The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-03-18
Why is Mechanical Labor 0bieo-
tionable ?
We copy the following from tn,
Philadelphia Ledger:

Philadelphia Ledger:
A few days ago, n gentleman ad.
vertised for clerk. By the close
Of the irst day on which The ndvef.
tisemsut appeared there were four
hundred aud eighteen applicants for
the one clerkship. This afforded a
very forcible Illustration Of the ex.
tent to which tho occupations of
clerking aud bookkeeping are over
stocked. But a few IN on this since the
bead Of business establishments.
who wished some help in the way Of
writing, but in which some literary
ability was required, advertised for
an assistant ut moderate salary,
and having incidentally mentioned
that the position might suit lawyer
or physician rot in good practice, got
moro than hundred applications 8 of
which fi(y>thrco were from young
lawyers and doctors.
Here was another illustration of an
over-supply of the professional or
"genteel occupations" Another ad-
vertiser who wanted a person to take
charge of tho editorial work of
weekly paper, got ifty.soven applica.
tons, not moro than half dozen of
the applicants being recognized news
paper writer's, hut nearly all of them
being clerks, bookkcepers, aud pro-
lossioual men. Still another advcr
tlsed for two apprentices in a wheel.
wright and smith shop, in Que Of the
semi rural wards Of the city, request.
ing applicants to give their address
aud age. lie got three applications,
but in every case the applicant was
tYp old, two of them being over
eighteen, and one nearly twenty
Still another advertised for an Office
boy, about fourteen years old, and
had so many applicants that his
place was crowded for more than five
hours, and the applicants were Of all
ages, from mere children not more
than twelve years old to full grown
uRau of fawentysone.
These are not very cheerful or en-
couroging signs. The present gen.
Grafton of young men seem to have
strong aversion to every kind of
trade, business, calling, or occupn-
ton that requires manual labor, and
an equally strong tendency toward
some so-called "gentccl' employ.
ment or profession. The result is
seen In such lamentablo facts as
tbo7e above stated--a surplus of
bookkeepers aud clerks of every kind
who can get no employment, and are
wasting their lives in the vain pur-
suit of what Is not to be had, and
terrible over-stock Of lawyers without
practice aud doctors without patients.
The passion on the part Of boys and
young men to be clerks, Office attend
ants, messengers, any thing, so that
it is not work Of the kind that will
make them mechanics or tradesmen,
is deplorable sight to those who
have full opportunities to see the
distressing effects of it in the strug-
gle for such employments by those
uufortunates who have put it out of
their power to do anything else, by
neglecting to learn some permanent
irade or business in which trained |
skill can always be turned to account
The applications for clerkships |
md similar positions in large estab-
ishments, are numerous beyond any.
hing that would be thought of by |
hose who have no chance TO witness
t. Parents aud relatives, as we'll as
he boys and young men themselves,
ieem to be afflicted with the same in.
atuation. TO all such We say, that
he worst advice you can give to
Tour boy is to encourage him to be a
'lcrk or a bookkceper. At the best
I is not a well.paid occupation
Very frequently it is among the
poorest. This is the case when a
'lerk is fortunate enough TO be en-
,loyed, but it he should happen to be
,ut of a place, then comes q weary
carcity, the fearful struggle with
thousands Of others looking for pla
es the never ending disappoint-
nenis, the hopo deferred that makes
he heart sick, the humiliations that
axe all the manhood out of poor
ouls, the priyations Of those who de-
'ond upon his earnings, aud who
lave no resource when he is earning
lothing. No father, no mother, no
elative should wish to sec their boys
II kindred wasting their young lives
u striving after the genteel positions
hat bring such trials and priyatiOus
Ipon them in after life.
A correspondent Of the Fredonia
idcertiser gives tho following as a