Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-11-27
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS FOR COL
e 0RED YOUTHS.
WRITTEN FOR THE PIONEER PREas BY
PROF. A. w. PEGUES, OF cAsKges-
BORG, w. VA,
Pioneer Press,

and by labor, is meant, any human
exertion which demands something
for itself in exchange" 1t mus.not
however, be understood that the
wealth of all men seveially, is the
direct result of their respective la
Dor; yet, it is none the less true
that the wealth of all men is the re-
suit of labor--it represents so much
labor saved. The wealth Of che mil
lionaire, however illegitimately got
ten it may be, is none the less the
product of labor, if not Of himself,
1T is that of some other person or
persons.
Granting then that all wealth
springs from labor; it must necessa-
lily follow, that those men, or class
Of men, that people or class of peo-
pie who are best fitted to labor, aud
who actually furnish the most labor
will inevitably accumulate the great
est amount Of wealth. Individual
cases may prove to the contrary, but
here / speak of a people as a whole.
There are different kinds Of labor.
Labor may be classed, first, as COM
mon, such as railroadiug, farming,
etc.; second, skilled, including all
the mechanic branches, and COM
mands higher remuneration than
the common; third, the professional,
which requires long and technical
preparation, and demands the high
est remuneration. That people,
then. in whom are represented these
different forms of labor, are the peo-
pie best fitted to labor, and their
varied labor will be in greatest de-
mand, and of the most benefit to
humanity. Hence, those who are
we'll fitted and can thus diversely
labor, must of necessity become the
richer people.
Again wealth is measure Of
civilization and civilization, in
turn, is a measure of peoples So
cial, religious and political status.
Wealth measures civilization, since
"srugality and industry are indie
| pensible to wealth, and these in them
selves are infallible signs of civil
zation-the Distinguishing mark be-
| tween The barbarous and civilized
man.
Now if the Negro, as whole,
would ever become wealthy, if he
would ever reach a high plain Of civ
llization, if he would ever occupy a
lofty platform of social and religious
standing, if he would ever weld
much political influence and power,
is it not absolutely necessary that
he, too, be able to perform we'll the
skilled and professional labors, as
| we'll as the common
| Providence has bestowed upon him
no rare and specific gifts which are
denied to other people. He, too, is
child of nature, and as such, is
subject to all the laws and regula-
tons of nature. So long as we are
unable to cope with other men in
the sphere of skilled labor, SO long
must we remain the "hewers of wood
and drawers of water )" so long as
we are unable to wrestle with them
in the professional sphere, SO long
must we be the dupes and helpless
victims Of political intrigue and
fraud. The question which first
confronts us and assumes the shape
ola problem is How are we to at
tain these accomplishments lean
now think of no other way by which
it can be successfully brought about
than the establishment Of technical
or industrial schools, in which our
young men and women may learn