The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1891-09-10

Monday was labor day and was observed
in our larger cities. Portland had Ing
parade aud Lewiston had $40 mon IN line,
After the parade in Portland sn e>'ur-
sion was made to Scbago Iah, where al
dresses were made by Governor Burloigh'
Labor Commissioner Mathews. @. b.
Clason and others.
Governor Burloieh suis
I am elai th4tit is Jay privilege to he
here today and a. participate IN this chris
tepiug IF Labor lag in Maine. No official
act OF NINE during the las. session of the
Legislature gave me greater pleasure Than
tie signing of the bill that made this day
legal holiday in our State. II seems to
M Iust recognition of the position Of la
Dor IN our social system. 1t wss IL puhle
and permanent acknowledgement If the
indebtedness of the State to lts lhbornR
men and women. All wealth Is primarily
the product 4 industry, aud every step IN
our material prosperity has been sccom-
plisLed through the combined and persls-
tent efforts of laboring iueu a1d women.
Mos, OF the citizens OF nur state are ac'
lively employed III some kind OF work
lations of wrAltl! us are necessary 10 main
tain an eSt,nltd uuueyed arlstocracy,
whose mnlllcrs, freed from all necessity
for personal work aud falsely pridng
themselves upon that fact, are able aud
willing to live upon the products Of other
pcopI, industry. There is probably no
state III the Union mole free from that
cheap snohbery HAT shuts itself from a
....r.Itu1 1uN tnuph will thp nTpat
world, from IA sympathetic fellowship with
humanity, than is the State Of Maine, and
that Is one great reason, In my opinion,
Why It's Sens and daughters have always
borne 1t such loyal devotion,
Maine is emphat cally a state of workers
Not only has II had the industry, the brains
the inventive skill to forward its own en-
terprises, but 1t has sent out all over this
broad land hundreds, yes thousands Of
workers who have contributed to the
material prosperity Of our country in al
most every depar ment of It's industry.
In view of these facts it il evident tina
there is no state in the Union where Babol
day belongs more generally to the people
than it does III Maine. believe that from
this start 1t is destined to take its plact
among the most popular of our holidays.
iuelt NJ uO Luoit llllpoilhut questions
to- day than those which touch the welfare
of working men. As the material welfare
Of community il dependent upon its pro
ductive industry, so Is the stability of III
institutions and the moral tone of its cit
llenship dependent upon the character o.
lis workers Whenever the laborer Of q
place Is intelligent, contented and wei
paid then law and order are respected
good schools are maintained, ana churches
flourish. There, too, productive skill i'll
yariably reaches its highest efficiency.
Therefore say there are no questions
of greater and more far reaching impor
lance to the State than tho,e which per
tam to the welfare of its workingmen.
That this fact is being generally recognized
is clearly shown by the trend OF Legislation
IN the country at large aud in our owl
State. Within few years past We hav'
established Department of Labor abb!
presided over from the first by my frieut
Mr.. Mathews whose whole work Is directed
to ascertaining such facts and statistics re
gardng labor III this State as shall serve il
the future rs II basis for intelligent legisla
ton in ITS behalf The hours of htbo
have also been shortened. The employ
ment of women and children has been
placed under wise restrictions, the Austria
nan system of voting has been adopted
and last but not least the legal holiday
Labor Day, has been established. In III
these ways the interests of the working
man have been looked after and evidenc,
has been given of growing appreciation
of his great Importance to tho State bo,l
socially and industrialy.
To-day the latoring men of our State
are better organized than they have evel
been before. The interchange of opinions
and the discussion of public question:
thus rendered possible have been in th,
| highest degree beneficial to all concerned
1t is my firm belief that, out of this day
set apart in honor of the industry of on
State, will come results that will advanc,
the welfare of every nottingham within
its borders.