The Dickinson press., 1909-09-11
LABOR DA\ State His
OBSERVED
Dickinson Business Houses are
Closed During Afternoon. Rev.
W.J.Brown Delivered a Fitting
Sermon Sunday Evening.

Labor Day passed very quietly in the
city, there being no celebration Of the
day. The business houses generally
were closed during the afternoon
and many of the employees took
advantage of the holiday for a little
outing in the country, the weather
being ideal for a trip of that sort. It
may be recorded here that this was the
first Observance of Labor Day in Dick
inson.
Sunday evening Rev. w. j. Brown
preached a sermon on the subject
Labor Day and the People who Toll, ("
which is briefly outlined as follows:
In nearly all of our great common
wealths the first Monday in September
has by legal enactment been designated
as Labor Day. Our own state of North
Dakota has swung into line Tomorrow
the wheels of industry will stop; the
operations of finance will be suspended
and thousands of artisans will have a
holiday.
''And why a Labor Day? What is
the significance of the idea which 1t
representa- The old idea of plaudits
only for warriors has CHANGED since the
day when Solomon, that GREAT, wise
king, at the completion of the temple.
placed upon the throne the artisan, as
the man to whom most credit was due
for the building of that worldfamous
edifice. The great significance of this
day then is that it is the public recogni-
tion of the importance of the manual
laborer to our republic and at the same
time a reputation of that un-American
spirit that toadies to birth and wealth.
The dignity of labor cannot be over
estimated. Everyone who does honest.
needful work fills q noble place in the
world. 1t is of the greatest value that
the laborer who ereets every working day
with a protest, should be under the
law of necessity to labor. There are
those who are scarcely capable of
being their own masters. If they could
do as they pleased they would in all
probability do nothing. There are in
stances where it is necessary TO bring
a little pressure to bear to make people
industrious, and without that pressure
the number of wasted careers would be
increased immensely.
1t ought not be difficult to believe
that work is a divine ordinance. When
the Son of God became incarnate he
chose the estate of mechanic and
labored as village carpenter.
a':Also there is not the distinction
between manual workers and brain
workers that is sometimes made. Win
ming bread by writing may be harder
work than digging bitches. Great
capitalists are also toilers and without
them great industries could not exist
There is coming an appreciation of the
fact that labor and capital are indis-
pensable to each other.
''The divine ruie is: ITO each man
his work. The man who shovels coal
into furnace door is just as important
as the man in any other place. One
vision should always be before us, the
sacred character of all business and
work. All who labor should be glad
to be part of that procession that is
moving to better things.
LET capital and labor each I've hon
ored for it's possibilities. Let each and
all do what they can to speed the day
when Gods program for all men shall
be fulfilled. and the very peace Of
heaven shall displace this world Of
trouble. - ~.