Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-06-23

The condition OF society has essentially
changed-the feeling Of mutual sympathy
for each others Interest, formerly felt by
all classes, is giving place to selfish ambi-
ton for wealth and popularity. Many Of
the younger class here, as in other places,
have too great an anxiety to get rich rapid
ly without an equivalent of labor or active
industry of any kind. Indeed the tend
ency of the age II would seem, is getting to
look upon manual labor M degrading and
to get money without earning II NJ the
great desideratum. A large proportion of
the people seem strongly impressed with
the idea that money is the only necessary
or desirable object of life. This is an evil
that Is taking a broader range than many
people are willing to allow, and is rapidly
gaining throughout the entire community.
industrious mechanics and laborers, who
are the real producers Of the substantial
wealth of this, or any other country, are
being treated rs a lower order of men, un-
fit for a social level with the controlling ele-
ment of refined society. The great point
with the ruling element now is to get the
earnings Of producers without paying an
equivalent; and the imnumerable schemes
rcsorted to for that purpose, many of which
seem speciotislv attractive to the superb
cial observer ought to put every laboring
man ON hi~ guard against this worthless
horde of lcechcs that are prowling about
the country in the shape of agents, trim
mers, and swindlers, quilting the industri-
Gus, unsuspecting laborer, and taking the
life blood of the country.
There is a steady current ofthe young men
of the country settling into cities and large
towns, all for the purpose of getting rich
and popular without manual labor All
the professions too, are overstocked with
men of not the highest order of ability.
Every little town must support three or
or four lawyers, and as many DOCTORS to
say nothing about the numerous would be
ministers, that are quite plenty in every
community. Many parents, too, manifest
a strong feeling that their sons should enter
| profession, or obtain a situation in a city
rather than stay on the farm and work as
they have, under a false impression that
they would be less respected with their
faces turned 10y outdoor labor, or their
] hllStlN NplIth W tllt GRIM Vi Il lIlttldDlC
shop. This feeling is becoming quite toe
| prevalent even in New England, where the
| people are the most noted for thrift, enter
| prise, and manly independence, Of any
section Of this republic.
What this nation most needs at the pre-
sent time, is a class e thoroughly educated
laboring young men t2 engage in agrcul.
tural and mechanical pursuits. We have
been quite too long already, under the
guidance of soft fingered, weak Drained
gentry, that never earned the bread they
eat in any form, but by false show o.
enterprise and greedy ayarce have mad,
their lives continual scramble to obtain
by fraud or device, the producers earnings
If the mechanics and laborers would pu
their whole manhood into their business
and bring to its full development whatever
brain and muscle they possess by usefu
exercise, we might still hope to see tn,
country reformed. b.