National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-04-24
DIGNITY OF LARnR

DIGNITY OF LABOR.
1t is decreed in the economy of the world,
no less than by Divine law, that by the
sweat of his brow shall man eat bread. 1t
is not necessary that his bread shall always
be gained by the manual labor of the hands,
but that it shall not be attained without
mental care or physical eXertion. The
"sweat of the brow" may be produced in
many ways. Without free and unobstructed
perspiration we can have no appetite or
healthful relish for the food which is found
necessary to our physical existence. The
manual labor exerted in the cultivation Of
the cereal, fruit and vegetable crops and in
the acquisition and preparation of animal
food is the most direct and primitive method
of ''eating our bread by the sweat Of the
brow" 1t involves less care and risk,
and IS more equable and just in its results
than any other. 1t is designed to promote
health and happiness in a higher degree
than any and all others, because of the
healthful exercise it necessitates and the
selfreliance and independence it inculcates.
A man respects himself according to the
quality and magnitude of his achievements
by and through his own individual exer-
tons, and greatly in proportion to his self
respect does he attract respect from his fel-
lows AS he cannot commend or admire
chicanery, deception and fraud in himself
or obtain for such practices the approval of
his conscience and judgement, he may be
certain that they will also fail to win for
him praise or admiration from others.
But the organization of communities in
the present age exhibits diversity of labor
and a system for the exchange of its pro-
ducts which afford opportunity and temp
tation for an indOlent life through the
risks of invention and speculation. And
ii is a lamentable fact that these non pro-
ducers, these traffickers in the labor and
products of the labor of others, manage in
these days to secure to themelvess the
lions share Of the results of industry.
This is wealth, accumulated capital, and
carries with it fearful and crushing power,
but not necessarily a 1.-THE of the true man
hood or dignity of character which natu-
rally and properly appertains to the laborer
Wv NANoANo hIab -" SdAAAs AONASAAOA AC-
suits only from labor; hence the laborer,
in his productive industry, assimilates in
this respect the Great Creator, and is 10
certain degree God-like. Labor is there
fore, properly considered, elevating and
ennObling in its tendency.
True dignity arises from that degree of
independence of the whIms and caprices of
others. which can only be secured by an
aptitude for labor. Wealthy Incidence is
at the mercy Of the caprice Of servitors.
The person who waits upon himself or
who has been so reared that he can support
himself by his own exertions and can min
lister TO his own necessities without the in
Prevention of helpers is in one sense indie
pendent. If his assistants or servants do
not please him he can at any time dispense
with them and suffer no great inconve-
nience from their discharge. A knowledge
of this fact is great restraint upon the
whims Of employees in an establishment.
If they think that the employer deems
their aid indispensable, they very soon
begin to dictate to him policy by which
TO conduct his affairs. In other words, an
employee who knows that his employer is
really ignorant Of the business he is pre-
tending to conduct is very apt to take adj
vantage of such ignorance to impose upon
his employer; at least there is a strong
temptation for him to do So and it is
strengthened by the thought that he has the
capitalist at his mercy.
Knowing as well as we all do the con-
venince, the utility and the great power for
gaining a subsistence and the degree of in
dependence resulting from a thorough
knowledge Of trade or profession, is it not
passing strange that the American people
are daily and yearly becoming more averse
to placing their sons ct trades or upon
farms? Whenever parents become little
wealthy it seems to be their highest ambi-
ton TO give their children fashionable
scholastic education. The advantages of a
sound rudimental English education is not
to be uDdervalued or belittled; but this at
tanned, every boy and girl should be practi-
cally instructed in some labor by which
subsistence could be gained in the event of
adversely overtaking the family fortune.
Coupled with this practical instruction
should be courses of reading and study
bearing upon the branch of industry which
is being acquired. The accounts and the
correspondence necessary to the proper
management Of the business should also be
studied by the learner. In this way, &C.
companicd by reading the current news of
the day as printed in the newspapers, our
children at the age of seventeen ought to be
possessed Of a sound, common scholastic
education and good trade or profession.
Our greatest difficulty in the present age
appears to be a lack of thoroughness in
almost everything we do that is good. We
are adopts only in our vices. Our orgies,
our devotion to Bacchus, our swindles and
our hypocrisy are finished and polished
efforts. We excel in villainies which have
received the stamp of responsibility. We
do not hesitate TO do under guise of cor
poratiOn organization things which it would
horTify US TO do as individuals. A COM
pany of saints may steal, rob, plumber the