, 1881-03-27

there is something radically wrong In this ques-
ton Of apprentices, I fully believe. But placing
the blame where it does not wholly or mainly
belong will not abate the evil.
Under our State laws au apprentice can only
be pound until he is 10 years old, and his em-
11oyer has to teach him, or cause him to be
taught, reading, writing, and arithmetic. AT
the expiration Of his 18th year he has to give
him two suits Of clothes and SO in money. Uu-
der this law boy is treo at this age to choose
for himself who he shall labor for, und no con-
tract that he can make will hold him after he
nttans tat me- m Inns Is II w s
boss mechanics OF all kinds that npprentice
Tabor does not pay on account OF snort service
boys remain in school until they are H. and at u
they are free to go and come when tney choose.
About two years ago was talking With
when he was going to stop selling papers and
blackinr boots. He said he wanted to learn 9
he suid q machinisr- Hc said he had made in
qulry at several placcs, but without success,
became somewhat tnte rested, and said |
wou Id see what could do. went 70 nnmper eI
tried q number Of other trades, but without
success, Tho reasons given were various, and
in uny way influenced them, but every one Of
them assured me that aE the present time there
was none Of them that had any influence W1at-
should run their business or who they should
employ. ,,,
Of was. that apprentice lubor did not pay; that
boys that did not need wages to support them
did nor often want to he engaged in manual
labor, FOR the idea that was 50 generallY preva-
dadou still remains although In q much 1niluer
form, and so we that the professions are full
to ana aa M crowd
to scramble for the place. Invariably boys
wanting to learn trudes have to support them-
selves, and the time for which they desire to
learn is too short to be remunerntfve to the cfn-
ployer. One EMPLOYER said that the laSt boy ne
had used TO come when he pleased and 80 when
he chose, and, naturally enough, no got tired
and soured forever on boys.
One OF the most subtle reasons why thare is
such general dislike to the caro- Of apprentices
is to be found In the restlesness OF people en-
guRed in business; their liability atany hour to
change their occupation or engage In some
special line Of their own business The num-
ber of persons engaged In trades In this city that
have been in existence without change OF name,
proprietor, or occupation long enough TO give q
boy nu q the nsaai lenxtn y or
few. and could be counted on the fingers OF the
hands, aud think with some to spare.
The divisions OF lnbor in our new system i9
Take, for instance, tho subject OF tho cnrtoon
referred to, thai. OF carpenter Under tho new
in the city where d boy could learn the trade
thoroughly. TO 1earu TINT trade he would have
to work in a sash and door mill IN ITS various
departments, in stair builders shop. In IL car
pcnter shop, and in building; and then ordl-
narily his mechanical education will be vastly
inferior to the imported carpenter' and, tt
as 1t certainly will, it will not bo great while
before the State will have to establish mechan-
fcal schools for the educatson OF ita youth.
Another disturbing cause Ia relation to ap-
prentices Is tho system OF "piece work. ANY
business working under piece work regulations
necessarily excludes all unsk'lled !abor' nor 10
n7f f1u {rf1ff
hold and improve and finally graduate us skilled
labor. The line is as detnt1ly drawn as between
the hodcarrier and the brtckmason; Under this
system the only chance a boy has IL to work at
the same bench with his father, and receive his
mechanical education in thnt why:
10 me it seems as II the main cause why so
few boys learn trades is In the estimate Of me-
chanica1 labor by society in general. There
seems to be kind OF social ostracism under
girl" About four years ago was working in d
house making some small repairs. One Of the
ladies' boarding there was teucher IN the High g3
Jobs for her RrAluttously. she engaged in CON
versatlon while resumed my work. Finally she
said: ~ wonder you do not choose some more
ter?' sn1d, very quietly, Did you ever think
that Jesus Christ was II carpenter?" She seemed
m ny n for t
did seem rs II it was quite revelation to her.
Our boys need to be educated In appr eciate
also the true manllness of physical labor in con-
trast with that ereminate usurpaunu of
woman s peculiar domain behind the dry-good5
believe it is more from lack OF de-
sire than OF opportunity that we have no boys
learning trades. for, during the se9en years
have been running Business, have had only
one application looking to that end. and that was
q boy about II years old. and he said he could
not work for less than 81 or So d week But, II
1t is on account Of trndes-unions that our boys
do not learn trades, hope TaE TRIBUNE will
continue to agtate the question until every shop
and factory IS rs free TO boys US to men, and
every tradas-u union broken to pieces:
j. F. TREGAY,
. No. 1m Park avenue, Chicago.