The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1904-09-05
BOZ PRICE
FATHER Of LABOR DAY
HOW A RUGGED zxoouBxr x1HE1 1HouaKr TO xu1 xz1
IDEA or A o1nAr HOLIDAY TIE w01x111
-IHP1Essrv1 sonxE 4 KNIGHT or LASo1 znz1oH.

,all wherein the the meeting was be-
ng held, as Price, lighting his lamp,
entered the mine.
He had been at work for sometime
when a delegation of his fellow work.
nen appeared in the room" in which
he was at work and told him that he
had been named as the delegate to the
convention. Foul with the odors Of the
then ill-ventilated mine, with psrspir-
alton pouring from him, and his facs
oegrimed with coal-dust, Price left the
nine and entered the assembly hall.
In neat speech he thanked his broth
r members for the honor bestowed
upon him, and making no vain boast
,bout what he intended to do, he went
back to the mine and to his work.
A few days later he started for New
York and the convention. The typo
graphical members of the order gave {
street parade and the convention tenn
porarily adjourned to witness il. TO
,tirring music of high pitched fife and
rolling drum the typos marched down
the street. Stirred by the sight Of the
sight of the marching horde, fred BY
the enthusiasm of the participants and
glorying in the idea that the marchero
were members Of the order to which
he had given so much Of his time, Price
entered the the convention hall. The
reconvened meeting was filed with tNe
life and spice Of the pageant just wit-
messed and many remarks were nade
on the occasion. Then It was that
Price started rolling the ball that haa
not yet come to stop.
At moments notice when there
was momentary hush in the babel G
voices about him, Price arose. Tall,
well formed and in the full flush ol
manhood he stood erect. He leaned
fr over the balcny in which he was
seated and caught the eye Of Grand
master Powderly. His right to the
recognized and he began to speak.
That his speech is not contained IN
some report of the convention = to he
regretted. but all who remember his
address OF that day can recall the en-
thusiasm which it evoked. At the con
clusion of his address which was filed
with rhetorical bursts Of oratory and
carried the hearers thoughts Of organ-
ization to what was then supposed to
be of unattainable heights, he stopped
for moment, and with voice choked
with emotion and showing the depth 03
his feelings, he said:
~ move you, grandmaster workman,
that it be the unanimous decision d
this convention that hereafter one day
of the year shall be set aside and oA
that day labor shall not labor but so
forth and show that il il free and
glorious in the right Of its prowess.S
He sat down and the cheering which
followed his remarks and motion, made
the building fairly rock, as 1000 men
sprang to their feet. At last when he
managed to restore order, Powderiy,
turning toward Price, asked: "An&
what do you intend to call that dayyy
Quickly, and without moment'o
hesitation, Price sprang to to bis fse1
and exclaimed: Labor Day.
Again was all semblance Of order
destroyed and the meeting casne 70
a sudden end, hut not until the motion
Fof Price had been carried with ovoQ<
whelming numbers. Price ues ~
lion OF the hour. but he did nat -
tarry in New York. He left the - =
day, and - hours later was a wort
in the nine. AZ