The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-09-01
LABOR DAY SYMPOSIUMS
BY THE GREAT LEADERS

The American Federationist for Sep
TENDER, official magazine of the American
Federation of Labor, which is edited by
Samuel Gompers, contains a highly inter-
esting and instructing symposium on La
Dor Day. Articles are contributed by
some of the greatest labor leaders of the
country Extracts appropriate to Labor
Day are given below.
smauel Gompers.
Mr.. Gompers' labor greeting is in part
as follows:
with the greatest qualification We
greet our fellow workers on this ami
versary Of our national holiday-Labor
Day, 1902. Labor Day opens auspiciously
for the wage-earners of our country. 1t
finds them better organized and federated
than at any time in our history, with the
spirit of unity, fraternity and solidarity
in their every thought and action.
Never before was it 80 true that if the
institutions of our country and the free
dom of our time are to be maintained,
and the liberty of our descendants to be
guaranteed, the hope lies in and through
organization of the workers of our land.
ut is true that the toilers are more
fairly and generally employed; that pro-
gress and economic Improvement are APP
parent; but it is also true that never
was wealth so concentrated or industry
so developed and the possessors so alert
to take advantage of any weakness II.
the ranks of labor.
There is no reason to fear for the
future so long as the workers are true to
themselves and true to each ether"
Samuel M. Jones.
Samuel NJ. Jones, mayor of Toledo,
Ohio:
Let the workingmen exalt their call
ing and look upon their trade or work
any and all necessary work-as being
more, a thousand times more honorable
than any kind of idleness. Let them
stand for the eight-hour day; the seven
hour will follow. Learn to live simply,
and in so doing they will learn the Sc
cret of happiness that money cannot buy.
Every man. to be man, must also learn
to own himself; to be free everywhere to
the extent of his ability. True none of
US can be free, but most of us can do
our own thinking when 1t comes to vot-
ing, and we can, If we will, vote this
way or that, with this party or that,
or with no party at all, If we see nothing
to vote for. In short, we may. and 1
must, act according to the highest die
tates of my conscience, and that has
made me a greater lover of liberty, and
that is why 1 sign myself man with
out a party
T. v. Powierly.
'On Labor Day the record of good re-
suits accomplished during the year in the
cause of labor should be unfoded and
discussed. The history of the day; the
causes leading to Its establishment as
holiday for the worker, and the toll
some, tedious journey upward to that
achievement should be told so that young
people entering upon their duties as work.
ers may learn of and appreciate the
struggles of those who preceded them.
Something new and profitable should be
suggested on Labor Day to cause the
toiler to aspire to nobler things in the
future"
Henry George. Jr.
Labor Day selected by the trade I'M
ions as their special feast day, and, in.
Difference to their rising influences. sub
sequently made by the states and the
federal government a public holiday is
a milepost In the progress of the work.
ing masses. 1t proclaims the strength
and solidarity of unionism 1t stands a
monument of contrast to the state Of
things when any organization whatever
among workers was prohibited when
they were compelled to enter crafts or
catagories of labor, were not permitted
to change to others and were practically
chained to localities; when the English