Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-10-18

q manufacl uriDg centre. The men who
hold money are slow to invest in projects
they know nothing about, and in the manag-
ing of which they would have 10 depend on
the talent of strangers.
Now who is responsible for these existing
facts? We have abundance of native brain
power. Our professions are really so over
crowded that the man who works for a
living doesn't understand how they all sub
sist. We suppose the old Southern system
is to blame. That System was; to leave
manual labor to the negroes, raise cotton,
and buy all we want with the proceeds,
thus giving ourselves leisure for intellectual
and moral culture. That system was coed
enough while it was practicable. TIE man
who works merely for food and clothes is
slave to his necessities. Most of men in
this youthful Country work for more.
They work to secure leisure and the means
of gratifying their intellectual and social
natures. We see this illustrated i the
workingmen's move in the North for the
eight hour system. A large portion of the
Southern people enjoyed these higher aspi-
rations before the war without work, and
we do not blame them for taking advantage
of their circumstances.
But now the situation is changed. The
negroes no longer produce the half OF what
they used to do. As a consequence the
whites must work the more, or the South
will retrograde. But great deal of this
necessary increase of labor may oe avoided
by good management and economy. II, by
manufacturing at home what we need, we
can save the profits of distant makers and
of middlemen, as we as the cost of trans.
portation, cften doubled, we decrease the
amount of manual labor necessary to sus-
tain any given stage of civilization and Gull
ture. Hence our love Of the South aud its
old time customs is itself an incentive to
the multiplying Of home manufactured.
Such is our obvious interest, even from
the highest standpoint, and as it is equally
obvious that our moneyed men are slow to
invest in factories they do not under
stand, We venture a suggestion that may
gradually obviate existing difficulties.
Suppose our gray-h2ired gentlemen
send some of their sons to tie large manu-
featuring centres of the North, to take hold
and wress the secrets of the various indus
tries from practical participation in their |
workings. Some previous education in |
mathematics and the natural sciences will |
greatly help them, while the classics and |
literature will not impair their usefulness. |
Let them go to Philadelphia, Paterson, |
Lowell or Lynn, as to industrial colleges, in |
which to finish the education that is to make |
them enterprisiDg, useful, wealthy and re-
spected citizens their native section. Be-
coming thus familiar with the details and
possibilities of the various branches of in
dustry, the accession of their parents
wealth would enable them to inaugurate
hives of industry here 10 an intelligent and
profitable manner. Let each parent who
is able to do j., make at least one skilled
&rtizan for each doctor or lawyer. A trade
will cucumber no man, however wealthy or
talented he may 6e. Besides, wealth may
take to itself wings, and brain work is pro-
verbally under paid. The nobility of En-
rope I'm erstand this. Since the Reyoiu.
ton of 1893 ieopardized all old tenures, ev-
cry son of the old noble families is taught
some mode of livelihood by handiwotk, and
they have often had need to use it. Napo-
eon Ill, while in the hey-day of imperial
power, made the little Louis learn trade,
and be may yet be glad of IL as q means of
an honest living.
We have not yet'accommodsted ourselves
70 our changed circumstances, and parents,
especially weslthy parents, have great part
20 do. If the sors of capitalists be sent as
We suggest to learn how to conduct factor
es proftably,the establishment of these fac
ories here will give opportunities of honest
industry to thousands Of the so1s of the mid
lie and poorer classes. Once stsrted, we
need send afterwards only a few TO the
North or Europe 10 notice new improve
nents or inventions.
We know in Nashville an honest ind3s-
Iious poor man with family of six growing
boys. He is doing well enough here him
elf but it takes all bis wages to support
hose bows in ideness. Idle they must re-
main, for there are no openings for them to
work.. The man is on the eve of leaving
lere for some Northern place where be can
tut his boys to various trades. He says if |
cared here they will grow up vagabonds,
With no means of support. No doubt he is
light. It illustrates the crying need for
in city the size of Nashville.
(ou published q statement not long ago
bat 9S per cent of the convicts in the Unit
d States are men without trades. Their
arents neglected most impor ant part of |
ducation in not giving them 8 means Of
onest living, and sos they had to live by
heir wits or worse.
Another instance, illustrating what sug-
est: The principal owner oflsrge locomo-
i've and car shops in New York has an only
On. After giving him a good education, be
laced him at work IN his shops, kept &C
cunt of his time and paid him like the
Their mechanics. When he had thus gone
trough all the grades and was skilled in
ach branch, be told him to go West and
hift for himself. Thus armed with educa-
ion, q trade and industrious habits, his
ather had no fears for him, kno wing such /!
len are in constant demand. The son OBJ
aimed job in Indiana, and keeping his
arentsge secret, soon worked up to be
brennan and then superintendent of the
argest works in that State. The father,
roud Of bis sons self achieved success,
ought nearly all the stock of this Indiana
and on last Christmas made the
IN President of the concern, and made him
present of the stock. Such parents make
heir wealth blessing to their children
lstead Of q curse, as &c too often proves to
hose reared in idleness.
How many young men in Nashville, now ,
vashing their strength and substance IN
ileness or rioting, would gladly initiate the
Dung New Yorker, if the chance were
lven. Is it too late to begin the good
vork? or rather can it be begun moment
20 soon? Let parents who desire tins
loral and material welfare of their children,
link over this matter, and fou- or i've
ears hence half our idle capital viii be ,
seking industrial channels. MONITOR.