The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-03-13
Becoming a Mechanic.

les respecting the mistake often made
in estimating qualifications for the enter
prise. An opinion is too prevalent that
trade can be sufficiently learned in
few months, or year at most to master
the business. In order Ia become an
adept in any calling. person must re-
ceive the full lessons of experience. Let
him be ever so familiar with the theories
in all of the details, By the study OF books,
he is poorly qualified to secure success,
without thorough practical knowledge
of the branch of industry he has selected
to pursue, yet aside from the physical
efforts which are necessary to mas.
mastery. in the life of the mechanic, there
must be a due mental exertion.
It is only the absolute and pressing de-
mand fo- mechanics that gives so many
poor Wo:kmen employment, and while
the inferior workmen get employ ment,
they are not getting SUCH wages as the
times demand. A first class mechanic
can obtain almost any price in the bounds
of reason, and can hold position per
manently so long as there is work to be
performed, while the underling is con-
stantly changing and when the time
comes for reducing the help, he is ihe
first to travel. Now what we wish par
ticularly to enforce upon the young men
at this time. is the Importance of getting
a full knowledge Of the business that Is
chosen az an occupation. before leaving
the apprenticeship to attempt Jour"
work. 1t is thought that after some
thing of an insight into trade has been
obtained, greater wages can be secured
than by continuing with their instructor,
and this is fact, but for every dollar
gained in the first two years after making
the change, ten is lost in the subsequent
two, and for the simple reason that an
unskilled man attempting the work of a
jour,as he can obtain jobs here and there,
never becomes efficient as a mechanic,
and never receives first-class mechanics
wages, after display OF his absolute
ability has been made.
Further than this, 10 be successful as
mechanic, a person must entertain SEN
tIments of selfrespect, or, in otE er words
he must feel that ne does not degrade
himself by his employ ment, and that to
be engaged in it, he shall be considered
honorable by those whose good opinion
he is anxious to secure.
Here we meet with one of the worst
follies of which young men are guilty.
An idea-the hot-bed growth of what
is styled ''cod fish aristocracy has ever
extensively obtained possession of the
mind that mechanic is not as respecta-
Bile as people who engage in lighter call
ings, or no callings at all. Many a silly
mother, forgetting that her father was a
tradesnan and mother a washer-woman,
labors with her daughters to make them
look above the honest mechanic, and to
reserve their smiles for those young men
who are distinguished from the vulgar
herd by Incidence, want of decency and
want of sense. This evil would hardly
deserve so much as passing notice, were
1t not that some young men are prone to
regard 1t as matter of some Importance,
and to feel depressed by sense of infer
iority, as regards their social position,
and we are free to say that such feeling
exists, a.person thus impressed is in cor
dition to enter successfully upon career
of usefulness as mechanic; he sets HIM
self to work, if he makes an attempt to
master the trade with mill stone around
his neck. He does not respect himself.
his calling, nor his associates. He Is
without motive adequate to the stimu-
lation and development of his better
facilities, and goes about his business
feeling like drudge, rather than as an
honorable and high minded aspirant after
laudable and praiseworthy object.
This fear of losing dignity among the
Americanpeople is becoming alarming
but com paratively few of the native young
men are becoming mechanics and already
we haye to look abroad for nearly all IF
our men to sustain the mechanical indus
tries. \ prominent architect in Chicago,
not long since made complaint o. the diff
fculty of finding young men who would
learn trades involving manual labor. He
raid that the rebuilding Of that city was
doae by foreign born citizens, who learn
ed their business in their countries. He
does not complain of that, as it makes
no difference where men are born as long
as they do their work well; but looks
forward twenty years, he cannot see
where the mechanics of that day are to
come from Europe cannot always fur-
nish skilled labor, and we arc not laying
the foundation to make a home supply
Now the reason Of all this deficiency
OF native mechanics, rs We have said be-
fore, Is 1t not owing to there being an in
sufficient remuneration for labor, but
from foolish pride aud absolute lazincss
1t is better to be good bricklayer than
poor lawyer frst-c;ass carpenter
than q common doctor. and man Is
much more independent as successful
shoemaker, than as poor editor, book
keeper, or.clerk; and it is worth while
for young men and pareuts to think OF
these things.
A good trade is always a comforting
companion to travel with, u something
that man can fall back upon in time Of
need, and yet it does not preclude hin,
from entering upon some profession. i:
his NOMINATIONS OIL genius deyelon the
proper capacity. In Iaus, our most she.
cessful business men in almost evcrv
capacity are from the workshops ana
farms.
There are high positions to be @ ,uiras
in mechani ,al arts, ard every work ma
has right, ara an opportunity to be-
come master of this bushes 5, and a
man can b. great in anything if he la.
the proper elements in him.