The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-06-14
''SOrry He Did Not Learn a Trade"

A young man, well dressed and Of
prepOssessing appearance, called at our
office recently and inquired in great
earnestness if we had employment of
any kind to give him for but a few
days, if no longer, as he was stranger
in the city out of money, and unable to
pay for a few days board and lodging.
He further stated that he was a book
keeper, but after diligent search, he
had found no one who wanted any help
i'm that line, nor could he obtain en-
plOyment at anything that he felt COM
petent to perform in a satisfactory
manner. The positions of clerk and
book-keeper, he remarked, were all
filled, and applicants for them far in
excess of the demand.
"I 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 ques-
tiOning that we could not employ him.
The door closed after him, and he
again went out to continue what, in all
probability, proved to be a fruitless
search for employment. But his words
fingered behind and, as we sat musing
on them, recalled to mind the oft re-
peated expressions of the mechanic, in
which he reproves himself for want of
foresight in selecting an occupation.
Here 1 am doomed, he says, to toll in q
shop, at work which is hard, affording
but poor pay. Like dog, l must come
at the call of a whistle, or like servant,
obey the summons of bell; had L
studied bookkeeping or entered store
as a clerk, might have been leadinga
much easier and more pleasurable life.
In the cases cited, we find each one
dissatisfied with his selection, and wish
ing to exchange places. And the diff
Guilty at once presents itself, as to how
we shall decide for them and the classes
they represent, so that the seeming
mistakes in selection may be remedied-
We acknowledge we are unequal to the
task.
Food, clothing, tools, machinery,
houses, ships, and an almost endless
variety of other things, are continually
in demand, which require the labor of
farmers and mechanics; while that
class which makes exchanges (mer-
chants) is of necessity comparatively
few in number, and, therefore, needs
but a small force of assistants. The
necessities of the millions of earth re-
quire by far the largest number of per-
sons to be employed in agriculture
and manufactures. Whenever then,
through pride or any other motive,
parents disregard the law and encOur-
age their sons in seeking after situa-
tions, as clerks, bOok-keepers, ETC.,
rather than to engage in those pursuits
for which there is always natural
demand, there will be a corresponding
amount of suffering as a penalty.
Hence we find the SO called respectable
occupations are glutted, while the me-
chanical branches are suffering through
the lack of skilled laborers. An adver-
tisement for a clerk will quickly bring
to the office door a small army OF appli-
cants of all sizes and ages, while the
want column may plead several days
for a good mechanic, and fail to meet
with response.
"Sorry he did not learn trade"
Let apprentices and journeymen, who
may be bewailing their lot, at once re-
solve to thus repine no longer, but by
hard study and close application mas
ter their trades, and having done so,
demand fair compensation. Then by
adding to skill, honesty, punctuality
and economy in expenditures, there
need be no fear that they shall be COM
PEELED at any time to beg for sufficient
employment to pay for days board
and lodging.