The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1916-09-14

dressing a CLASS VI tpiyo Hiihi1s oh
glneers. | ought to talk about the
profession of mining. But no, that
does not sound just right. | should
say rather the profession of mining
engineers. We mining engineers are
strongly given to talking about our
profession, about it's dignity about its
ethics and so forth.
Now. during recent years | have
been wondering more and more whe-
Their we are not rather highfalutin' in
talking about ourselves as profession
al men, and II we are not simply bus
mess men and are shutting our eyes to
the fact OF course, this idea does not
apply to the mining and metallurgi-
cal engineer alone. 1t pertains to the
civil engineer in general, using the
term civil engineer in contra distinc-
ton to military engineer, which was
its original meaning, long before 1t
became substantially restricted to the
railway builders, bridge builders, and
engineer, in this broad sense and the
physician, surgeon, lawyer and clergy
man, there is surely difference. The
medical, legal and theological men all
have to comply with certain regula-
lions, either prescribed or sanctioned
by the state. If they misbehave, they
are liable to lose their right to prac-
tice. There is neither such require
ment nor such a penalty in the case of
the engineer. He practices Of his own
free will and he may misbehaye grew
ously without losing the right TO
practice, although he may lose the
esteem of his fellow -men. Further
more the medical, legal and theolog1-
cal men have certain standing in the
eyes of the law. If they are the hold
ers of professional condolences, they
are supposed not only to preserve
them. but also may not be required
on the witness stand to disclose them
The engineer is also under this moral
obligation, but he possesses no such
legal inviolability. In this respect the
journalist probably has more of a
legally recognized Characteristic than
the engineer.
Well what is a professional man?
What is a profession? Let US refer to
Webster's dictionary:
Profession. That of which one
processes knowledge; the occupation,
if not purely commercial, mechanical
agricultural, or the like, to which one
processes to have acquired some spe-
cial knowledge used by way either OF
instructing, guiding or advising others
or of serving them in some art; call
ing; vocation; employment; as, the
profession of chemist. The three pro-
fessions, or learned professions, is
name often used for the professions
of theology. law and medicine
This is a definition that Eliminates
rather than defines. The engineer
when engaged in a mechanical opera
ton. and that is the largest part OF
his work, is inferentially excluded, but
when he employs the special knoWi-
edge that he processes to have acqulr-
ed either for instructing, guiding, or
advising others, he may be considered
a professional man. | might also DC
some quibbling with respect to the
doctors and lawyers, some OF whom
are charged distinctly with practices
of commercialism, and are criticized
for not conforming to the principles
of altruism that are supposed to gov
ern professional practitioners. Well
let us engineers brush away all pre-
fences. Let us admit that in the man
we are engaged in mechanical occupa-
tions the prime purpose of which is te
produce. The engineer constructs
things and operates them when con-
structed. He is engaged in business
and needs no code of ethics beyond
those that prevail in all kinds of com
mercial life as a guide of correct con
duct. The young man who leaves
school and enters into life with an!
other idea than this is likely to az
himself harm.
How often have We seen graduate
OF mining schools lingering unsuccess
fully in a vocation for which they wer
untitled, sustained by pride IN VIVA
thew call their profession, reluctant Z
confess that they had made mlstaK
in going into something for whic
they were not adapted. recall
Young man of this sort who was grau
uated from a distinguished minin
school and promptly called himself
mining engineer. He was not an en-
oinaer then, nor at any subsequen
time-he had not the kind of min
that an engineer must have-put
stuck on. fitting from one petty 10
to another. ! urged him to sWitch
something else, but my suggestion
we're not favorably viewed. ON OIL
occasion, however, he got so Iar
IN inquire of me what l should at
wise him to take up.
"Well Brown" said, you VIII Pre-
bably be shocked. feel certain LII
you were not cut out for an enginee
Pint I have a notion that you wouiu
a first rate salesman in some ousine
associated with engineering"
OF cours he went right up in u