The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-11-15

Ia nothing DO The people reed ad-
vice more than at the 2 when iber
are just entering upon mauhooo :
cares aad duties anh the acyice
most appropriate. and sh'ea should
be written 10 letters Of gold 80 they
could see it at every tara thar TIE
heel ofyouth's fortune makes, -
Learn 70 do something Thousands
Il voung men walk the streets OF orr
cities seeking employment and ind
ias il not because they have not
learned TO do anything. Thousands
and hundreds Of thousands Of men
with families i've pTecaricusiy, liable
ata1y time 60 be objects Of charity,
never sure Of a living the next
year or next month because they
neglect 10 their youth 10 leara to 90
anything Worse still, Of all the
blasted lives 10 our prisons, houses Of
correction, aud poor-h0uses, it IS safe
TO say that az least nine-tentbs are
st to the world OF usefulness he
cause young men do not learn 10 DO
ANYTHING. A rgdineataTy education,
sucb as children get is the schools.
imperfect as it may be, is highly in
portant-we have iuIlv recognized It's
value ia New Englasd; BUTT IS got
more important thar knowledge %
skilled labor and habits Of industry
II is better for a boy 10 have q trade
and never go into the grammar
school than TO graduate from the
High School with credit, and not
learn to do anything; but there is no
necessity for illitersle mechanics, or
educated loafers. True education
teaches both head and hands, and
the union Of the two helps 10 elevate
the one and utilize the other. There
is always room 10 the FIRST rank of
the profess ons, Daniel Webster said
but there are too many boys going
into the professions who ale united
Cor item. Many good mechanics are
wasted 70 make poor ministers, law
yers and doctors. The professions
are o~vercrcwded with Inefficient
men aud many others 100 proud TO
learn a mechanical trade, although
too poor to live 10 idleness, gradual
IL drift into the large and always
growing class Of clerks. who are tas.
slowest 20 advance in life and the
FIRST to feel the pressure OF bard times.
Now and then one develops business
capacity and makes rapid progress,
becoming a successful merchant, an
energetic rail road manager, OF an
euterprisiag manufacture. But the
great majority Drift along, sometimes
employed aad sometimes idle, always
poorly paid, always uncertain rs To
the future. Even 10 brisk times The
supply Of clerks exceeds The demand;
AID when times are dull au advertise
mens FOR a clerk in Boston or Cnlca
90, New York or San Francisco VIII
have Q thousand answers. Il q
moderately smart young man should
learn "a mechanical trade, now, say
where ia the United States, with or
binary management be would be a
master workman 10 a few years,
aad always be sure Of employment
aud good pay. And. not oliy this,
but such is the demand fJT skilled
labor in this new country. wbere there
IS 50 much work TO be done, ibat 90
good mechanic ever need 10 60 With
out employment, and no smart me-
chanic, skilled in The higher parts Ct
bis trade, and with a capacity for
business. aeed work wiki his
hands al az. Such 4 person IS Ia
demand 20 superinteod labor, 20 guide
the labor Of skilled hands by the
work Of and educated bead There
never was a better time or place 10
learn q trade then now, AID in this
country. Few American boys are
learning trades. We are depending
TO a large extent on foreign emigra-
ton. So much the worse for the
American boys. And the policy oil
trades unions in ~enGeayoring to limi;
the number of apprentices IS ridicu-
lousy short sighted. Labor is the
source Of all wealth. Skill doubles
and qnadruples the value Of labor
The more skilled laborer5 the more
wealth, and the better for all, espeei-
ally all ~workiagmen. 0ae trades
union might naturally not see this
fundamental ruth but labor con-
gressi ia which all trades are repre-
sented should certainly see it. Master
workmen are disinclineG TO take ay-
prenyices, and journeymel would
limit the number. All three classes
are blind 10 their own interest in this
matter, and the country lacks skilled
workers, while the aims houses and
prisons are Overlooking with people
who have never learned to do any
thing. Boys, decide this matter for
Yourselves and learn 20 do something. {