The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-06

serts of organized labor was found
in the establishment of the United
States department of labor in 1885 and
the appointment of a commissioner Of
labor to look after the interests Of
this great and growing section of So
ciety. The value of such depart
ment in the capital of the nation is
we'll nigh incalculable, and the data
secured by the commissioner are Of
constant use to the leaders of the toll
Ing hosts who are working to build
up and expand their prestige and their
privileges.
The state bureaus act as excellent
auxiliaries to the labor department at
Washington. The oldest of these is the
bureau of statistics of labor, estab-
lished at Boston In 1869. This pioneer
institution has been managed with ex-
traordinary ability ever since its Gre
alton, and Its value to the world Of
labor is hard to estimate. The next
state to fall in line was Pennsylvania,
The organization took place in 1872, and
the name bureau Of industrial statistics
was applied to the department. In
the following year Connecticut, recog-
nizing the need Of such a department
instituted a bureau of labor statistics
and appointed commissioner, who
found plenty of work to do.
Among the latest of the united COM
monwealths to establish these impor-
tant branches of official inquiry and
regulation were Montana and New
Hampshire Departments were es-
tablished by them in 1893, the Montana
institution being called the bureau Of
agriculture, labor and industry. while
New Hampshire was satisfied with the
plain title bureau of labor.
The laws beneficial to the laboring
classes that have been framed and
enacted at the instigation Of repre-
sentatives of the labor organizations
are many and their existence Is greatly
to labor's credit Employers had for
a time system sof blacklisting which
effectually prevented discharged en-
ploye from obtaining employment else
where. This manifestly unjust arrange
ment was hotly combated by the in
fuential representatives Of unionfsm,
and with such success that nine of the
states and territories passed laws which
constructively prohibit blacklisting, and
Is created statutes which prohibit it in
/ specific terms
Another Of labor's legislative victories
has place in the statute books Of eight
states. 1t being considered that en-
ployers overstepped their authority in
exacting from employees agreements not
to join or become members of any labor
organization. an agitation of the sub
ject was begun by labor representatives
in several states. AS a result Califor-
MIA, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts,
Missouri, New Jersey, New York and
Ohio, passed laws rendering 1t unlawful
for any employer to exact such an
agreement, either written or verbal, as
condition of employment.
LABOR DAY AN INSPIRATION.
The significant thing In relation to
labor's successes Is the fact that the
greater part of them have been ac-
complished since the first celebration
Of Labor day in 1882. This Is not to
say that much of the groundwork Of
the present industrial prosperity was
not laid many years prior to that time,
but it is an easy inference that the
establishment of labor's independence
day furnished the spark of inspiration
that fired the finder whose prepara
ton had been the tedious work of pre-
vious years.
The present amplified method of cele-
brating this annual holiday is a great
Improvement upon the original plan of
it's observance. At first 1t was the in
tention merely to attract gathering
leaders might address the people upon
the necessity and advantage Of CO.
operative effort. The idea was quite
successfully carried Out-sO much so
that the large numbers of workingmen
and their families who came together
formed a throng too unwieldy to be
bestowed in any edifice and too large
to be allowed to remain an incum-
brance to passage in the streets. So
1t became necessary in the larger cities
especially, to take adjournment to
some pasture or open grove where
there was elbow room for all The
necessity for creature comforts caused
the participants In the parade to pro-
vide their families with luncheon,
which, being transported to the meet
ing ground and there disposed of, gave
the assemblage the character of pic
mic. Soon it became the custom to in
duIge in games and other recreations
after the speechmaking was over. and
thus by little and little the sporting
feature grew prominent and the pres
ent day of regattas, races, athletic con-
tests, excursions and all the other
thousand kinds Of amusements came
into vogue.
A health to Labor day. and all 1t
representa- The calendar has no
brighter spot. 1t commentaries the
past. enIivens the present and illumes
the future-it Is noble monument.
Walter J. Davis.