The Labor enquirer., 1888-03-31

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: globe. Learning my intention hs
: volunteered to accompany me
provided / would wait till he hac
!: secured permission from the libra
rian-in-chief. l accepted his offel
with thanks and seated myself a,
an adjoining table to await hi:
coming. On the table we're quite
la number OF Commonwealth
dailies, one of which contained a
leading article headed Martyr.
dom in Its Relation to Civiliza-
ton" Below the title was this
quotation from Gronlund: "Pri-
vate enterprise will be supplanted
by new principle: Social Coop
Grafton. into which the whole Mar
tyrdom of Man, during his whole
previous history, has been train
ing u.s." While engaged in read
ing the article my friend returned.
Accompanying him was an elderly
gentleman with scholarly mien,
to whom the Librarian introduced
me. In the course of the conyer-
sation that followed, / learned
that the elderly gentleman was
engaged in writing a history of
political parties of all nations and
ages, and was a frequent visitor to
the library for the purpose of max
ing reference, citing authorities,
etc. He informed me that the
manuscript ofhis history had been
completed with the exception of
the concluding chapter which
would be devoted to the origin,
progress, decline and fall of the
republican and democratic parties
in the United States. Bidding
him goodbye the librarian and
myself took our departure and
proceeded~in the direction of the
park
On the way was entertained
by the following narrative: Five
years after the overthrow of the
competitive system in the United
States great commonwealth
convention" was held in Kansas
City for the purpose of devising
the most suitable means of CON-
memorating the economic strug-
gle that had evolved the Cooper
ative Commonwealth. After a
continuous session of seven days,
the conclusion was reached that
this object could be best accom-
plished by founding a national
park to be known as the Park of
Commemoration." The next step
was to ballot for the choice of To-
cation. The rivalry for this honor
between the different cities repre-
sented in the convention was good
natured throughout. Believing
suffrage to be at all times trust,
no improper methods we're en-
ployed to influence a choice in
favor of any particular city, nei-
ther was any sordid selhshness
displayed by any of the delegates
present. On the third ballot Den
yer received a majority of two
votes and was declared the choice
of the convention. The Denver
delegates were the recipients of
congratulations from all sides,
even the chairman declaring from
the platform that no more appro-
pirate place couldbe selected than
the birth place of the first socialist
organization in what ; was once
known as the "far west"
This matter being disposed of,
an executive committee consisting
of eight members was then ap-
pointed to whom was left all the
details of securing the necessary
grounds, plating and beautifying
the same, erecting fountains, mon
uments, buildings, etc. : The con-
vention then adjourned.
The executive committee at
once entered upon the discharge
of their duties, but their labors
we're so multifarious that three
wears had elapsed before their
task was finished. Finally, on
November II, 1895, the park was
publicly dedicated with such i'm
posing ceremonies as were fitting
an event of such a nature.
| We had now arrived at the
park, and. pausing at the entrance