, 1876-09-23

than 5 in 100 are capable of explaining
even what they do know. on, OF every
! 100, there may hc also who have "
| knowledge of mathematics sufficient to
make the calculations absolutely neces'
sary 10 their work, il required to do so {;
then, perhaps, s per cent OF "orkmen
can make decent mechanical drawing
But, on the other hand. per cent are
unsteady, ; per cent are comparatively
uniutnre,l, and 50 IN 50 that the chance
of finding the above mentioned compl-
nation in one nan is somewhat small
II becomes apparent, then, thAt AS Il rule
il is not the most useful worEmch WIN"
are PROMPTED into better positions IN
clude requirements other than man'pn-
m,iye skill: which requirements in the
aggregate give practical rXpertness a
comparatively small place in the general
qualification Of the foreman Thus 1t
happens that we may ilnd hundred
cases wherin the Norkmcn OF n shop
have profound respect tor some par
ticularly expert workmen, while only
one case in which such respect Is enter
tanned by the workmen for the foreman
OF shop; and it generally happens
that, where such respect does exist, 1t IS
bar 10 the advancement OF the expert
for the reason OF the impossibility OF
his assuming control over men with
whom his relations have been 80 init
mate. That this should be SO IS not at
all unreasonable, because his superiority
Is brought before them almost every day
of their lives. He is to them, to II GER
tain extent, II mystery in and upon
matter in which they themselves are, to
themselves, masters for of what does
the ordinary mechanic assume to know
more than of the trade at which he
spends his days from morning till night,
wear in and year out! When mechanic
exerts himself to his utmost, when he
calls 10 his aid all his experience, all his
knowledge, all his determination, and all
his strength, and then tails, and meets
another who, with the same tools and
under the same conditions, can perform
vastly more and superior work, he knows
TINT this capabilityis not due to either
advantages OF lrutg force or school edu-
cation, hut 10 some indefDable qualifi-
cation known as skill. This seems to
him to set education, perseverance, and
strength at defiance then respect creelS
in, and the skill becomes shrine, anu
its possessor an idol. An example OF
this kind occurs to our mind. A tall
streng man, with brawny arms and with
muse es hard and well developed, was
engaged in fling up some parallel bars !;
he had the work by contract, and had
filed up scores Of them. He was an e1-
perienced mechanic, and had gotten him
self into trouble for working so quickly
as to get those men who Glanced to have
the sams work to do by days work into
disrepute, because of their inability to
compete with them, even in cost, let
alone in time On one occasion, how
ever, a somewhat delicate looking work
man, who worked near, challenged him
to file up bur 10 competition with him
self (the challenger) The gauntlet thus
thrown down was accepted, and for three
hours the contest RACED. Each was al
lowed new rough, second cut, and smooth
files; and the excitement among the
other workmen, of whom there were
eight, ranged along the side of the same
lepch, was at high pitch. The chal'
lenger finished his work first, and it was
examined by his opponent and pro-
nounced well executed; but repetition
of the trial of skill was requested, and
made, with the same result. 1t was in
winter; the workshop had no heating
apparatus of any kind, and, though it
was freezing, the contestants were in
their shirt sleeves, and yet were pcrspir-
ing. Then the challenger was thus ad-
dressed by his opponent, who had ceased
wording and had been engaged few
moments in apparent deep thought: 81
cannot understand it; can only accept
and respect it. 1 have nearly twice
your strength. and have had ten years
more experience. can look over your
head, and CAn hold you with one hand {;