MODERN BLACKSMITHING 2$ 



He shall pay not less than ten and not more than 

 twenty-five, dollars for his diploma. All complaint 

 shall be submitted to these commissioners, and they 

 shall have full power to act. If a practitioner acts 

 unbecoming, runs down his competitor, charges prices 

 below the price fixed by the fraternity, or defrauds 

 his customers, such shall be reported to the commis- 

 sioners, and, if they see fit, they can repeal or call in 

 his diploma and he shall not be allowed to practice in 

 the State. These are a few hints on the nature of the 

 modern guild we ought to establish. The fraternity 

 should have a journal edited by one editor on litera- 

 ture and one on mechanics, the editor on mechanics 

 to be a practical blacksmith with not less than fifteen 

 years' experience. The editors are to be elected by 

 the fraternity. This is all possible if we can get the 

 legislation that the doctors have in many States. And 

 why not? 



Mechanics of to-day have a vague and abstract idea 

 of what is meant by journeyman and apprenticeship. 

 In Europe there is yet a shadow left of the guilds 

 where these were in existence. 



When I learned my trade I worked some time with 

 my father in Sweden, then I went over to Norway and 

 worked as an apprentice in Mathison & Johnson's 

 machine, file and lock factory of Christiania. I was 

 requested to sign a contract for four years. In this 

 contract was set forth the wages I was to receive, and 

 what I was to learn each year. Everything was 

 specified so that there would be no room for misunder- 

 standing. The first two weeks I worked, they simply 



