Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-03-08
Communications.
wpirTEs FOR THE VERMONT PHGNrx.
uy.RO g'G TR.vDRvCIEs

wRrrTEs THE VERMONT PHGSrx
WRONG TB.yDBvCIEs.
Tho number of young men apparently
out of employment, and with no visible
| prospects of future usefulness to human
society, might be counted by scores in
every town in New England. Not city
or large town, that has not surplus of
| inquirers for a situation to measure off
tape or weigh out groceries for a very limi-
ted compensation. clerk In hotel, or
waiter in a saloon, or some other position
where their starched dickeys and soft fin
gers will not be soiled by The dust and
| grim of workshop or farm, is the greatest
desideratm of quite too many at the pre-
| sent day. The worship of "the Almighty
Dollar has become so strong, that the
effort TO obtain 1t with greater rapidly aud
ease, than to work and honestly earn it, is
becoming more and more universal in
practice. Nearly every young man is
scheniing by every conceivable means 10
get rich out of the earnings of others.
The country is rapidly diminishing its
productive power, by allowing so many of
the young mon that are really the prospec-
tive hope, and on whom the future of this
great republic mainly depend, TO flock into
cities, and crowd themselves into the al
ready surfeited professions. We are devo-
ting too much attention to professions, aud
too little to productive trades Every State
turns out annually from its colleges and
other institutions, sward.s of ministers,
lawyers and doctors, with little merit ex-
dinlnnI1 n IN
worthless professional services upon the
producing classes at exorbtant prices.
What is most needed in this country is the
education and elevation of laborcrs, and
more especially of skilled mechanics. 1t is
time for our people to begin to realize the
value of industrial pursuits-lo dignity
labor, and put honest work on as high
plane MS worthless professions.
Every Iarent, whether rich or poor,
wrongs his child by suffering him to grow
| up without some useful employment. 1t
| is as much their duty to train their child
rem to some art or trade, whereby they can
earn their bread and be of some practical
benefit to their race, rs to give them good
school education. No child of wealthy
| parents will be any less respected for hay
| ing thorough practical knowledge of some
useful branch of the mechanic arts, even if
| he never expects to follow that for living.
| No president or superintendent of a Rail-
| road or Manufacturing establishment, is
so efficient as one who knows how to build
a locomotive, or has been trained in the
| machine shop or mandatory. 1t is
lamentabe fact that too many boys are
1 ~
| the land and it is quite certain if this state
of things con. inues to increase as it has for
the last decade, we may expect the next
| generation to abound with panpers as well
as knaves.
| The time was when it was no disgrace
for man to work and cam what he had,
nor was he less respected because he
worked for wages; but the current of opn-
ion has entirely changed, and in these
days, those that get their money and their
| living out of the earnings of other people
are always the most respected, and are
| placed in the highest ranks of modern So
ciety. Men that honestly and squarely
| earn what they have are of no conceivable
| consequence in comparison with swindl.ng
| specializing agents and showmen who are
prowlinS around every town and village
for the purpose of slandering credulous
| laborers as well as debase the mo. ais of the
people.
A knowledge OF the mechanic arts is of
| vastly more importance to the people and
| the State, than the learned professions.
| The commercial hope and future progress
of the country must necessarily depend
| ba nj ion pf nd,
trial enterprises. The wealthy portion OF
the community should engage in the work
OF regeneration, by encouraging the enter
prising laborers, and giving practical evil
dence of their faith in industrial pursuits.
Let it once be understood that laboring
people are entitled to as much respect, and
should occupy as high position in the
| plane of human society as professional
men or loafers. and a reform will speedily
follow. Commerce and every other bust
ness enterprise will flourish by the health
full influence that will naturally spread
through the entire community. Real es-
tate would be more valuable, waste places
would be renovated, and prosperity, com
fort ard moral improvement would take
the place of poverty, degradation, and law
less, dissipated habits.
Individuals and communities, to be sue
cessrul and extend reforming influence
in the surrounding world, must be indie
pendent. And to be wealthy, which is the
| yoal of ambition with most young men
they must utilize the prolific resources
within their grasp. 1t is sad mistake fol
| young man TO think Of getting rich with
out doing something-without prosecuting
some useful business whereby other peo
pie can be benefited as well as himself
He will then be a blessing to the world
and live 10 some purpose. Parents ant
masters ought TO stimulate those unde
their charge to engage in some productive
employment, and teach them, too, tina
skilled mechanics, architects, engineers
and manufacturers, are in no sense iniero
to lawyers, doctors, counter jumpers o
ministers. They should be made to under
stand that success in any kind of business
must depend mainly upon individual ex
crtou and that the secret of his success
and the germ of his usefulness is not 81
much what he does, as in saving what h
earns.
; Jacksonville, VT, March 4, 1872. Il.