New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-09
THE JEW WORKMAN ~ ENGLAND.
SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE IMMf
GRANT
From The Contemporary Review.

From The Contemporary Review.
A great advantage which the immigrant
enjoys over his native competitor is the pos
session Of abundant store Of restless
mental energy. He Is as fond OF exercising
his brains as the Engshman his MUSCLES.
Having been compelled for ages 10 use his wits
his sole weapon against the brute force OF
his Christian prosecutor with an intellect whlch
never enslaved but has been sh"rpencd by
the mental gymnastics Of the TdlmUd, ne can
not help keeping his mini on the rack. He IS al
WAYS up and doing something. The great inert
mass ~ duh torpid. minimizing industrial
slaves the despair of the reforncr is unknown
among the immigrants. Wfo possess any amount
Of initiative and GO The object I'm life Of the
British workman * to obtain a remuneration
for his labor which shall be sufficient 10 cover
his needs-tO get living wage to sustain A
STANDARD Of comfort suitable for a man in his
station in life" From time 10 time he makes
a move onward. and, having gained his object.
rests on his oars. Having no station in he.
and holding a standard ~ comfort Of infinite
1eXibi'y. the immigrant with his restless.
revolutionary. Southern temperament does not
know whore to stop. He is always pushing his
way forward His living wage is what his
capacities will bring MIN in tho open labor mar
ket. In ability 70 strike a bargain with his en-
plover he has no equal. i'm this art he is a per
feet master 1t is enough to watch the 'greener
in his logged determination 10 get 10 know the
full market value Of his labor and the place
where he can dispose ~ if 10 the best advan-
tag to become convinced how absurd it is to
assume that because he comes from country
whore the standlrd Of comfort IS lover than in
England he will therefore he willing 70 work
for lower wages
II you find him working for nominal wage.
It is because he sees no other way ~ improving
his position than temporarily 10 accept poor
pav. but low wage does not IN the least imply
that he is satisfied l. Is matter II diplomacy
with him II he cannot g in through the open
door he is content 10 cleep in the best way he
can He "a never obstinate. and knows " hen 10
submit H. has a number II sayings HIGH all
point 20 the wisdom If boVing 70 the inevitable
H has none If the blind obstinScy II the Eng
Lshman who will run his head against stone
wall before he can he convinced that two OBJ
iects cannot oOou'y the same space The feNi-
biliy - the Jewish Wor.man's character. While
# makes IT possible for him 10 accept the in
e,it4hle at the Same time makes II all the
more difficult for him 70 resign himself He IS
always On he lookout - increase his earnings.
He will never accept rate OF wages unless he
is perfectly satisfied that II Ia the most he can
ger Should he suspect that he can in another
place obtain for his labor shilling PER week
more. ~ will not take him long 70 get there. He
never underestimate his capacities Modesty
IS not one IF his faults He is generally under
Tie impression that ne s getting less than he ~
worth An Objectionable Characteristic II you
like That is matter NJ taste But he belongs
in every respect ~ tho most progressive class
~ workmen that exists. He can fight his way
in the world thrva. md win for himself good
conditions (Which are essentially different from
those a. Fnzlishm4n VIII consider good unde-
circumstances which would he fatal 10 the aver
age Englishman
The British workman often uses his organza-
ton 70 build wall round his trade. in which
he feels he has vested interest He limits the
number OF apprentices. and protects himself
against the intrusion Of members Of his own
class as we'll as against the aggression OF his
employer He guards against overlapping
and too often resists any innovation in his trade
being under the impression that his work Is
fixed quantity. and that it is his interest 70 see
that II should take long possible TO ac-
complish il. In this resooct the INN grant pre-
sents a striking contrast. His revolutionary
temperament the excess Of his mental energy
finds an outlet IN constantly seeking FOR fortl
or a new way he sometimes calls it-that
is a new and more efficient method Of working
He is never so happy as when he finds out a
new way OF accomplishing the same result
with less labor When he has set work to
do you will often ind him busy with his tools
If asked what he is up TO. he will cay. "Oh I
am looking for A fortl" He will then tell you
that h has heard about some who has
found out fortl ~ doing certain thing with
so much less labor found a new method Of
turning out his work which looks "glatter''-
T. e. neater. simpler-and one may he sure that
he will not rest content until he has found this
new fortl Mere physical labor has attrac-
ton for him. He must do something which re-
quires the exercise ~ his brains as well as his
muscles