Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-11-12
OLE NO. WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 49,
ROOM on TOR.

MUM Wv iOI.
The one great lesson taught to th
workingmen of the United States b,
the long period Of industrial deprei
sion, now happily past, was that "ther
is always room on top; !" that skille'
labor OF the best quality IS always il
demand. When millions of working
men were idle, when their familie
were in want, and when the countr,
was filed with wanderers seeking worl
or asking for bread, there was on
class not represented IN the masses o
unemployed sufferers. The few il
every branch Of Industry who ha,
thoroughly mastered their professions
and could do tho best work in thei
respective lines found employment
and, although there was reduction O
wages, they were able to snap thei
fingers in the face Of grim want tha
was slowly pressing hope and life ou
OF the less fortunate, because less skill
ful, members OF their various crafts
When the hard times began and de
mand tor all kinds of work and 1t,
products fell off the first discharges O.
employees included those whose skill
and proficiency were least. This has
always been the case In the past and
must be in all time to come, for this
condition is result of tho inHexible
laws regulating the relations d supply
and demand
The same important lesson is en-.
forced by the revival of business. In
all the leading manufacturing indus.
tries there is an emphatic and continu
ous demand for the best class Of work.
men. Energetic and skilled mechan.
les, qualified for fst-class rating and
capable Of doing their work thoroughly
well, are in most active request all over
the country. Especially is this the
case in the iron business, now enjoying
exceptional prosperity and so greatly in
need OF the very test machinists that
there are not enough in the country to
supply the demand. Inferior artisans
in this and all other lines are plenty.
The activity OF business has not in.
creased TO such an extent as to absorb
the entire supply ofaverage mechani.
cal skill, nor is il hhely ever to attain
such proportions as 10 create a scarcity
Of ordinary workmen in any branch,
THIS numerous class will always hold
their places by prccirious tenure, liza.
bic to discharge Tor slight cause, hav.
ing no prospect of ever rising TO the
position of employer, with strong
probability of passing their days in
poverty, and subject 10 the annoyances
and humiliations inevitably incident to
u state of uncertainty and dependence.
These remarks apply with equal
force TO what are called "the learned
professions" - although many enter
them with less of Learning than might
be profitably utilized in a blacksmith's
shop or bakery. Thousands of half.
educated, sbystering lawyers, an al
most equal number OF balf.starvcd
doctors, and a liberal sprinkling of pull
pit blockheads, are among the most
unhappy and useless people in this
country. Their services are not re-
SSrSd amo pasl 81 ps Sap sss frs tAS%
They are a dead weight, an incubus
wasting their lives, contributing moth
ing to the material, intellectual ol
moral progress of the human family
but supported by the unrequitted toi
of other and better men. The lawyer
doctor or preacher who has brains and
character enough to command respect
is sure of employment, and can rise in
bis profession. Avenues Of usefulness
are always open to such man. But
the ignoramus, the incompetent, the
weakling, whether at the bari the sick
room or in the pulpit, is buta nuisance
demanding abatement. Good work IL
as necessary to success for lawyer as
a shoemaker. An incompetent ply.
scian is scarcely moro desirable than
torpedo or nitro. glyccrine. An
ignorant preacher finds no more re
numerative demand for his products
than a bungling cobbler finds for his
i'll fitting patches and unsightly half
soles. While "there is always room
on top" always plenty of space ioi
those who can got near the top, The
lower strata In the professions arr
crowded with the lean and hungry.
A large proportion of the useless
members Of those professions might
have made q success, instead OF thoil
wretched failure in life, had they moi
been influenced by false pride. lfthey
had selected some trade and mastered
it in all its details, so as to turn oul
the best quality Of work, they woult
have been able TO obtain competency
as we'll as their own selfrespect anc
the respect of their iellow.men--nont
Of which can ever come to them il
their present way of living, or trying
to live. How much better is gooC
shoemaker, for instance, proud Of th,
beautiful products Of his skill, com
manding good pay for good work, IN
creasing the material wealth of th,
Nation, educating his children, stead
lily rising in the social scale and max
ing sure Of a support for his old age
how vastly more TO be honored is sucf
a man than the shystering lawyer
picking up pittance by pettifogging
the unskilled and unemployed doctor
specializing on the chances of being
kicked out of bis boarding house, Of
the numbskull earning little pay ant
great contempt in the pulpit. Th'
true secret Of success in lie is to selec
vocation within your natural capacity
and then learn il so well that the quail
ity Of your labor will insure its read,
sale Aim Tor tho top Washington
Post.