The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-03
VIA. johnson, Labor Commits
sioner, at Parsons Celebration.
Says Union Labor Is Only
Answer to Financial Trusts.
ENDORSES ROOSEVELT.
Gives the History Of the Labor
Day Observance.
Big Labor Day Celebration by
Southern Kansas Towns.

place. Hundreds Of Iab0ring men, most
Iy members Of labor unions. are here
from CoffeyvilIe. Chanute. Fort Scott,
Independence, CherryvaIe. Winfield, and
other southern Kansas towns which are
members Of the Southeastern Kansas
Labor Day association.
There was big parade this morning
and this afternoon the crowds VIII be
addressed BY State Labor Commission
er W. l. A. johnson and others. The
following is portion Of Labor Com
missioner JohnsOn's speech:
The laborer builds, fashions and
crea1es splendid monuments to the
wealth of the world. and too often he
sees the major portion of his toll, the
child Of his brain and Drawn, usurped
by a strenuous world actuated by
greed and avaTice. This element Of
human sel6shness creates the labor
question, and In fact is its very fOunda--
ton. These conditions have existed In
gam hence we find the laborer seeking
protection against these conditions I'M
der the mantle Of Organization.
labor in its organized capacity is
an expression of &. protest against the
unnatural conditions growing out of an
unregulated trustified system of in
dustry. but labor in its organized ca
pactty has accomplished wonderful re-
suits, and 1t is in celebration of these
results and these events, that we are
here today.
1.-The celebration of labor day is an
institution Of organized labor, a day set
zether and discuss all Of the vital con-
ditions pertaining to their welfare.
Among the more important to the in
terests Of the masses may be consi der
ed government legislation, the rights
of civil liberty and the freedom of the
people. It is. indeed, appropriate to-
day to discuss the wrongs and Oppres-
sion under which labor suffers, and
to declare in no uncertain tones It's
protest against the evils of Industrial
conditions, and to point to remedies
that lead to a higher and better civtli-
zation. The accOmp lishments Of labor
thus far have been cOmmendable
though conditions and q more equitable
distribution of the products of its toll,
and for a higher standard Of civiliza-
ton. Labor day as a holiday, stands
forth as the one day of all days that
labor may celebrate with fitting pro-
priety. No one event or single effort
absorbs the glOrihcauon Of the day. It
stands for the great monument of the
achievements of labor beginning far
back in the ages Of time. History re-
cords that the hosts of labor through
Orga niZatiOn and education have con-
tinued to improve their conditions and
have stood as a bulWark against op-
preston and tyranny. In reviewing
the history of the labor movement we
find that organized labor had its birth
I'm This continent in Boston in 1906,
Dust one hundred years agO) by the
organization of the journeymen taflOrs,
and such was the andpathy to a free
expression Of labor at that time that
they were compelled to hold their Sc
cret meetings in cellars and garrets.
for fear Of betrayal In 1882 we find
the shipWrights and caulkers demand
ing a reduction Of their working time
to ten hours per day. and in 1870 the
ten hour was granted In 1863, TWEEN
ty-eight years later, we find that
through organization and education,
labor was demanding the establish
ment OF an eight hour day by the gov
eminent. Organized labor did not
confne it's efforts to shortening the
work day, but realizing that IN order to
improve the conditions Of labor it was
first necessary to know those condi-
lions, therefore, In 1859 in response to
the voice Of labor, the Massachusetts,
bureau Of labor statistics was estab-
1ished and IN 1888 the national bureau
Of labor was established under the in
terror department In 1888 it was ad-
vancsd to an Independent department
Of labor.
sarhe agitation for a Labor day as a
state holiday began in 1882 and not
until 1887 did success crown their eff
forts, when in the far away western
state of Oregon that young state took
the initiative and passed the first Labor
day law making the first Saturday in
June labor holiday. Since then and
LID 10 AEl& present ll411G AEllElt -3lX states
and the District OF Columbia have en-
acted a labor day holiday law. To the
eflorts of Organization among the
masses Is due a majority Of the re-
forms that are enjoyed by our people
today. In the way OF legislation organ
ICED labor hes secured reductions in the
hours OF labor, factory inspection
laws laws for the safety and protec-
ton OF health, child labor laws COM
puls0ry education, boards of conciIfa-
4fn1 arbitration anffhfn rtrI faf
laws. laws preventing discrimination
against members Of labor organiza-
lions, weekly wages laws. union label
Jaws and numerous other laws for the
Improvement and ameliOration of the
conditions of the masses. Thus are in
dicated the progress of labor. In many
cases the voice Of labor has been heard
in the legislative halls Of Kansas. We
have among others Of recent enact
ment, our state society of labor and
governing the bureau Of labor, and
placing the selection OF the commits
sfoners in the hands of the labor asso-
Citations Of the state, and thereby re-
moving the management of the bureau
from partisan politics. We find that
I'm clothing the labor commissioner
with authority to enforce the labor
-sWs, to supervise factory inspection
10 Investigate economic and Industrial
conditions and present the results to
the citizens Of our state. has a most
beneficial effect in guiding our efforts
TO higher civilization. The annual
convention Of the state society of labor
and industry composed OF men fresh
from the factory, mine. railway. field
and workshop, who are familiar with
the needs and wants Of labor. consti-
futes an important factor in the in
5tfation Of beneficial legislation for the
Improvement of our social and indus
trial welfare and are fully competent
70 manage the trust entrusted to them
under this law. But let me say to the
THAR
IS being wrought out by the hand of
labor alone. He who would be free
must first strike the blow applies TO
the wage Garner, the same as it did to
the slave. On every hand we hear the
zoice OF labor demanding q higher
education on social conditions. The
onward march is phenomenal. students
Bf the economic conditions multiply by