The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1869-04-22
THURSDAY, APRIL %. lse9.
COnlpetenc ncy.

Every youth, as he sees himself drawing |
near to the age when he should, and If nc |
would be good for anything in the world,
must. choose some calling or ether 10y which
he can earn his living. almost daily seeks to
decide what that vocation Shall be. Some
times almost the entire range Of human
ayccations is passed in review, ouIy to DC
gone over again in fruitless effort to come
T. decision, while in other cases a calling
j. soon chosen and the ardent boy resolves
that he viii go at bound to the top OF
the ladder. Al more than ninety-nlne m
stanccs cut Of hundred, the valiant res
clution is leavened with that youthful zeal
y hich hopes to reach the coveted goal by
a single leap rather than By unromantlc
blodding, repeated effort, disheartenlng
i,ilures and long journeys with bhstered
feet. A brief contact with the real diff
tulties cf whatever pursuit may be chosen
takes away the romance and leaves as the
result an example of what the world IS full
t.-a man without pride in his calling or
any useful ambition.
The particular avocation to be followed,
SO long as it is useful and free from ncces-
sary disloGcsty, is matter al minor I'M
portaHce, and ought to be decided IN ac-
cordance with the mental and physical ca
pac iti,s and circumstances Of each indi-
v.dua!. There is no solid founlation for the
aversion existing toward learning trades. 1t
nav be that the relation held toward labor
bycapital has no little to do with this antipa-
uthy, as under the present system the me-
chau:c is too apt to be reduced to mere
cipher. He has little or no responsibility
beyond the performance of his daily rou-
rine of labor. Weekly or monthly he
avs hi S wages, knowing beforehand ali
lie may depend upon for the support Of
himself and dependents His condition
* too much that of the common soldier,
performing his daily service, drawing his
p, md knowing lut few of the ordinary
resp, nSibil;ties Of life. But even under
the present system the mechanical arts offer
and afford more ro ON for independence OF
character than clerkships and other calling:
which usually receive the preference. In
our country the demand for labor of al
kinds will continue to be greater than the
supply. True there may come periods
when times will be dull, remuneration poor
owing to unforeseen and temporary causes
But so much of our resources remains un
ere extending themselves that skilled labo
is not likely to 60 begging either long o
cften. Least likely Of all is it tha, tn
really competent al tizan will lack for work
Such men are too scarce even in these dul
times. There is hardly village Of thou
sand people in The State that does not to
day need mechanics more competent, NOR
proficient in their calling than those whom
il contains. AS Ralph Waldo Emcrsol
,nce said, much of our work appears as
1t was built to day to be torn down to
morrow. Verse than this, there is too ofte
an apparent lack Of conscientiousness il
work done. Our mason work often crunl
bles into dust almost before years enougl
have passed thoroughly to harden tn
mortar. Glue and putty and varnish hid
the defects of our fine workmanship i
wood. Gaping joints offend the eye
Were We an older country, this incon.pe
rency visible in every avccation and Pre-
fsssion iE life would lie idle, vainly seekini
70 be employed. Our professions are N
mere free from defect than other callncs
Men without mental discipline thoroug
training or adequate information aspire t
positions that would give room for the di;
rlay of the highest qualities and creates
accomplishments. They find patronae
because their superiors are appropriated ;
rapidly as they appear.
But while our anomalous position CIV,
opportunity to such deficient workmer
how much better opportunity does it afTol
those who are willing b. thorough prcpa
a:ion, by diligence. BY attention to detail
10 become masters in all things wherei
hey assume to be experts. For such me
there will always be demand. In dull tim
they Will be preferred, and in flush tim
they will be better compensated.
MINISTER TO RUssIA-Ex- Govern
Curt;n's annointnient as Minister to Ru