Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-03

MONDAY, SEPTEMBE]
socialists say, to MAXI hetrich ever richer.
middle classes, has been for the past ATTY
or sixty years. and Is at the present mo-
ment, to make the rich more numerous in
deed, but slightly poorer; to multiply the
middle class far faster than the rich and
to lift the masses Of the people further and
further above poverty"
ORIGIN OF THE DAY.
States That Have Made Labor Day q
Legal Holiday.
Today, under the provisions Of an act
Of Congress-, approved June %, 1894, is
legal holiday in the District Of Columbia.
The day is known as Labor day." While
the day has been heretofore celebrated in
the District, this is the first time it has
been celebrated as a legal holiday. There
fore, today's great parade of the laboring
people Of the District has more than usual
significance and importance, since It is a
two-fold celebration. celebration first Of the
day itself, and second OF the recognition
by Congress Of the rights Of the laboring
people to have their one great holiday de-
clared to be legal one.
The First Labor Day,
Labor day owes its origin to an incident
which occurred in New York city on the
9Th of September. 1882 On that day the
various labor organizations of the city and
vicinity paraded. afterward holding a pic
mic, at which addresses were made. The
Knights Of Labor Of New York city at
that time were not working openly The
Fame OF the order was kept secret, and the
public expressions OF the members went out
to the world under other names than those
selected to designate the local assemblies.
Under different names. too, the local as
semblies were represented in the Central
Labor Union. On the 9Th of September
1882, the general assembly of New York
convened in New York city. and that body
was invited to review the great parade Of
the laboring people. The Invitation was
accepted. q recess being taken by the as
sembly to permit its members to view the
parade: As the procession passed the re.
viewing stand Robert Price Of Lanaconing,
Md. remarked to the general worthy fore
man OF the Knights Of Labor, Richard
Grimths: This Is q Labor day in earnest,
Uncle Dick" The term may have been
used before. but that ia not definitely
known. Be that as it may. the parade Of
that day has ever since been referred to as
the first Labor day parade.
1888 paraded on the first Monday in Sep
TENDER. In 1884, when the Central Labor
Union OF New York was discussing the
question OF parading George X. Lloyd.
day In September be designated as Labor
day. The resolution was adopted and i'm
mediately steps were taken having for
their object the enactment by the legisla-
tLre OF law making that day q legal holt
day. to be forever known as Labor day
The movement was successful In New
York. and from that state a like movement
extended to other states. and with very
gratifying results. Today, by legislative
enactment. Labor day is celebrated in
most Of the states.
The Day in the States.
In the following states Labor day, as in
the District Of Columbia, Is the first Nom
day in September: Alabama, Colorado.
Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas. Maine. Massachu-
sets. Michigan, Missouri. Montana, Ne
Tork oSO New
nessee. Texas and Washington. In Califor-
MIA, the first Monday In October is Labor
day In Louisiana. the 25th Of November
of 100000 or more obaerve Labor day, while
In Wisconsin the day is designated by the
governor OF the staten II will thus be seen
that no less than twenty-five Of the states
OF the Union have designated Labor day
by legislative enactment as a legal holiday.
New York IS the fifst state in which q
measure recognizing ana designating La
Dor day as legal holiday was introduced.
and Oregon was the ffrse state to make the
measure q law. In Europe the LIST of May
Is found convenient as a day on which
to inaugurate labor discussions and strikes,
and IN that way 1t may be said that the
LIST Of May is Labor day there. So. too,
the LIST of May Is selected by the trades
unions Of many Of the cities and towns Of
this country on which to parade The Sc
lection OF that date.-however. in no way
interferes with the observance later in the
year OF the legal Labor day holiday.
Character of Its Observance.
1t was undoubtedly the intention Of those
who introduced the first Labor day resolu-
ton to make the holiday one apart from
all others, especially so In the nature OF
its observance. That observance. while it
permitted and perhaps encouraged parades,
picnfcs, festivals and games, contemplated
and sought to establish exercises consist
ing OF lectures and discourses upon topics
relating to the welfare of the laboring
classes as the main features of the holiday
!. Ih ne, DAY was to be an open court" in
teresttng and affecting the Industrial mass-
es should be discussed. So 1t Is that on no
other day Of the year is the intellectual
in the laboring man appealed to as on Ia
Dor day. But not until during the last
two years has a new feature been intro
duced by inviting employers Of labor to
participate In the celebration Of Labor day.
and address those assembled from the
standpoint Of the employer. or from any
other point which might appear more APP
propriate to the speakers.
In ancient times labor was not comment
GRATED when holidays were observed. On
the contrary. in those times workmen were
cast into the arena to rest from labor only
while engaged in killing each other for
amusement Of their masters. Hence, 1t re-
manned for this day and this land to Gre
ate holiday devoted to the celebration Of
labor. As best observed, Labor day is one
OF rest, recreation and education. Not In
honor Of any one man, living or dead. is the
day celebrated. but in honor Of and by liy-
Ing, moving humanity, whose needs higher
stand than respect for the memory of the
dead or a regard to their wishes. 1t Is true
that so far Labor day has been but an ex-
pertinent. Whether 1t shall continue as a
day Of recreation ard education remains
to be seen. But IL one may Judge from the
success 1t has 80 far attained, from the
growing popularity Of and respect for the
day, the holiday has come to stay, and With
each succeeding observance Of 1t, It can
safely be concluded that as the years go
OH its influence and benefits will grow un-
til at length the conception Of those who
originated the day will be fully realized.
THE w. X. WANDER RVT.TS