24 



MODERN BLACKSMITHING 



NE thing is certain, we have a hard row 

 to hoe, because, this is a government 

 of injunctions, and any law on the 

 statute book is in danger of being 

 declared unconstitutional, according 

 to the biddings of the money power, 

 or the whim of the judges. One 

 tyrant is bad, but many are worse. 



I am no prophet, but will judge the future from the 

 past. History will repeat itself, and Christ's teachings 

 will be found true: "A house divided against itself 

 cannot stand. ' " 



I will say so much, however, that no man should be 

 allowed to start out for himself before he has served 

 three years as an apprentice and two or three years as 

 a journeyman. This should be proved by a certificate 

 from the master for whom he has worked. This 

 certificate to be sworn to by his master, one uninter' 

 ested master and himself. No apprentice to be 

 accepted without a certificate from the school superin- 

 tendent that he has a certain knowledge in language 

 and arithmetic and other branches as may be required. 

 It shall not be enough to have worked a few days each 

 year, but the whole time. With these papers he shall 

 appear before three commissioners, elected by the 

 fraternity and appointed by the governor of the State. 



