The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-07-29
"There's Room At the Top"

Inc young HAL dluOlllOuS W ouCOCON
in any line of business should always
bear this in mind. There are those in
plenty of mediocre ability, superficial
requirements, and inadequate prepare
ton, but the thoroughly trained and
competent are scarce. The standard of
modern professional requirements has
been greatly elevated by the advances
which the world has made within few
years past, and still higher demands
are constantly being made. The de-
mand for men who have a complete
knowledge of every department Of their
business has always been felt. The eX-
tent of that knowledge widens every
year. as improved methods and facilities
are introduced. The ship captain, for
instance, who few years ago needed
only to be acquainted with centuries old
theories of navigation, with what more
recent geographical explorations had
added thereto, now finds himself, in
this age of steam, working under totally
different conditions. What he formerly
knew is equally necessary now, but the
successful management of a ship pro-
PEELED bv steam calls for an entirely
new set of ideas and experiences, and
| the captain who would at present be q
thorough masterin his profession should
not only know how to run steam en-
zine, but be a practical hydraulic en-
| gineer, with a good knowledge also of
pueumatics and electricity, in order to
avail himself of all the advantages which
/ recent discoveries and inventions have
placed at the disposal of navigatOrs,
/ whereby more efficient work may be
done and higher degree of safety at
| tanned. There are captains in plenty
who are sailing masters only, but IN
proportion as they are also competent
in these other departments, whereby
they become in fact Independent Of their
subordinates, do they attain the higher
positions and greater responsibilities OF
their profession.
And what is true in this instance may
be said of nearly every branch of business
as we find like necessity for greater
amplitude and thOroughnesS of prepare
ton in all lines of professional activity.
The discoveries in chemistry within q
few wears past have been of far reach
ing importance and many of them have
] Dttu SlCH ILlIL q III Clttoo NtpNtpA Nt'Ai
not remain ignorant of the advances
made and retain his position in the
front rank of his profession. With law
vers, also, greater familiarity is eX
pected with all departments of modern
science, so that many members of the
bar at the present day may be really
classed as experts in the technicalitieS
of important industries. And with these
demands for higher standard of prep
aration the facilities for its attainment
have been so multiplied that they art
easily within the reach of all who have
the disposition and the energy to avail
themselves Of the opportunities offered
One popularity in the conduct OF Om
leading industries, however, has oper
ated rather to hinder the attainment o.
this higher standard of excellence
among workmen in many cases. TIT
division of labor now carried out II
such detail in most branches of busnes
has given us great numbers of wOrkmel
who know only a small portion Of {
trade. and; unless the mechanic be am
bilious to rise in his avocatiOn, he be
comes little better than a machine
BiackSmiths, machiniSts, carpenters
masOns, painters, shoemakerS, etc. ar
now divided into separate classes O
wOrkmen who are masters only OF som
speciality in their trade, rather than TIN
whole trade, and but seldom endeavO
to reach q practical knowledge of al
the other departments Of their own 5usi
ness. TOillUstrate from what is certainl
one fthe leastc0mp.icatedO of our trade
in modern shoe factory we find, beside
the cutters, filters and makers of the up
pers. there are different sets Of me
employed for lasting, heeiing, trim
ming. furnishing, finishing, etc, tn
finished boot or shoe in most cases be
inc ,he work of six to ten hands, eac
of whom knows only how to do his pan
? ticuar part. This division of labor IN
+ Gouhtedly gives the best results In tn
. a-cregate for the community, but tn
ease with which workmen attain pre-
ficiency in one small item of Who'll
, trade undoubtedly tends to check tha
ambition to excel which has thus ia
been the most marked characteristic {
, American mechanics.
, 81 have taken all knowledge to h
my province" wrote Lord Bacon,
1892, when ne was only thirty-One veal
Of age. The expression often occurs
Us when we consider what IS now e.
pected from first-class mechanics {
well as from professional men. Baeo
excelled all other men of his day in
knowledge OF the mutual relations
all departments Of knowledge" an
his philosophy. more than that Of an
] one else Of his time. taught "the art