St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-01-20

workers. Not an absolutely accur-
ate one. of course, for the complete
prostration of some industry sends all
its workers adrift; but it is an approx
mateiy correct one, and will compare, as
to that, very favorably with, say, the
census of Superintendent Porter. The
| men who are retained by their employ
erS when industrial sail is cloSe-reefed
are those who have shown themselves
| the most deytrous. most faithful, most
honest. There is. of course. ample play
for the fallibility Of judgment in the
| employers and of favoritsm of sub
ordinate5 in charge of departments; but
exceptions only prove the rule in this
as in other matters. and the overmaster-
ing impulse for gain is finally the con-
trolling motive.
And who are these capable men?
Why in any craft are not all equally
alert, apt and deXtrous? Sociaiistic
theories assume they are. Some labor
| organizations assume that as the basis
of their wage scale. But facts prevail
over conjectureS and creations of the
sentiments, and 1t remains one OF the
ineXplicable facts of life that men are OF
different aptitudes and of varying de-
grees of power in similar aptiJudeS.
Sentiment rails against this, and social
ism is based on the desires of men to
avoid the inevitable consequences of it.
But sentiment and socialism quarrel
with the immutabIe foundations of
humanity, and the steadfast law pre-
| walls over all the articles OF men to an
null it.
The capable man in any calling is he
who has been fortunate enough TO find,
or have found for him, or by sheer force
OF impulse has been driven into the vo.
| cation for which his aptitudes qualify
| him. The incapable man in any voca-
ton is he who has let his fancy lead
| him for reasons Interior to himself to
the calling he is in. The professions
allure thousands TO them by their social
advantages, the prizes of wealth and
| distinction won in them. the greater
ease of life they appear to offer. Men
in quantities are in the professions.
practicing law or medicine or pounding
the velvets of the pulpits, who should
| be driving engines, conducting mer-
camille establishments, at the bench in
| the mechanic arts or driving the car
penter's plane, where their failures as
| lawyer or doctor or minister would be
turned into conspicuous masterShlp.
| And the reverse is true. ! he world is
full of mute, inglorious Halnpdens,"
and many an unsupported statesman
patiently follows the pillow. On every
hand square pegs are trying to adjust
themselves to round holes, while other
ronnd pegs are trying to fit themselves
into square holes.
| Industry is hungry for the master.
| EVERYWHERE he is in demand. The man
who has mastered his calling; the mas
ter workman, on whatever bench he sits;
on him employment always waits, while
idleness never comes except as an invited
| guest.i If he have administrative capac-
ity also, he becomes the employer. the dl-
rector Of the labor of other men. When
you find him you will always find the
man VINO in his youth gave his leading
aptitude full play-did that work for
| which he was best adapted-the doing
of which brought no WEAKNESS and gave
| pleasure. He pursues his vocation with
| the zeal of a lover. and for the same
:eason-he loves it. When crippled
production makes reduction of force
necessary, he is the man who keeps his
place while the misftS eat the bread Of
| idleneSS.