The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-12-04
To Our Working Men.

The plentiful employment of many
different kinds, which has so long been
desired by the people of Staunton and
vicinity, now appears to be almost with
in reach. At the beginning Of these good
times, never yet known nor fully appre-
ciated in Staunton, the VIRGINIAN here
offers, from its experience III business and
its good will toward honest effort, a few
practical hints to all who would like to
benefit themselves by being worthy
workers in Staunton's new industrial
conditions.
First, above all else, resolve when en-
tering upon new employment to do to
the best of your ability the particular
work assigned to you. You are hired for
the purpose of getting your own part of
the work done as your employer wants
it done. You are paid for rendering
certain kind and quality of service. BY
listening, observing and thinking, you
can easily find out what you are wanted
to do and how you are wanted to do it's
Then while on duty let your one bust,
ness be to give complete satisfaction in
your work. Begin it and continue it
with cheerful and steady determine
ton to master it, Learn to like it by
thinking as much as possible about it,
pleasant features and as little as possible
about its unpleasant features. Do all
this for the sake Of obtaining the sure
and increasing reward of the skilled
4 4, 10 ,oIr, -
edgment of the lifetime of poverty and
drudgery lying before the inferior work
man. Admit in your own mind. rather
than before others. that the botch, the
good for nothing workman, is allowed to
live, not because he deserves to live, but
for the sake of his friends or because
there is no better man at hand for his
place. He is kept from starvation by
luck, or by considerations of charity.
To acquire skill you must judge your
work as it is, not as you would like to
imagine it to be. Don't indolently think
that your work is equal to another's
when little honest comparison will
show the superiority of his. Be always
at least, any real defects in your work,
and be still more ready to strive with all
your power to overcome your defects and
to make your work as good as the best.
A man is not likely to strive for the i'm
provement of his work when he foolish
ly imagines that it is very good already
How contemplate are the botches so
often met with, who go on from year to
year, not earning their wages, but talk
ing and criticising as if they knew al
and could accomplish all. Be honest
and just. in thought as well as IN deed.
Know your work as it is, strive to irn-
prove it, and you may soon have the sat
isfaction of knowing its value through
promotion, increased wages, and the
other means through which valuable
man is recognized.
No phase of the labor question need
concern you for the present You have
too much to learn on beginning new EN-
ployment to take an active part in labor
controversies Even when these are I'M
ayoidable it is hardly in good taste to be
prominently connected with them before
you have become a good independent
workman. And then it is to be hoped
that you and your fellow workmen will
be SO valuable and fair that your en-
ployer will be fair also, and that both
employer and employee will move along
together tremendously and prosper
ously.
The manufacturers that may engage
in business in Staunton will be favorable
toward natives of this community who
try to do their work well. Mr.. Coying-
ton says that it will be necessary of
course to bring from the North some
skiled worknen for operating the Kro-
der brass factory, to be started here next
March. but he says also that his concern
will employ as many new men as posi-
BILE from among Staanton people This
! factory will afford clean and healthful