The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1888-11-17
coLLEG1ANs VS.. APPRENTICES.

do boys who have grown up In
trade, and received their education
and experience along with the hard
knocks commonly called getting the
eve teeth cut" That the fact, as thus
stated, is true cannot be denied. The
precise reason would, perhaps, be
hard to find; but there are many things
which the mind recurs to at once as
having q bearing on the subject.
First, college-bred young men are
without experience on the practical
side of life. The pushing, alert busi-
ness man is not particularly impressed
with the value of college degree in
forecasting the market or determin-
ing the value of sob lots" because he
knows business is not a theory at all,
but a hard fact. Then, too, collegi-
ans often give themselves superior
airs, which do not go down with their
associates, the majority of whom have
received honorable scars in their fight
with circumstances, and have little
tenderness for carpet knights. More
over, the impressionable and forma-
tive period of life having been spent
in the school room, they have not ac-
quired that alertness, that power to
grasp a business situation or problem
and instantly solve it. Nothing In
their school books taught them the
shrewd. watchful readiness competi-
ton makes necessary. Their refined
mental discipline is almost useless,
and at once upon entering the field
of trade they find they have great
deal to unlearn. 1t is not to be de-
MED that three dollar clerkship and
the slow painful climb to business
manhood must seem insulting to q
young fellow who can toss off Greek
hexameters on call, or deliver an ora
ton on Ciceronian Latin. We are
far from denying the value of aca-
demic training to the professional
man, but the tradesman's require
ments are different.
Take the young fellow who left
school as soon as he had mastered the
rule of three, and entered upon the
struggle for existence. His mind was
open to all impressions-he learned
business without knowing he was
learning, as child learns to talk. He
has formed business habits uncon-
sciously. His mind was moulded tc
alertness, rapidity of thought, prompt
itude of action, the requirements oi
business character. Let us illus
trate. Take little fellow of eight ol
nine years, brought up in well reg
ulated home, and place him beside
the street Arab, bootblack, or news
boy. On the score of mental activity
and practical knowledge and shrewd
ness, the latter will run him to cover
in two minutes. Does not some such
difference exist between the educated
young man and the one to whom
. business has been a matter of daily
life since early youth, which makes
employers prefer the latter? Is there
not some way of combining an intel
lectual with a practical business
training which will inure to the benefit
of all concerned? We have no desire
to discourage intellectual ambition
but the majority of mankind must
work for their living, and the time to
receive the necessary training for tha
work must, to accomplish the best re
suits, be commenced in youth.
ONE of the acts passed by Congress,
at the last session provides for a con-
gress of American nations to assem-,
BILE, on the invitation of the United
States, on October 2, 1889. The scope
of the proposed congress as outlined
in the act is very comprehensive
Among the matters to be considered
by it are measures to preserve the
peace and promote the prosperity Of
the nations represented, to establish 6
system of arbitration for the settle
ment Of disputes, as well as to intro
duce uniformity in a number of mat
ters affecting trade and commerce
Among the latter are mentioned 0
uniform system of weights and meas
ures, a common legal tender silver
coinage, uniform customs, appraise.
ment and quarantine regulations, and
laws relating to copyright, trade
marks and e1tradition. This is in
deed a far-reaching and imposing
programme. 1t contemplates moth
ing less than q gigantic commercial
union. Whatever the outcome of ths
congress may be its proceedings vii
be watched with unusual interest.
Hon. JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN ant
Miss Mary Edincott were quietl,