The Indianapolis journal., 1902-08-31
THE ORIGIN OF LABOR DAY
FIRST CELEBRATION IN NEW YORK
CITY ON SEPT. >, 1852.
1t Rapidly Grew Into National At
fair-GirI stopped strike-Local
and General News.

Labor day. the worxingman's holiday. set
apart in nearly every State in the Union
by legislation. is perhaps the most uni
versally observed. although il may not be
celebrated, OF any other legal holiday. With
few exceptions the first Monday in Sep
tember is observed as Labor day and so
designated by law. The earlier celebrations
of Labor day were marked by the clos
ing OF all factories and suspension of in
dustriaI work now business houses and
public offices are closed and all COM
mercial. industrial and even professional
life takes one days rest Many who OBJ
servo Labor day may not take part in the
celebration and on that day all business is
more generally suspended than any other
day in the year.
The first celebration Of Labor day took
place in New York city Sept 5. 1882 The
Knights of Labor were then secretly work
ing in New York and many of the local as
semblies were affiliated with the Central
Labor Union. When the first General As
sembly OF the Knights of Labor began on
Sept 5. 1852, the Central Labor Union was
invited 10 witness the parade from the
grand stand at Union Square. n recess was
taken and the Central Labor Union watched
first Labor-day parade. While the parade
was passing Robert Price, of Homecoming,
Md, turned to Richard Griflths. the gen.
eral worthy foreman of the knights Of
Labor, and said: This is labor day in
earnest. Uncle Dick" The event was aft
erward alluded to as the ''Labor-day pa
rade," and subsequently the day became
known as Labor day.
The organizations OF New York paraded
Oh the first Monday in September, 1883, and
when parade was being discussed in Cen
ITal Labor Union in 1854 George X. Lloyd
offered a resolution declaring the first Mon
day in September Labor day. The resolu-
ttOn was adopted. In other States the
Labor day movement was being agitated,
and after the naming OF the day bills were
presented IN several Legislatures 10 desls-
nate II as legal holiday Tor laDOrlng men,
New York was the first State to receive a
legislative bill 1t was presented Jan. T.,
1857, but was not signed by the Governor
till May s. 1887. In the meantime bill
was introduced in the Oregon Legislature
Jan. II of the same year and received the
signature of the Governor Feb. q, which
was the flrst 10 declare Labor day legal
holiday. Similar legislative enactments
were approved in New Jersey, New Hamp-
shire, Massachusetts and Colorado in the
same year. and then followed a consecutive
and rapid adoption OF like laws IN the vari-
Gus other States The bill in Indiana was
passed March = 1891. The tTst general OBJ
servatiOn OF Labor day was Sept Z, 1891, and
since then the celebrations have become
more generally observed throughout the
country.
For a time many of the States chose diff
ferent days as Labor day In California
It was hxeG the hrst Monday in Octo-
ber, I'm Louisiana Nov %. Wisconsin left
II optional with the Governor 10 fix and
some selected other dates. Gradually the
first Monday in September has become the
recognized Labor day and is so fixed by
the executives of States where it is not des-
ignated by law, as the labOring mems legal
holiday.
Labor day originally intended for
an educational day, when, after the parade,
labOring men should assemble and listen 10
discussions OF economic and industrial sub
1ects. This manner of celebrating the day
was in vogue for a time. but now the day
has become one of festivities, amusement
and recreation.