The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-01-30
THE YOU'VE MECHANICS CAPITAL.
HOW TO INCREASE IT.

lnYested-lS not at present under cOnsid-
Grafton. Every workshop proves be
yOnd the need of discussion that by in
dustry, thrift, and the avoidance Of
Wasteful habits, to say nothing Of the
more repreheHsible habits, it is possible
for any, even the lowest paid, workmen
to put by something, and thus, however
slowly, accumulate a reserve that may
be used as capital if opportunity serves.
The industries of the country are so full
Of evidences of this fact, that it need
not be insisted upon here. Let us con-
slider rather some of the means by which
wage eArners particularly those whose
mental and manual habits are not set
by age) may increase their working cap
ital more effectively and rapidly than
by any possible saving of wage money.
BY working capital we mean whatever
adds to the productive value OF mans
time, and increases his income without
requiring any increase in the duration
or severity of his labor The intelli-
gence or trustworthiness which causes
one laborer tO.be selected from among a
gang to oversee and direct the work
Of his mates, with an addition of a half
a dollar to his wages, is productive cap
ttal just as much as money at interest
yielding an equal sum a day. From
two to five years. earnings Of our labor
CT, saved in bulk and securely INFESTED,
would add no more to his income than
those qualifications which gained for
him his slight though materially valua-
BILE promotion. And almost any young
man can add fifty per cent, may be FIVE
hundred per cent, to his income by in
ereasing his worth to his employer, east
or than he can save the equivalent of
one years wages.
Accordingly, while we would not de-
cry in any way the good advice usually
given to young men beginning life as
wage earneTs, "Save money for future
capital" we would emphasize this COL
lateral advice: Improve your spare
time,a the quickest way to make cap
ital.r
A young man of ordinary capacity
dOee not have to work long at any me-
chanical arr before he can earn a dollar
day. He need not be very strong, or
very skillful, or very intelligent to be
worth that. An income of a dollar day
for each working day is equal to the in
terest on 80, 900 in United States 3 per
cent. bonds, or s., 500 in per cents, or
5000 at legal interest in most Of the
States. That is the value of the com
mon lsborer's working capital-that is,
his ability to do an average days work
at rough or unskilled labor three hnn-
dred days in a year, coupled with a will
lingness to do such work.
Our yoHng mechanic, we will suppose,
very properly aspires to be something
better than an unskilled laburer. How
can he most surely win promotion and a
more liberal income Tied down and
hampered in every way by the necessity
of dailytoil, it may seem to him that the
doors Of advancement for the moment at
least, are closed against him and with
out struggle to better his position he
may drift along, waiting for an oppor-
tunity that may never come. Orhe may
quietly sat to work TO increase his work
ing capital by trying to fit bimself for a
better paying grade of work.
This is usually the most obvious and
the easiest thing to do. BY steadily
trying to do the work he has to do
little bit better or a little bit
quicker, and by closely observing tie
working methods of more skillful men.
be can usually add rapidly to his pro
Il
himself to earn half dollar a day
more, he has accomplished as much as
II he had increased his deposit in the
savings bank bS the handsome u m of
$1,000. And his increased skill is quite
as secure an investment and quite as
we'll worth working for as so much
money on deUOsit. So, too, a good
handwriting or a knowledge of simple
accounts, which any young mechanic
can acquire by evening study and prac-
tice in a winter, may easily secure his
promotion TO a position worth half dol
lar day more than he could earn as a
mere labOrer. A patient study Of me-
chanical drawing furnishes a still more
rapid means by which young mechanic
can increase his working value, in 9TH
er words, his productive capital.
When our young mechanic has added
TO his knowledge and skill enough to
tmakeihis services 'Yorth two dollars a
day to an employer, he may fairly reck-
on that he has added $4,000 to his cap
lital. And on this reasonable basis it is
manifest that, of two Young workmen
of equal capacity, the one who-making
no effort TO improve himself-should
7have placed to his credit in bank 5000
-ayear for five years, would not be SO
fixed for life as his companion who de-
voted his spare rs5ne vigorously to the
work OF increasing his technical and
practical Knowledge os his trade and its
associated arts. while endeavoring dur
itbg his working hours to excel himself
AS skillful and conscientious work.
man. a capital Of S25, ,OOU in cash is
not to be despised-, but it will not earn
80 much for n maR as the knowIedge
skill, and mental and moral disc;pline
which our studieUs, faithful. and wide
awake mechanic might acdui1e. There
Is nothing that men pay for more Iiber-
ally, than ability and sterling character
and there is nO,wsy ty which these may
be gOt-aDd demonstrated so quickly and
sAure'y as by the hAbst OF doing one's