from filing the Mayoralty of Charles
ION for years. Many more such cases
we could cite, but it is unnecessary.
These serve to show that despite the
strong prejudice against mechanics, many
have risen superior to it, and have
compelled the respect OF those who,
in carly life, may have regarded them
with disdain We have suffered in this
State on account of this prejudice. Our
present condition demands that common
sense should govern. Our youth should
be taught that there is dignity in labor;
and they should be encouraged to lay hold
of the trowel, the plane, the sledge, the
loom. or any instrument of art employ
ing tho wants of society. They should
be encouraged to regard manual labor, as
not adverse to the acquisition of fame, as
we'll as riches. Sir Christopher Wren
was an architect. Stephenson was ma
chnist. Franklin was printer. Hugh
Miller was was stone mason. E!ihu
Burrit was blacksmith. What man is
there in South Carolina who, however be-