The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-09-12
W|N0NA UNIONS
GREAT LABOR DAY
PARADE WAS THE LARGEST
EVER HELD THERE,
FIFTEEN HUNDRED
UNION MEN IN LINE
Speeches are Made in Afternoon and
Immense Crowds Turn
Out =;

Winona, Sept. 10.-A heavy rain the
greater part of Sunday did not make
the conditions ideal for the celebration
of Labor Day, but in spite of unfavor-
able conditions the observance was the
best in the history of such demonstra-
tions in the city. The parade was held
as planned, the line of march being
shortened a little, and the program Of
speeches was given early in the after
noon at Philharmonic halls but the pic
mic at Parrhysius park had to be
abandoned on account of the wet
weather making it impossible to get
there or picnic there with any degree
of comfort.
The parade was the first feature Of
the celebration. The dierent unions
early began forming at the places pre-
viously assigned, and at 10 o'clock the
line was ready to move. By this time
immense crowds had congregated ON
the down town streets and there was
jam of people all along the line OF
march. AS the hosts of labor moved
along. close to fifteen hundred in line,
the sight was an imposing one, we'll
calculated to impress the beholder with
the Importance of organized labor in
Winona.
The union men gathered in the AFTER
noon at Philharmonic hall and heard
several excellent addresses.
Prof. George O.; Virtue of the State
Normal school OF this delivered
an excellent address on 1.-THE Trend Of
the Labor Movements" He said in
part as follows:
"This is indeed time for congratu-
lation, a time for congratulation not
only to the wage e-earning class but to
the whole people. Time was and not
very long ago when there was no such
celebrations as this. Then workmen
sulked at their benches feeling that
their dignity and worth were not
properly recognized. Now in every
part of the great republic this day is
! legalized holiday.
IF we look only to the direct in
terests of the wage earning class we
find special and abundant cause for
congratulations. For them the past
few years have been years of substan-
tial progress. They have shared, tho
perhaps not as they should, in the
remarkable era of prosperity which
had steadier employment, there have
| been substantial increases in wages
paid in every line of industry, tho that
advantage has frequently been more
apparent than real because of the
higher prices that have prevailed and
they have in many places succeeded in
reducing the hours Of labor.
"The last four or five years have
shown a remarkable development of
unionism. The combination of capi-
tai has been no more marked than the
growth of combinations of labor. The
| unions have already begun to reap
their rewards. Already we can per-
ceive a reader acceptance of the fact
by both the public and the employers
that trade unions have become a per-
manent factor in our industrial life.
Jaboc Hentges of the Typographical
German, of which the following is 4
summary:
Fellow citizens, ladies and gentle
men:-Today is what they call Labor
Day, but to my judgment it ought to
be termed "The Public Day." It IL
supposed to be celebrated by every
body and not by the labor unions.
The proclamation of our governor and
all the other governors of the United
States read in that way and urge such
celebration. All are laborers. The
employer has to labor to see that his
business is properly conducted and to
see that both sides of the ledger bal
he can live comfortably and: educate
his family properly. Therefore hon.
est1y believe that Labor Day should be
celebrated by everybody and every
class. Then II. employer and employe
have social gatherings it will help
create a better feeling in business mat
ters and would settle many a dispute.
M. J. Kowalewski spoke in behalf Of
the Polish unionists. He was fol-
lowed by the local organizer, Henry
Steen who gave a very interesting ad-
dress on the growth OF union labor in
Winona. - M 5s<Sz 4 ! I
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