The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1909-02-11
ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS
LABOR'S BEST FRIEND
The Great Emancipa-
tors Views Regard
ing Most PrepIexing
Questions Of the
Masses that Toll.
BY Secretary Treasurer. John M. Love,
in Plumbers, Gas and Steam
Filters Journal.

This month brings the centennial an
niversary of the birth of the Great
Emancipator, Abraham Lincoln-friend
of labor and phophet of the people.
Organized labor takes a special and
keen interest in this tribute to the
Emancpator, and its representatives
will be foremost amongst those to ten
der homage to his memory, for Lincoln
stands in relation to the workingmen
as none other in the succession of presi-
dents befor or after him has done, or
could do. The industrial conditions
that hedge us now are vastly different
from those which prevailed i'll his day,
and i'll view of the momentous transition
that has taken place some of his utter.
anccs as to Capital and Labor seem now
to have been born of the Gift of phoph-
ecy.
Lincoln, greatest of presidents, was
pre- eminently the man of the people,
not merely because he sprung from
them, but because when he attained to
his highest station he remained true 20
them and to himself, his human sym
pathies always broadening as his ex-
pcrience ripened and his field of vision
increased its horizon. In his most sol
emn utteranccs he more than once in
jected the reminder that his father had
been humble, poor and umlettered. and
that he the son, had begun as literal
hcwer OF wood.
Labor's attitude in the matter was
imprcssivcly declared by the late con-
vention at Denver. The subject of the
Lincoln Centennial, and of Labor's debt
of gratitude to the memory of the En-
ancipator, was brought up i'll the eX-
haustve report of the Executive Cou-
cil in which it was stated that it would
be proper and appropriate for organized
labor to Join in the movement to make
the birthplace of Lincoln a permanent
Mecca of the American people, to urge
on Congress and the different state leg
islatures, that his birthday should be
made an annual legal holiday, and
that on the occasion of the centennial
now near at hand-February l2th--or-
ganized labor should, wherever exped-
lent observe the day by cessation from
work as well as by participation in the
public exercises where possible. The re-
port called for a special committee to
consider and report on the matter.
This committee of fifteen later
made report, emphatically echoing the
four chief recommendations of the En-
ecutive Council as to observance of the
centennial, the dedication of his birth
place, and the memoralizing to have
his birthday perpetually set apart as
national holiday. The committee quot
ed at length from the sayings, speeches
and writings of the Emancipator, in
cluding his second inaugural address
in full, to show how close was his sym.
pathv with the needs and aims of the
toiling masses as represented by organiz-
ed labor today. The committee con
cludcd its report by the recommendation
that the convention adopt it and its
recommendations by rising vote, and it
was one of the solemn and significant
moments of the great convention when
every delegate arose to his feet in mute
approval of the tribute to the martyr
president. Throughout the country To-
cal labor bodies are following up the
spirit of the Federation's action by ar
ranging to take part in the Centennial
observance. 1t may be well, however.
to make it clear that insofar as the res
olutions adopted refer to cessation of
work February 18th, it is merely in the
form of Il recommendation, and union
men are to be governed by their own
choice, or by the conditions which hedge
them, in making the centenary holi-
day or otherwise
1t is timely to recall Lincoln't oft
reiterated declaration that no court, not
even the Supreme court of the United
States. is infallble. and that even the
rulings OF that august body are not al
ways to be accepted as final pro,
nouncement ON the subject at stake
He was emphatic in this, while yield
ing to no one in his respect for the
judicial branch of the government. He