The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-09-07

term had been used is not known. bu
the event was afterward referred TO al
Labor Day parade. In 1888 the organi
cations of New York paraded on tb,
first Monday in September. When II
1884 the Central Labor Union of New
York had the question OF parading III
for discussion George K. Lloyd. a knight
OF Labor. offered a resolution declaring
the first Monday in September to b,
Labor Day. The resolution was adopted
and steps were at once taken to hav,
the Legislature enact the law making the
first Monday in September a legal hoIi.
day. to be known as Labor Day. tn,
tended to other States with most graft
flying results
Day a Fixed One.
Twenty-Five States have adopted La
Dor Day legislation In the legisla
lures of other States the measure has al
various times been brought forward, bat
with no result other than to agitate the
question for a time and then drop IL
With the exception of California, Lou
isiana. and Wisconsin, the first Monday
in September is the day fxed by statute
In California the first Monday in Octo-
Der is Labor Day; in Louisiana, Novem-
Der rs is the date on which cities of a
population of one hundred thousand n
habitants observe Labor Day, while
Wisconsin leaves II optional with the
governor to select the date.
New York was the first State in the
Union to introduce the measure before
the Legislature and Oregon the first
State to pass the bill into law.
In many cities and towns May 1 4:
selected by trades unions as the day or
which parades are held, but the selec-
ton of that date is simply a matter OF
choice and in no way interferes with
the observation Of the legal Labor Day
which all organizations OF labor hold
later on. The LIST OF May was in an
cient times celebrated in honor Of
Flora. and was observed with horal
rites. The Druids were in the habit OF
celebrating May 1 by lighting bonfres
upon the tops OF hills. In Europe the
$1,000 Va SoAA@oNlOAo AAu II COuNtulbul lI
select May / as a day on which labor
discussions and strikes are inaugurated
A Day of Rejoicing.
The real significance Of the American
Labor Day lies in the fact that on that
day no question OF local Importance, no
strike. no controversy or dispute shall
interfere with the observance Of the
day. On that day the workers meet and
either parade or hold festivals OF an
other character. during which time
speakers address the assembled multi
tude.
In was the intention Of those who in
troduced the first Labor Day resolution
to make the day stand apart from all
other holidays in the nature OF its OBJ
servance. While parades. picnics. fes-
rivals, and games were permissible, the
principal OF the exercises was to con-
sist OF lectures and discourses upon top
les relating to the welfare OF the indus
trial masses
In the last two years a new feature
has been introduced by inviting employ
ers of labor TO take part in the demon
stration, and address the meeting from
the standpoint OF the employer, or any
other that might appear more appropri-
ate to the speaker.
With his eyes constantly directed
toward the ead-winning task. the
worker could not look upon the world
outside OF his own narrow surround
ings. After his long hours of toll he
nj
TO reading or studying the condition OF
the world of labor, art. literature. com
merce. or science
With constant labor as his portion.
with no breathing spell accorded to him,
the toiler could not be blamed for re-
garding the employer as a taskmaker
and society at large as a tyrant. which
exacted for its benefit or pleasure all
that was worth having of the physical
in man, while dwarfing the mental
faculties to such small proportions as to
imperil the future race.
Need of Education.
Properly understood Labor Day is a
day on which all which is ambitious.
noble. lofty and grand in the nature OF
the working man should be appealed to-
Those who discuss the questions of the
hour for meetings OF industrialists on
that day should be educated, they
should be teachers of the gospel OF hui
mainly and its needs. not mammon and
its greeds.
Those who address such meetings are
burdened with a great deal Of RESPONSE
bility. 1t is their duty TO teach doc
trine OF independence OF thought and
action TO the industrian. The rights of
man to the earth and its products, the
rights OF man to all that his labor
creates and the duty OF the industrian
as a self-reliant citizen should all oc-
cupy the thought of the speaker and be
the theme Of his discourse.