The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-01-19
Dirty Shops and SIovenIy werkmen

The shops in which cleanliness and
order prevail are rather the exception
than the rule; and the individual
workman who, in the midst of all the
carelessness which prevails in this re-
gard, maintains Il scrupulous car for
personal cleanliness, order in the ar
rangement of tools, and method IL
the performances of his work, may
be regarded as a rising man.
On our occasional journeys in the
most disagreeable conveniences of the
age, horse cars, at times when work
men are returning from their daily
work, we frequently notice them with
begrimmcd faces and smutty hands,
on their way to their homes perhaps
no less attractive than their persons.
If this were compelled by circum-
stances, and the unavoidable condi-
tions of their toll, it would be unkind
indeed to find fault with it. We
should indeed be the very last to look
down upon the necessary accessories
of honest toll, and, if any American
workman is so situated that he must
utterly disregard cleanliness, let it be
distinctly understood we do not COM
plain of him. But cases of this kind
are rare, If they exist at all, What
then is the reason for the lnexcusable
slovenliness of a large majority Of
workmenl
The first reason is that p%roprietors
and overseers do little or nothing to-
encourage tidiness in their subordi-
mates. They too often look upon n
nan who is making attempts to keep
himself and his work bench tidy, as a
in gloves who will catch no mice,
and speak contemptuously to him of
being afraid to dirty his hands, al
though his hands may at the time bear
the honorable evidence that his duty
has been faithfully performed. But
tell us pray, is it necessary that they
should bear that evidence home with
Is it necessary that the face
should be soiled as well as the hands.
and that clothes should soiled as we'll
rs hands and face?
In imagination we hear some me
chanic exclaim. 81 should like to
see that editor do my work a little
and keep himself clean! II
guess he would find it harder work
than sitting in his comfortable office
and finding fault with us poor fellows,
who have no such good luck p
To whom we regly, that, good luck
DR. not, we often sigh for the light
hearted days, when we did just such
work, and earned thereby a good APP
petite and the means wherewith to
it /; and further we know that
you can't get down on your knees in
:and, and face your molds with pow
charsoal, and perSpire amid q
loud af black dust. and keep your
ace and shirt white. Bless you we
know all that, learned it years ago,
1T is not you we find fault with.
It is that slovenly chap who goes into
work at his lathe, on Monday morn
ng, with Il clean shirt on, and, who
less than half an hour, has man
ICED 10 get two or three streaks OF
oil down his back, and sundry
of it down his face, while the
handle to every tool on his lathe and
wen the lathe itself is japanned with
he same unctuous material. We can
&c the use OF black dust and perspi-
alton in Il foundry but we don't see
he necessity of n man in u we'll or
lered machine shop, painting himsel
Up like an Indian on the path
nd carrying it home with him to the
nnoyance fthose whoare, perhaps,
to sit in the same seat with
i'm, and who do not care to get into
intimate contact with black-grease
nd oil.
Personal cleanliness leads to order
n work and business, and elevates the
moral character of all who exercise it.
t is a virtue second only to godliness,
nd exercises not only..a benign infu-
nee upon moral character and phys
health, but upon intellectual
Would proprietors and superinten-
ents enforce more thorough order
nd cleanliness in their works, and
ncourage it in the habits of their en-
they would get more End
work for their money, would
ender their help more manly and
.onorable in the discharge Of their
elevate the character, and in
rease the welfare of the working
throughout the. world.-Sci-
american.