The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-02
LABOR DAY IN HELENA.
Generally Observed Throughout the
City and a Picnic Held at
Kranich's Grove.
Speeches Made by Hon. W. T. Field
and Other Prominent
Workingmen.
Dancing, Athletic Sports, Big Crowds, all
Went Together to Make
Glad Holiday.

Labor day in Helena was observed for
the first time since the day was established
and the tOiing masses of this city yester-
day laid aside their respective avocations
and spent the time in recreation. Being the
first occasion upon which the day has been
observed in this city no great preparation
was made, as it was intended more as an
experiment.. The big crowds that turned
out surprised all. There was no parade nor
was there brass band to make public the
fact that an important event was going on,
but it was noticeable that the doors of most
of the business houses in the city were
closed and the clerks given a holiday.
Kranich's grove presented an unusual scene
of life and gayety. The weather looked
threatening but this did not prevent about
1900 people from going out to the labor
picnic and during the early hours Of the
afternoon the motor lines were taxed to
their capacity taking hundreds of families
to the grove. 1t was big day for the men
who toll and they enjoyed it with
heartiness that was pleasant to
observe. There we're carpenters,
and masons, plasterers and painters,
printers and plumbers, shoemakers and
common laborers. Clerks and several mer-
chants with their families were noticed
among the numbers. Wives and sweet
hearts and children were there in force and
it was truly gathering of the bone and
sinew of prosperous community.
All sorts of outdoor sports and games
ing, ten pins, base ball and athletic con
tests made the time fly quickly and fur
nshed day of healthful recreation. There
was speech making, too, by men pronl-
nent in labor circles and they made brief
remarks appropriate to the occasion. The
finn continued yua11 MT N 1nrkuoco nd
thing passed off with the greatest success,
and giving assurance of a still bigger cele-
bration next year. The Helena Typograph-
ical union was honored by the selection of
its president, Col. Daniel McCallum. of
- The INDEPENDENT force. as president of the
day. About three O'Clock in the afternoon
the exercises were opened VITA speaking in
the large dancing pavilion, which was
crowded with all the people it could hold.
After some ;ne,oan music Mr.. : J; H.
He welcomed the people to this, the first
labor day celebration by the people of Hell
ena. He said they were brought together
for the purpose, in the first place, of having
a good time, and in the second, of showing
had bound themselves together for mutual
protection, as men bind themselves together
for the protection of their firesides against
the invasion of an enemy. The school
book story of the man who tried to break
the bundle of sticks. and failed. but sue
ceeded in breaking them one by one, illus
trated the existence of unions; but the
Trades and Labor assembly, composed of
many unions, represented that the back
bone of labor in this city, was made up of
many bundles of sticks, and could not
come to realize his strength, and had wrunQ
from his sometimes unwilling employer
MANY concessiopc in the last quarter of a
century. He had secured Better
pay and shorter hours, and was
looking for still further amelioration.
or, .'gets home before his family are in bed,
and is able to listen to the days tribula-
tions of the children, and even to see the
rosy hands of the little tot lifted in even
Ing prayer to a Being she has not yet
learned to doubt. He is not obliged all the
year to leave home before the folks are
astir, but can often sit at breakfast with
them, and standing ON the threshold with
his little ones around him, can point to the
velvet-footed sunbeams leaping over the
eastern hills. and tell them that by the
other side of the sky he will be home again
to have romp with them. The working
man is not dreaming when he bespeaks
better state of affairs. He
will yet be represented by him
self in the councils Of the state. the nation
throughout the civilized world. his voice is
being heard. and his influence is being
felt; arbitration is his deity, and the time
is coming when some kind of universal gov
ernme Ut will be established and arbitration
sitting on he- seven hills will dispense JUS
though he has been dreaming, is awaking
from his dream, and his voice will be heard
in the parliament of man and the fedora
ton Of the world. This is no Utopian
dream. The working man is marching,
ton ali the time, and, without forgetting
the interests of his fellow-man, the capt.
talist, he ls striving toward the summit of
human happiness for the individual, the
family, the nation and the world. As the
immortal bard of Scotland says:
It's coming get for a that,
Will brothers be for a that
MI, McCallum was roundly applauded,
and he then introduced the eloquent Mr..
Iliff, editor of the Saturday Graphic, who
made a feeling speech and spoke substan-
TALLY as follows:
"A speech at a picnic is like circus lemon
ade; nobody likes it, nobody wants it, vet
everybody expects it, and still circus with
out lemonade would be what any assem-
blage of Americans would be without
speech-incomplete. You'll not get much
speech from me. Since l am here, l could
not take my seat. however, without saying
something for labor organizations.
'sIn the development of modern civiliZa-
ton the labor union is a necessity to the
life of the common people. In this prob
lem the question of abstract right does not
enter. The right to do anything without
the power of enforcing it-among Anglo
Saxon people-amounts to absolutely moth
ing. Our forefathers declared all men free
and equal, and some of them, at least. were
the proprietors of slaves. The black man
was granted the right, but had not the
power to enforce it, and hence had not the
privileges of citizenship. Right to thing
and its possession are by no means syn
onymous. All people admit the right of
the iaborer to his hire, but if he has not the
power of enforcing it, his right will not
house his family or clothe his children. In
the combination OF labor only is the hope of
him who tolls. A labor union may be a
trust but if it be. it ia necessity of civiliza-
tion. and is the hope of the common
people.
..In the great New York Central strike it
is quite possible that great proportion of
the men who struck, we're they placed in
position of Webb, were they granted I'M
brialed power. would be as autocratic as he.
This is not the question; it is immaterial
what any man would do in similar posi-
ton; it is a question of how much the great
body of people interested will allow any
man to do.
Muscle is the cheapest product on the
market. brains are next. The muscle of the
army of labor must be directed by Its
brains and by the brains of laboring men
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