Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-04
ages in London.

From the London Telc graph.
We have already given publicity to the fact
that gentleman who, a few days since. adyer-
t'sed IN our columns Tor a clerk and OOkkeeper,
al a salary OF e per week. and who requested
that replies to his advertisement should be ad-
dFeSsfd to the Postal Department this journal
received in response 1850 applications for the
situation in question.
TO Judge from the eagerncss of the legion Of
candidates who rushed at this clerk shin e. a
Wees must have seemed q very Eden. pecuna-
rliy speaking. TO hundreds of genteellv brouoht
up uut poycrty-Strickcn Young men Let us
look a little at what G3 a week mean They
mean the wages OF working engineer of n
cahlnet-maker, OF a cOmpOsitOr OF a saddler of
iaIrier, and of many more branches OF manual
or mechanical industry. Many artisans In these
trades may be able to earn mere than three
pounds week: caryers modelers, ivory
turner's Watchmakers. opticians. coach
makers, decorators. can realize much more
money III the course OF a year than tile
average Clerk; and they are able to maintain
ana Ill tens oil thousands Of cases do MAINTAIN
their wives and families in comfort and respect a.
pillty- \ bookblndeT can earn good deal more
than a bOOkheoper; and a female "pianoforte
siiker Is. in the majority of instances. much
Deltef OH IMAM the unhappy damsel who offers
10 give piaHoi0rte lessons at the rate OF slI-
ling an hour. Parents of the middle classes
however are inbUcd with the absurd notion
that there IS something derOgatOry to their So
cial standing in having a son who is q Journey
man carpenter. or an engine driver or q stone
mason. Inc lad who wears out his shoe
leather iii trudging from countinp-honse
10 countins-n0use in quest of vacant
desk may be gifted with innate mechanical
genius and only wants technical training He
mas all the capacity tor learning but he has
never been taught handcraft it W0uld he a
thousand times better for him if he were fOro-
ing h0rseshOes and pou@li-cOulters: if he were
sewing pigskin or vencerin9 wood: if he were
painting cotcf-paneiS or trimming hammer
cloths. OF chasing teapOts, or diallinn watches
or grinding lenses. than that he should be dang
llnG about London with nothing to do or when
he IL so fortunate as to obtain Il Junior clerk
ship. that he should vegeiate on a miserable
eXlguous salary which barely furnishes him with
the means OF procuring IL sufiicency of nourish-
lilG fOod. to say nothing OF keeping I'D the an
rearaace OF gentleman iournevman
carpenter OF journey man blacksmith NAV be in
The trucst aCceptatiOn Of the term. quite as
mulch OF a gentleman as the unfortunate strip-
ling whose right hand has no cunning beyond
that OF casting up columns of figures and who
rs senior Clerks know to their sorrow is oft on
lneXpert at making the aggregate of l.. s d.
III Is time that all this nonsense about ..yenflc-
manly 3yocations were cast to the winds The
tact Is patent and notorious that the supply of
cicrhs-or. rather OF those who think themselves
competent to ill clerky posts. is immensely in
excess OF the demand; and that the demand
must grow every year even smaller as more
justice continues to be- done to women and az
employers avail themselves to greater extent
oi the dOcIty and Intelligence of female clerks