The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-01-11

san Francisco, Cal, Dec 27.
70 the Editor Of the woREiSasAy's ADvocArs.
THR AMERICAN MEcHANIC
The educated ingenious American me
chanic may change his occupation, but he
can rlss no higher he has no superiors,
and is proud Of the fact that he has so many
equals. We see the highest civil and mill
tary offices filled by mechanics, but it does
nor elevate them above their trade Some
are better Workmen than others, SO there
are many shysters among lawyers, and
many quaoks among doetoraI inAa-l thsy
are the rule, and eminent men the excep-
ton among the professions. Nature has
done more for one than another in every
condition Of life; but the proportion
of great men is less among the pro-
LESSONS than in the great body Of American
mechanics. lis education and well bal
anced brain that regulates capacity.
THE GREATEST MANUFACTURERS
in Europe admit that the American me
chanic, getting three times the wages Of
European workmen, produce twenty five
50 low that that they are sent to Europe
and sold at profit. Of this they make a
great mystery, when in fact, there Is moth
ing palmer to the understanding Of the
American philosopher For example Pre-
sent popular petition to the young me
chanics Of the United States see them
sign their names they h old the pen grace
fully in their work-stained fingers, and sign
in a strong, bold, Hancock style. and then
present it among those Of foreign birth,
and see them make their mark, or sign as
if spider had got in the ink and craw ed
across the paper.
THEN ASK WHY II is So
The American will tell you he has h3a I.
good common school education, while the
foreigner will say with bowed head and
looks Of detection, 81 have had no school
ing" This being the condition of trades
men nov, shall we raise theforeign mechanic
to our standard, or shall VIC sink ourselves
to his low degree This is one Of the most
important questions now presented for the
consideration Of the American people
Among fathers and mothers we find feel
ing prevailing that t. be a mechanic will
only degrade their sons, or if not quite 80
bad, it will sink their social standard below
their comrades who regardless Of capacity
may have been forced into some profeE-
sional callings.
THE MECHANIC
who for life time has labored hard to give
his son social standing equal to any Of
his age, finds him growing up to manhood
without trade or calling by which to fight
the battles of life. He finds the professions
already full of men inferior III capacity ;
and the trades being filled with Chinese at
such . rapid rate, and at such low prices,
there is no hope in that direction Such
q condition Of things can only exist with
national injury and personal disgrace. We
may cry out against Hoodlumism as much
as we like. but the evil will continue as
long as the conditions are the same nor
can it be cured by boys any more than it
will cure itself it must be done by men
those who have families and are raising
children to men Of the next generation.
At Beaver Falls, in Pennsylvania, near
Pittsburgh, 800 men we're engaged in
MANUFACTURING CUTLERY
men who were getting $50 per month, but
not long since they were discharged and
800 Cinnamon taken into the factory at $40
per month. By this operation the manu-
facturer saves S18, 900 per month, and feeds
$40 MOngolians without families, while he
throws out of employment 800 Americans,
their wives, sons and daughters about
1900. There is not very bright future
for a man with wife and four or five chill
dren to live on his labor at $40 per month.
Yet that is the prospect presented to his
mind, ana if all manufacturers would do
the same, it would be fixed fact, that our
American mechanics would be the equal Of
Chinese mechanics, in both business and
social intercourse. Such result would
prevent marriages and promote prostitu-
ton and no man would marry with the
prospect Of raisinga
FAMILY OF CHILDREN
under such forbiding circumstances. Nor
will it be any better with the women, for
they. too, being crowded ont of work and
home, and place, must be driven to lives Of
Indebtedness and want.
The Chinese having nowivesin this coun-
try and will raise no children there being
no marriages among poor white people,
and rich ladies being too proud 10 have
them, there would be no white children.
With such state Of things it would mot
be far-fetched TO predict that in about
forty years we will deserve the fate Of
6edsR and MemOrrah indeed the Gas