Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-09-03
Shall Boys Learn Trades?

FROM the Philadelphia Record.
The great lockout Of the glass blowers of
southern New Jersey and Brooklyn involves
not only question Of wages but the question
as to the right of employers to take such q
number OF apprentices they may deem req
uisite.
On the part Of the glass blowers the claim is
made that there are too many apprentices in
the business now and that with thei, increase
giassbiowing would soon become Improbable
to labor. The glass blowers contend that it is
rank injustice" to subject them to o COMPETE
ton which threatens Ito take the bread out Of
their mouths
On the other hand, the manufacturers insist
upon the absolute right Of conducting their
business in accordance with their own iudg-
ment, and OF taking as many apprentices as
they may require. They assert that the effect
OF an arbitrary restriction of the number Of
apprentices is to crowd American boys out Of
TINS industry and I'LL its ranks with foreigners.
II they should not be permitted to teach ap-
prentlces the trade, SO as to take the places of
those who drop out Of it, they claim that the
prosperity of their industry would be seriously
affected.
1t may be admitted that the chief object of
the manufacturers in employing apprentices is
to obtain cheap labor. Intelligent American
boys soon learn to perform the work of able
bodied men and the employer has the advan-
tage of their cheap labor during considerable
period OF their apprenticeship. The fact that
the practice OF taking large numbers of ap-
prentlces tends to overcrowd the market for
skilled labor and thus depress its wages cannot
be expected to give the manufacturers serious
concern.
At the same time any labor organization that
undertakes to dictate how many apprentices
shall be permitted to learn given trade places
itself wholly In the wrong. The right of choos-
Ing pursuit or occupation is, in this country
at least, as absolute as the enjoyment of the air
we breathe or the right of locomotion. ANY
attempt to arbitrarily restrict or interfere with
this right is fragrant violation of the princi-
Piles OF national justice imbedded in our Amer
lean constitution, which give to all citizens
1.-The Inherent and indefeasible right of pursu-
ing their own happiness" They may be fire.
quentiy mistaken concerning the best methods
OF securing happiness, but this is for themselves
alone to determine
The glass blowers insist that they have ga
right to live" and that they will fight to the
last against the threatened competition with
their labor. But they have no right to live by
doing wrong to others. When a person apol-
ogized to DR.. johnson for a wrongful action
with the plea, you know, doctor, I must
live" the sardonic moralist replied, II see no
necessity for that"
The right of others to acquire the trade of a
glass blower is as perfect as the right of those
who are employed in it. There is nothing in
natural law or in social convention which gives
w q AiiAitcu VI Hltu d the
occupation of glassblowing. If such a princi-
pie should be admitted in practice industrial
organization would react to o condition Like
that OF the tyrannical guilds of the middle
ages. Restrictions would be thrown around
every pursuit the struggle for existence would
become intensely embittered, and multitudes
OF youths, deberred of the opportunities of
earning an honest livelihood, would prey upon
society. The glass blower would no more es-
cape the consequences of such q condition of
things than other people.
Even If partially successful for brief time,
this movement to prevent American boys from
learning a trade must end in failure. The
splendid endowments of Williamson and other
philanthropists and the industrial schools that
are springing up everywhere are SO many pro-
tests of reason and humanity against the
narrow spirit that would limit the opportunities
of our youth to choose their pursuits and i'm
prove their condition. No combination OF
men in this country is powerful enough to ac-
complish an object so hostile to the enlightened
tendencies Of the age and so detrimental to the
best interests Of society.