New-York tribune., 1883-03-18
TRADES FOB AMERICANS.

TRADES FOR AMERICANS.
Two or three weeks ago careful inquiry
was instituted in Philadelphia, the largest man
| ufactuing city in the country, as to the rea-
tive number of foreigners and native Americans
| engaged in the trades and as skilled handi-
craftsmen OF every kind. The result was start
| ling. FOREIGNERS, especially the Germans and
| Scotch Irishmen, had shouldered our own
people altogether out of almost every such oc-
cupation The American boys could be
| counted on the fingers who were learning the
trade of weaving in the great woOen and car
| net manufactures. The same story was told IN
| the cotton mills, at the stocking looms. Yet
the wages paid to these skilled workmen are
| high and steady. The ScOtchnan or North
| Irshman earns from SIS to $40 per week III
| Philadelphia, owns his comfortable dwelling.
and brings up his son to the same trade which
| bis own father, most probably, followed III
| Glasgow or Londonderry. The American boy
has not learned this sure. slow road to comfort
from his father There was the same report
from manufacturers of paper, soap, Shoes
clothes furniture shipbuilders, cutlers-eyery
| industry. in short, but two. The American boy
| of the class which does not enter the profess
sions is not to be found in the trades partly be-
cause lie is barred out by the trades unioos,
| hut more because he does not choose to go into
! them. To this general rule there are, however
| two notable exceptions: printing and machine
shops. Each of these trades Is crowded with
native American apprentices. ave turn
away raid the superintendent of great en-
| CINE works, hundreds of applicants In year,
| for whom we can find no place"
| Now here is n significant hint of national
character. We are perpetually told that the
American lad of the partially educated class
| refuses to learn n trade and becomes a sales
| man or clerk on miserable salary, from the
| snobbish, vulgar desire to be considered a
| gentleman. Yet the same young fellow III Il
| printing Office or machine foundry works
harder and comes out of his daily drudgery
more grimy and shabby than any other me-
chauic 1t is no ambition for gentility that moves
, him to these pursuits. Bat they open to him
| possible short roads to success; they give his
| inventive faculties some play. 1t is only one
man in a hundred who out of the composing or
| press room becomes editor or publisher; or
who turns out to be a lucky Harrison or
| Winans in the machine shop. Bat each hoy is
confident that he will be that man. When lie
goes into business MS salesman at $3 per
I week, he knows he will some day be an AstOr
or a Stewart. When he goes out to Colorado
as "A boy he sees in vision his own cattle
grazing on II thousand hills.
Hence he turns his back on the trades in
which there is no chance for sudden success,
and by which the plodding German or Protest
ant Irishman generation after generation Sc
cures n steady limited competency. Our lad
must put on seven-league boots to go to his
fortune, or he will not 20 at all. In a certain
| sense, therefore, there appears 10 be no remedy
for this present condition of affairs. The eOp-
ard cannot change his spots nor the Ethiopian
his skin, and The vivid, inventive, sharp eyed
American, fond Of earning und squandering
money in bulk, will never he brought to plod
and save and enjoy life pennywOTth ut n time
like his European neighbor, who was not born
prospective heir to n great estate certain
grade Of our skilled trades will always remain,
il is probable, IN the hands OF foreigners.
But one lesson our American lad must learn
before he succeeds, and as he Is exceptionally
sharp he generally does learn it when he finds
he does not succeed without it. That Is, stead
mess of aim. Instability is our national defect
The American of twenty-four who has made
up his mind IA to his business, his politics and
his religion, and who abides by them for the
next ten years, is II marked and weighty man.
Take the crowds Of fortune seekers pouring
now into Colorado or Dakota and you will find
each of them has tried two or twenty methods
Of earning living before he fell back, like An
teus, on the bosom of Mother Earth TO gather
strength. Two or three names in each profes-
sion, in trade and invention would complete
tho list of living Americans who have made II
great and signal success; and they are inya-
rnby men OF intlexble singleness of purpose.
The American lad. educated or half educated,
is too apt to scatter his shot and hit nothing.
He would be suddenly rich, he would be known
ns II politician, he would be II man of society.
Hence, with heritage of natural abilities above
mediOcrity, with keen perceptions, fine tastes
aud q lmitless estate waiting for him to claim,
he fails. 1t is story as old AS the world.
Reuben" said the seer thousands Of years ago,
ais the first-born the excellency of dignity
"and the excellency of pOwer. Unstable as
"watcr he shall not excel"
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Mr.. Randall emerged from Congress straddling
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