The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1872-06-21
SORRY He DID NOT LEARN A
TRADE,

ItSADG,
a young man, well dressed and of
prepossessing appearance, called at
our Office recently and inquired in
great earnestness if we had employ
ment Of any kind to give him for but
q few days, if no longer, as he was a
stranger il the city out Of money,
and unable to pay for a few days
board and lodging. He further
stated that he was book keeper,
but after a diligcnt search, he had
found no one who wanted any help
in that line, nor could he obtain en-
ployment at anything that he felt
competent to perform in satisfacto-
ry manner. The positions CT clerk
and book keeper, he remarked, were
all filled, aud applicants for them far
in excess of the demand.
II am sorry" said he, "that did
not learn a trade"
The appeals of the young man ex-
cited our sympathy, but, requiring
no farther assistance in the office,
we were compelled to reply to his
eager questioning that we could not
employ him.
The door closed after him, and he
all probability, proved to be a fruit
less search for employment. But
his words fingered behind and, as we
sat musing on them, recalled to mind
the oft repeated expressions of the
mechanic, in which he reproves him
self for want of foresight in select
ing an occupation. Here | am
doomed, he says, to toll in a shop,
at work which is hard, afording but
poor pay. Like dog, | must come
at the call of a whistle, or like SER
want, obey the summons Of bell
had | studied bookkeeping OF en-
tered store as a clerk, | might have
been leading much easier and more
pleasant life.
In the cases cited, we find each one
dissatisfied with his 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 selec-
ticn may be remedied. We acknowl-
edge we are unequal to the task.
Food, clothing, tools, machinery,
houses, ships, and an almost endless
variety of other things, are continu-
ally in demand, which require the
labor Of farmers and mechanics
while that class which makes ex-
changes I'm erchants) is of necessity
comparatively few in number, and,
therefore, needs but a small force OF
assistants. The necessities of the
millions of earth require by far the
largest number of persons to be en-
ployed in agriculture and manufac-
lures. Whenever then, through
pride or any other motive, parents
disregard the law and encourage
their sons in seeking after situations,
as clerks, book-keepers, ETC., rather
than to engage in those pursuits for
which there is always a natural de-
mand, there will be corresponding
amount Of suffering as a penalty.
Hence we 6ud the so called respec-
table occupations are glutted, while
the mechanical branches are suffer
ing through the lack Of skilled labor
ers. An advertisement for a clerk
will quickly bring to the Office door
a small army of applicants Of all sizes
and ages, while tbs want column may
plead several days fer good me-
chanic, and fail to meet with re-
spouse. >,
nSorry he did not learn a trade. "
Let apprentices and journeymen,
who may be bewailing their lot, At
once resolve to thus repine no longer,
but by hard study and close aPplica-
ton master their trades, and having
done SO. demand fair compensa-
ton. Then by adding to skill, hon
esty, punctuality and economy in
expenditures, there need be no fear
that they shall be compelled at any
time to beg for sufficient employ
ment to pay for days board and
lodging.