Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-03-01

the large number who refrained from
answering had been unsuccessful In
business and feared that an acknowl-
edgment of this fact would be used to
the disadvantage of colleges. Regard.
less of the value of such data as that
collated by Mr.. Crane 1t would seem
that both he and his critic were guilty
OF fundamental error regarding the
purpose of the higher education. They
seem to have entirely missed the point
that knowledge is valuable because 1t
Is knowledge and that its value does
not necessarily consist in the ability
OF Its possessor to convert 1t into the
coin OF the realm" AS Mr.. Bartlett
says, there Is more happiness In know.
ing things than in having things.
knowledge and the higher education
are worth acquiring for their own sake.
II every college graduate in the land
Tor hundred years died without nc.
cumulating property. or even died poor
In this worlds goods. it would not con.
stitute an argument against college
education. As matter of fact. how.
ever, any training that dlsciplines,
broadens and enriches the mind. as
university or college training does,
must supply better equipment for
graphing readily and successfully with
the problem of existence. whether In
the learned professions or IN the de.
lnrtment of commercial endeavOr. It
IL not the primary function of a college
to show a man how to make money.
1t Is scarcely credible that there
should exist sufficient ground for the
remarks made by members of the Chi
cage Federation of Labor touching an
age limit beyond which mechanics and
lnborcrs find difficulty IN securing en-.
ployment. The limit mentioned--35 and
DDS SO low, 50 far from what Is zen.
orally copsidercd old age. SO clearly In
the very prime of life. that one cannot
help expressing the hope that the com.
plainants are mistaken. Yet there mus,
be some basis for the criticism. some
reason for the action taken by the Fed.
Grafton In resolving to Investigate the
matter ana ito see II some action can
not be taken to correct the evil" The
temper Of the labor element o. this
point must be judged from the lronical
remark made by one Of the speakers at
a recent meeting of the FcderatiOn-"A
man should be dragged out and shot
when he has reached the age Of II
years. lie Is dead timber IN
the pathway Of progress under modern
industrial conditions" Following this
1t was stated that some of the railroads
and large manufacturing establish
lncnts now refuse to hire man over 81
years old, and that mechanics are dis
charged at the age of 45 years by these
concerns because they are too old
Without more evidence than this. few
are prepared to accept It as fact. We
can understand how railway companies
that have adopted the merit system In
making promotions In their service
should place comparatively low limit
on the age at which they will take new
employees; but that any man should be
considered unfit for work simply be.
cause lie Inns reached the age of 10 Is
incredible. 1t has been pretty clearly
estab llshed that the really useful and
productive years of the average mans
life are the decades between 10 and w.
Even beyond 90 man Is at Ills best,
particularly where combination Of
skill ana experience Is requisite. In
fact. the general tendency Is to advance
the age limit, and for this reason we
shall await with interest the further In.
vestigatiOn Of the Federation OF Labor
Into this most important question. II
would be matter for profound regret
should 1t develop that our modern In.
dustrial system finds a man too old to
enter 1t ut the vigorous age of 35. and
useless to 1t in the height Of his prime
at 45. or even ut the steadled and OK.
pericnced age Of %.