The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-01-16
The Question of Apprenticeship.


~ thirty or lorty years, remember The
time when, II boy desired to learn 4
trade, he could always find some master
mechanic, or some man carrying on TIT
particular business, who would take him
anu al u proper rate Of remuneration, mu
tllalIy adjusted, teach lin his trade
Thoroughly, and turn him out, ut the cxpi
ration OF his time, as good Il mechanic n.
his natural abilities enabled him 10 III
And, on the other hand, no one was rcCOg
nl2ed rs worthy Of his guild who did mo-
understand his trade; and the skillful ar
tl1an took u just pride il his workman
snip. 1t is hardly necessary to say thai
under such system work was better
done than now, nor that the mechanic
held a higher relative position in society
There was skill and there was conscience
IN labor performed; and the man who
can do any useful thing well, and does il
US well as he knows how, will always
among sensible people, he respectable
and respected.
Under the new order Of things, the dit
terent trades have set up a rulchy which
only 50 many apprentices, 10 u given
number of jOurneymen, can ho received
and taught trade, the object being Ia
maintain u close monopoly OF the bust
ness, whatever it may bC-CarpCntry, ma.
sons work, stone cutting or any other
mechanical business. Not only this; tho
Trades Unions fix the price per day for
labor, and no workman is permitted Ia
do more than the stipulated amount Of
work. There are two results which fol.
low rs immediate and inevitable COnsC.
qucnces. First, the standard OF ability is
lGssGncd for want OF competition in the
grade OF apprentices; and, secondly, the
natural and proper ambition of the indi.
viduNl workman is stintcd by his rClcga.
ton toa standard based upon the capacity
Of the least intelligent OF his brother Jour.
neymcn. Among the members Of the
union there is permitted no difference Of
earnings. The consequence is, that the
wages per day being fixed, it must be
fixed at point attainable by the lowest
member, in point of skill.
The first effect is to dcteriorate the quail.
ity of all work; the second, is TO disCOur-
age capitalists from expanding money,
save in cases of absolute necessity; aud
the third, and, in the long run, the most
important, is to increase the cost of living
md TO diminish the number Of luxuries
the mechanic is able TO purchase and
enjoy. The mechanic is a producer, but
in an indirect way; he makes plough, or
puts up the walls Of cotton mill, or
builds the loom for weaving wooden cloth;
he does not receive, Us does the farmer
who plants corn or sOws wheat, his pay in
kind; he takes money, but he cannot cat
it, ii will not warm him; he must buy
flour Hand cotton cloth, and cashmere.
Now, the value OF his money depends
upon the price OF these necessities OF life /;
and the price OF these articles depends
upon their cost. II, then, the trades were
to combine, and, by refusing to teach any
apprentices, maintain monopoly, for a
generation 10 come, Of all mechanical
labor, keeping prices at any sum they
choose, ii would simply amount to pro.
hlbition Of industry, and the capitalist
would live upon the money he has already,
and the workman and his family would
starvc.
Just so near rs the approach is made to
this state Of things, just so far is the in.
terest of the wOrkingman destroyed
Take familiar example; houses cannot
he rented 50 rs 10 be Il desirable property,
nj less, say, than ten per cent on the cost :;
but yielding lower rate Of interest than
trade ordinarily pays, they will be erected
by the timid and unspcculatvc; if, then,
the carpenter, the mason, the painter and
other w0rkmcn, by combination, increase
the cost Of dwellings, they must pay Just
50 much higher rent; and this rule pre-.
walls throughout the whole circles OF the
neCcsSarics Of life. At last the consumer
pays all taxes and the interest on all the
expenditure necessary To provide Tor the
comfort of human lite.
Labor is the foundation Of NJ wealth,
and should be well paid; but the table Of
theg00se and the golden egg, is one which
will never cease 10 be applicable 10 those
who look only 10 temporary advantage
without asking what its elect istn be upon
the future, The workingmcn who limit
the number OF apprentices, have entered
upon a false career basel upon lallaCiOUs
reasoning; and their sons will repent the
Ignorance or willullnrSs OF thcirilathcrs.
TuE nrW iron furnace mllr EIiV.Gnur