The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1891-02-26
Looking for Employment.

BY careful computation the United States
Commissioner of Labor has shown that
there are in this year 1891, 500, seekers
for wOrk-and this includes both sexes and
ali ages-and there are only 400. 900 places
to be filled. In commenting upon this state
OF affairs the editor of the Scientific Ameri-
can says:
What, then, is the duty of the boy or
young man. impellcd by a praseworthy
ambition. or forced by necessity, to seek
occupation whereby he may rise in the
world, or at least make sure of cOmfOrta-
BILE maintenance? 1t is evident from the
bare statement of the case that the problem
will be. as it ever has been, a most serious
one for large proportion of the seekers for
work. In competition that is so
general among competitors urged by mo-
tives of every degree of forcefulness, it can
hardly be said that there is any memorable
law which DEGREES that only the most tit
shall survive. 1t may well be. nevertheless,
that the manner of survival, the degree of
success obtained by each, will, as rule, be
determined according as the competitors
are most fit for the places they are moving
forward to fill. The world is full of people
not lacking in certain degree of willing
ness to work, or in general intelligence and
ability. but who yet appear to find the
greatest difficulty in obtaining permanent
employment. The trouble with most of
them is that they have no special fitness for
any particular kind of work, and this is
what employers of labor are everywhere
seeking, with degree of particularly
never before so marked as at present. In
all the new industries so constantly arising,
~, ho1 -
dustrles are developing is vital necessity.
or the proposed new departure is almost
certain to be fOredOomed failure; and in
all the old industries the division of labor
has been carried to the minutest detail, to
obtain the greatest perfection in the work
| and the utmost economy of production.
General intelligence is an excellent Qualifi-
cation, mind disciplined to perceive things
LUMINOSITY and reason logically is of high
abstract value, but in trying to obtain en-
plOyment the question will be, What can
you 40? 1t does not so much matter what
line of business or avocation one chooses.
but the doing of more and better work
therein than another matters everything.
The humber the employment, entered into
with the right spirit. the more rapid as we'll
as the more certain will be the advance
ment. The foundations are thus deeply
laid. which. with energy and right direc-
ton, will never fail to support solid
growth.
We are constantly in receipt of letters
asking advice for young men wishing to
start in life in some trade or profession, but
who are unwilling to do that which lies be-
fore and all around them at their hands. In
most such cases it is impossible to give any
thing but the most general opinion, as the
personal equation forms so large factor in
the problem, but there is no place in this
country where one cannot put his hands to
something. Do what you can, whether it
is to your fancy or not-anything in prefer
ence to remaining idle-and make it the
stepping stone for something better. Train
ing, skill. special knowledge. are only re-
quired by hard work. but the resolution
which fails before humble task not to
ones liking is hardly to be counted upon to
meet the more exacting calls of higher
responsibility, and those who are wanting
in the energy to do, and do earnestly. what
is before them, would probably be found
very lily fitted for the higher places they
would like if the latter could be had simply
for the asking.