The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-09-23
SAMUEL COMPERS ON
LABOR DAYS MEANING
President of American Fedora
ton of Labor Writes of
Occasion.
IKE NC OTHER HOLIDAY
It Is the Day of the Worker. cciebrat
ing His Achievements of the
Rest of the vear-orisin and
Growth of the Custom.

Samuel Gompers. president of til
American Federation of Labor: Labc
day marks a new epoch in the anna
of human history. 1t differs essential
from some of the other holidays of tn
year in thai. 1t glorifes no armed cor
Hlcts or battles of mans prowess owe
man.
1t is a deep-seated propensity of hu
man III to observe with appro
pirate ceremonies the periodical return
of certain times, suspending the or
binary business of life on certain day:
for the purpose of preserving the recol
lection of some important event OF
principle. The observance of such fes,
tivais is an evidence OF growing civil.
ization. Ourtnferior fellow-animals pur.
sue an UNMARRIED course from day to
day. b man varies his life by ele.
waiting some days above Others
The institution of the weekly rest day
or festival called Sunday has been OF
fncaiculable benefit to mankind. and in
comparatively recent times there were
numerous other holidays to give needed
relaxation to the lahorers and cheer
the heart of man.
Among all the festive days of the
year, of all the days commemorative
of great epochs in the worlds history.
of all the days celebrated for one
u or another, there is not one
which. stands so conspicuously for So
cial advancement of the common people
as the first Monday in September of
each recurring year-Labor day.
Labor day is the day conceded by no
n class or set of people to another
st is the day of the workers. secured by
the workers for the workers. and for
by law in thirty-three states, in the Dis
trict of Columbia and in the United
States territories. The laws We're en-
acted In the following chronological
order:
Enactment of the Laws.
In 18S7-Oregon. February 81: Color
ado. March Is; New Jersey. April S:
u; l8S9-Connecticut. March 20: Ne
braska. March 30; Pennsylvania, April
Is: lS90-Iowa. April S; Ohio. April aS:
1891-Maine. February 10; Washington.
February "a. Montana, March 4: Kan
sas. March 4: Indiana, March 8; Ten
nessee. March II: New Hampshire.
March 81: Illinois. June Ii: Georgia.
%; 1Ss2-Virginia, February 3; Utah.
February %: Louisiana. July 4; Ala
baHaa, December ~: 1S93-Texas, Feb
ruary IA: Delaware. February IA; Cali
fornla. March 23: Minnesota. April 10:
Florida. April %; Rhode Island. May
OiSltlCI vi SOlOIIfDla ana Iet-
ritories. June IS; 1S95-Missouri, April 8. !
But Labor day-labor's ~lloliday-was
celebrated by organized labor years be-
fore its recognition as a legal holiday
by h enactment of law. 1t appears
that a beneficient purpose must be
demonstrated by the PEOPLE before our
Legislators give it the dignity OF the
authority.
No martial glory or warlike ponlp
signals Labor day. The marching host
or workers manifest their growing in
telligence and u~nalterable determine
ton for the efsacement of the unnatural
and brutal causes that impel man to
raise his haKd against his brother. La
day stands for indcgtrial peace and
for the toiiers' economic. political, So
ciaI n moral advancement.
OTsanized lgeor in its essence pre-.
SCENTS a rational. hence n peaceful,
means. for the Introduction of normal,
fair and just conditions for all: so there
ought not. n in the near future will
conducted normally. peacefully and
rightly. 1T is in the best sense the
modern k%niglithood in defense of the
toiiing men. women and children of our
day n of the future.
The Struggle Of Labor.
The struggle of labor is to free MAJ
from his own Weaknesses. from his
own cupldity. from his own unfair.
lnjus. and unnecessarily cruel envir-
onments. The struggle is for home
and Preside. for a higher life, a nobler
manhod. ~Wornanhood. and childhood,
which may look forward to the day of
teiiverance from absurd economic con-
ditiohs and cruel burdens. The future
will substitute the college and forum
,or the arsenal and Jail: the home. and
not the factory, for motherhood; the
playground. school and sunlight. and
act the mill or Workshop, for child
hood.
In u time, when so many look up-
the dark side of the progress of the
abor movement. and predict worse
Kings in store for the laborer. it is
lot amiss to call attention to the fact
hat ~ life of the human fami,y is
me vast struggle. and that though the
orogress is not SO swift as l, as well
Is some of my impatient brothers and
sisters of labor. would like it to be.
,et the. fact is that in our decade we
AN see the rights of labor more clear
. defined. the vantage ground OBJ
aimed, and obtaining a clearer insight
nto existing wrongs. the more intelli-
rent perception of and determination
0 achieve. iabor's rights.
There is only one danger of the fail
ire of constant and peaceful evolution
or the elimination CT all abnormal
nnder which workers are
.oHlpelleo TO toll, and this danger is
he possible failure of the wage earn
RS to realize the necessity of more
and thorough organization in
unions of their respective rades
a failure beyond doubt would be
advantage of by all the ele-
nents which prey upon and take adj
'antage OF the weak, and it is a source
( great qualification that the workers
ave organized and federated so large
7 and comprehensivcly that there is
title fear of a step backward. On the
ontrary, every evidence is shown that
he toilers have awakened to the new
owe of organized effort. New
r before in the history of our country
they been SO we'll organized as
hey are today. and the good work is
ding on day by day.
1t Stands for Peace.
Ii spite of the fact that occasionally
ye have great Industrial disputes, yet
organized labor movement in it's
ssence stands for Industrial peace. and
a rational method for the in t
.uguration of fafrer and more just con-
itions for all. The trade union move q
tent carries the scars of many cruel
attles of the past. 1t exemplffes all
and genuine sympathy with
le sufferers. of the present. 1t voices 9
and genuine sympathy with /
lAg hopes and asDfratiOns of fhe n,assaS :