Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-09-01

proposed demands Is 70 wages, hours
etc. The May day dsmo0straeion is not
altogether unknown on this side the
ocean, but in many essentials it differs
from Labor day. The real distinction Of
the American holiday hes in the fact
that on that day no legal question or
contention or dispute IN supposed to be
intended or allowed to insrfere with
the days Observance Tho workers for
one day lay astde their implements Of
toll and meet to parade and TO listen to
addresses made by thinkers who have
long pondered the labor problem, by all
odds the most important one of this day
and generation. This was what its
founders had in mind at the beginning.
and this idea has been pretty generally
maintained. Games and other festiv-
tiles are permissible, Of course, and
have, in fact. in some localities become
important features, but the discussion
Of the great question that interests those
who observe most the day remains and
should remain the chief feature.
The assemblies of workingmen on
Labor day have been hkened to "open
courts" before which all sides talk up-
on the problem of production. This char
acterization Of the day has been truer Of
late years than in the past. particularly
in some localities, where not only think
ers from the ranks of organized labor.
but employers as well. have been invit-
ed to address the assembled multitudes.
The educational value of the day cannot,
therefore. be overestimated, and one
near whose heart the day has been ever
since its first celebration in 1852 has
spoken Of it as "a day of education, rest
and recreation.
beginnings Of the Labor Movement.
Labor day is of course a child of the
labor organizations of America. The
first society formed for mutual benefit
by wOrkingmen in this country was or
ganized by the tailors in 1906. Prior to
that time tailors coming to America re-
tanned membership in the journeynlan
tailors' unions Of the old country. The
matters Of America organized in 1919.
The Columbia Charitable Association Of
Shipwrights and Calkers was formed
some time between 1895 and 1880. The
printers first organization, SO far as
authentic records show, was in 1881.
The true formative period of America
labor organizations extends over tine &c
years from 1925 to 1851. The chief
movement was for higher wages and
shorter hours of work, and there were
also many experiments in cooperation.
New Harmony. Ind, was the scene Of
the first experiment of this sort. 1t was
backed by Mr.. Owen with 81, 600, 900
in cash, rs, 600 acres of land and two
Libraries costing $50, 900 each. and 500
persons Joined in the scheme 1t lived
but two years, however, and, though it
has been followed by many other expert
ments somewhat similar, none has as
yet made lasting success.
Labor legislation began as early as
port, Mass, that maximum wages"
should be as follows:
Carpenters, 8 shillings 4 pence Q
day; calkers, 6 shillings day; day Ia.
borers, not found, shillings q day;
day laborers, found, 3 shillings q day;
joiners. 4 shillings 8 pence a day; ma
sons, 6 shillings q day.
1t will be observed that this legisla-
ton was all in favor of the employer,
inasmuch as the paying of higher wages
than those named was prohibited, while
there was no minimum scale adopted.
Strikes began to occur in 1903, the first
one recorded being among the sailors in
New York city. 1t seems to have been
settled by the failing of the leader.
There were divers small strikes. and
some OF some magnitude in the years
immediately following, but there seems
to have been no really systematic &C.
ton until 1925, the year already men,
toned as the beginning Of the formation
period OF the organizations. In 1926 q
Boston newspaper printed a protest
against some of the methods of the man.
ufacturers in New England and made
demands for the adoption Of measures to
decrease the dangers of factory opera
tives and the furnishing them with suit
able rooms, lodgings, etc. The Yankee
girl operatives were foremost all through
this formation period in getting up or.
ganization.
Meanwhile in New York city and all
along the Atlantic coast the ship car
penters and calkers were agitating for a
10 hour day, and the question of labor
Z "