The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-06-29
To Parents and Guardians.

Itisa noticeable fact, connected with /
nearly every large city in the United
States; that the largest proportion OF
aggregate wealtln isin the hands Of
men reared as mechanics. Certain iti
is. that no other class of population
evidence such commanding signs of ii
nancial Independence and worldly pros
perity as the educated mechanics. Of
Hate years such decided preference
has been shown for commercial pur
suits in selecting callings for young
men. as to free the trades profession,
in a great measure, from educated COM
petition, and the gradual elevation OF u
large and constantly growing class OF
mechanics to positions OF wealth and
| Importance has been the natural re-
suit On the other hand, the constant
crowding of youthful recruits into com
mercial pursuits-probahly the most
difficult, uncertain and hazardous of
! all callings-has Hooded our cities viii,
armies of refined and educated panp-
ers most of whom, with families, pass
their lives in ahjrct misery, trying to
keep up at least the appearance OF the
Responsibility in which they were rear
ed. 1t is to the correction of this evil,
we would endeavor to attract the at
tention ofparents and gnardiaus. Liv-
ing in great city like this, they can
not help marking the truth of this con-
! trast on every hand. The constantly
changing pursuits of our people-con-
i stantly changing residcrces-thirst for
official app0inIments-pet defalca-
tons, sin and misery generally among
Intelligent and superhly educated and
cultivated people, of which we lately
have such sad and painful evidence,
cannot be the result of accident, but
must be attributed to some radical En-
FOR. We know, and can sec in thou
sands of instances, that 1T does not
spring from either want of industry
lack of enterprise, or sincere and hon
est effort; hence it must be alone result
[ tant from misapplication. We know
the same understanding and sound
1 practical education which fail in mer-
: camille life, applied to one of the ordi-
. nary trades, would achieve unaouhted
success, and even the victims them
: selves, cast ashore by the wreck 81
: commercial enterprises, in which they
: were forced to embark years OF hard
earnings, cannot fail, on reflection. tC
g realize themselves the truth OF tllls
J, fact.
y In selecting a calling for tho young
Il il is only necessary to correct one er
c ror and attachsits due weight to one i'm
{ Dortant fact in order to rescue then
: from the shoals and quicksands upon
y which so many have been hopelcssl,
!, !, wrecked. 1t is to bear in mind tina
u there is nothing inconsistent between
), manual labor and social refinement
A collegiate education, enriched will
all tie polish of society, is justas mucl
in its place, handling the trowel o
iackplane, as it is in making packin:
boxes, or emptying an ink pot. Non,
will deny that the iutelligently educated
. man can achieve more with the me
-. chanics' tools than the uneducated
" The latters career has limits bounded
h. by his skill as an artisan, while the Tor
a mer has the whole area of originate,
# and creation open to him for Il field
at Now, when we to reflect that the frs
IL necessities and dependencies of the hu
70 man race are upon the mechanical arts
n we can more fully appreciate the great
is er stability and certainty of success sc
in cured to the young by entering upo
x the vocations they imply. Besides thi:
u there is another important considera
n ton to be thought of upon the thresl
IN hold Of business life. Education, W
We can plainly see, is alone no adeqnat
ce capital to young man, outside Of til
Sc few always ovcr-crowded profession
st of law, medicine, and, we may adj
to divinity. Something else is necessar
to in commercial life; there money is eve
,s. essential to success. Without If, I'll
ce neoplite will rarely, ifever, rise beyon
as the condition of u mere servant to h
ct employer. In these days of fast livin
al and enormous expenses, but few youn
I'd men are ever thus fairly launched upo
OF the commercial sea; but, in the great III;
he jority ofinstanccs, are forced topass tt
ng best years of their life and waste the
'c- best energies in accommodating the lit
ng hoard necessary to a fair start. On Il
Is other hand, he is doubly armed for Il
IL battle of life, who unites with a goo
ne education, the knowledge of q goo
no trade; who can lay down the pen
OF the yard stick, and take up the hoe ,
"a the monkey-wrench. 1t is only an a
DE surd feeling, born of snobbishnees, tn
gu can discover any essential difference
SIS dignity OF responsibility between the
ny callings, and upon the score of real j
ELF Dor we hazard the assertion that Il
~, mechanic is the least imposed upon.
eIi Itshould not be forgotten that eve
va to-day our country is a new one, to
o nu built up in population, wealth and in
nd portance more rapidly than any matte
o on heretofore existent upon the globe.
u ra The forthcoming half-dozen gener
sm lions are to be the pioneers id IL
nn work, and the mechanical arts, as t
great necessity, are to receive an imp
petus heretofore unprecedented.
would be well if parents were ava
no to the tendencies of the times, and pI
10 10 pared, to furnish the wants of the Il
i ~ ton and of society with a race of ind
~ pendent men, instead of the pulir
'a Shy time-observers aed twimmers
W.. which we will soon degenerate if t
~. true digity of labor is not to great
5on extent acknowledged and accepted
~ In impressing this duty we would a
' nc. parents to notice within their own i
60. mediate observation how complete
o 90 aud rapidly the mechanical arts {
~ passing into the care and keeping
, W the foreign born. Let them thoroue
ne' ly realize the great prepondence
~ this element among successful mecha
III, ics-thcy can read there the humil
~ ting sotry of American saciety's p
IN folly and it's only future salyation.-[
III n rTinoc