The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-02-13
-AdNU4L LABOR.
lNotre Dame Scholastic. |

XdNU4L LABOR.
lNotre Dame scholastic.I
There is in the United States, in our day,
corning the honorableness of personal
labor. This false pride does not effect all
young men. but We fear that many OF
those who have had the advantages of a
collegiate education are affected by it.
From the time whom the decree went
forth that man should earn his bread by
| the sweat OF his brow, there has been to e
certain extent q natural feeling of rebel.
lion against it. In the early ages of the
| world this feeling was caused by ipdo-
lence alone, and not by pride, for we know
that in spite of it labor was coDsided as
honorable. The patriarchs felt no degrade
ton in tilliog the earth and keeping cattle.
The Romans during ages of the republic
entertained no contempt for labor, for we
read that the great Cincinnatus when
chosen as the supreme magistrate of the
Commonwealth was found at the pillow.
Among the ancient Hebrews none of the
ordinary occupations of life carried with
them ar ything of dishonor, and the prophet
Elisha. though q man of wealth, was found
ploughing in his field. All labor. though
it might not be welcome, was in those
times honorable. But as the increase of
wealth enabled some to live without toll,
they were led to pass their time in idleDess,
q
reputation and q responsibility which it
was far from .meriting, while on the other
hand labor sunk in the estimation of men
and they rebelled against it through false
pride.
Then moreover in the middle ages, when
Europe became the prey of horde of mill
tary adventurers, the whole country was
parcelled out among them in the form of
large estates. Those who formerly owned
the lands became the serf of these men,
and held their lands under the obligation
of personal service. Toll then became the
badge of servitude, and idleness the SYM
Dol of nobilitys This accumulation of
riches without toll or personal merit, by
violence and rspine alone, and the trans
mission of them by the laws of primogen-
iture, seem to have destroyed the found
alton, of all true estimate of character In
England these institutions have been per-
petuated, and have kept alive the same
feeling. Hence. society is there divided
by barrier which is absolutely impassa.
bic.
1t might be supposed that in in this
country, where man has done away with
the rights of primogeniture and has shaken
off the unjust institutions of the Old
World, he would likewise cast aside it's
unjust prejudicies. With large forests to
clear, and broad prairies to settle, it might
be supposed that, as every man here is the
artifcer of his own fortunes, labor would
be again restored to that high estimation
10 which it was held in the primitive ages.
Besides this the establishment of a repub-
lcan form of government might have, one
would think, the same tendency. Yet
such is not wholly the case. Our country
also is suffering from this false pride.
Young men despise agriculture and me-
chanic arts, not only because they promise
they consider manual labor as incompatible
with respectability. Although there is no
land on the face of the earth where there |
are greater inducements for farming, and |
where mechanical skill is more highly re-
warded, yet there is feeling of degrada- |
ton c!ipging to the idea of personal labor |
which prevents young men from devoting |
themselves to it. This is why commercial |
houses are stocked with poorly paid clerks |
who might succeed far better would they |
return to their farms or learn good trade. /
This is why there are 80 many young men |
endeavoring to enter the learned profess
sions. A new village in the far West
scarcely syringe up before it is overrun
with professional men.
1t may be objected that Collegiate edu
cation units young men for q life of toll,
hat it has tendency to cause that ex-
rene fastidiousness which drives them
rom manual labor. But to this objection
We may answer that the feeling against the
of labor is q prejudice false
and unfounded in the nature of things,
and has it's origin from an accidental as
ISOLATION of ideas. The truth is that one
kind of honest labor is respectable as an
other. No, employment dIgnifies the per-
son but on the contrary the persons dig
niies the employment. If for some ages
past those who have done the labor of the
world have not had the advantages OF edu-
cation and refinement, iG does not follow
that those who do possess them should re-
frain now from taking part in it. On the
they should assist in diguifying
labor and learning at college as they do
that all kinds OF labor are respectable, they
should be prepared to devote themselves to
some one of them.
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