The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1872-06-13
TTFFTN TRIBUNE.
l.SoTTy ne Did Not Learn a Trade y


Young man, well dressed and Of
prepossessing appearance, called at
our Office recently and inquired in
great earnestness II we had employ
ment Of any kind to give him but q
few DAYS, il no longer, as he was a
stranger in the city, out Of money, and
unable to pay for few days board
and lodging. He further stated that
he was a book-keeper, but after dill
igent search, be had found no one
who wanted any help in that line,
nor could he obtain employment at
anything he felt competent TO per-
form IN a satisfactory manner. The
positions of clerk and bOok-keepeI, he
remarked, were ali filed, and appli-
cants for them far in excess Of the
demand. 81 am sorry," said he,
ttthat did not learn q trade.D
The appeals OF the young man excl
ted our sympathy, but, requiring no
further assistance im the Office, we
were compelled TO reply to his eager
questions that We could not employ
him. mo FfE
The door closed after him, and he
again went out to continue what, In
all probability, proved 10 be a fruitless
search for employment. But his
words fingered behind, and, as We sat
musing on them, recalled to mind the
oft-repeated expression Of the me-
chanic, in which he reprovcs himself
for want Of foresight in selecting an
occupation. Here I am doomed, he
says, 70 toll in shop, at work which is
hard, atOrding but poor pay. Like 8
dog, i must come At the call of q
whistle, q, Ike aserva1t atthe ringing
of beli had ] studied bookkeeping
or entered q store as q clerk, might
have been leading a much easier and
more pleasurable life.
In the cases cited, we find each one
dissatisfied with bis selection, and
wishing to exchange places. And
the difficulty at once presents Itself,
as to how we shall decide for them
and the classes they represent, so that
the seeming mistakes in selection NAV
be remedied. We acknowledge we
are unequal to the task. ~ rf
Food, clothing, tools, machinery,
houses, ships, and an almost endless
variety Of other things are constantly
in demand, which require the labor
Of fsrmefs and mechanics; while
that class which makes exchanges
(merchants) are compsratiYelyfe few In
number, and, therefore, needs but q
small force Of assistants. The neces-
stiles Of the millions Of earth require
by far the largest number of persons
. t. be .eHployed in agriculture and
ulahuiaetures. Wbsnever, then,
through pride or any other motive,
parents disregard the law and en-
courage their sons in seeking after sit
uations, as clerks, book-keepers, ETC.,
rather than to engage in those pur-
suits for which there Is q natural de-
mand, there must be a correspsnding
amount Of suffering as a penalty
Hence we find the sO-called respeeta-
bic occupations are glutted, while the
mechanical branches are suffering
through the back Of skilled laborers.
An laavertisemeiit for 8 clerk will
quickly bring to the Office door a
small army OF applicants Of all sizes
and ages, while the want column
may plead several days for q good
mechanic, and fail to meet with a re-
sponse.
EsiSorry he did not learn a trade. -
Let journeymen o- apprentices, who
may be beWailing their lot, at once
resolve to thus repine no longer, but
by hard study and close application
master their trades. and having done
so, demand q fair compensation
Then b adding to skill, honesty,
pnnctnalty, and economy in expend-
itures, there need be no fear that they
shall be at any time compelled to beg
for sufficient employment to beg fol
q days board and lodging.-COdck
Makers I0ug1dl.