Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-31

Labor day bill was introduced January
II. passed 1t into law by the signature
OF its governor February p, thus writing
, her name at the head of the states in
adopting the movement as q formal state
measure. It was not until May of the
same year that the New York bill, in
troduced in January. was passed and
signed by the governor Of that state.
Thus New York and Oregon may be
said to divide between them the honor
Of first formally recognizing Labor day
New York by introduction OF the first
bill. Oregon by the passage Of the first
law.
After these two states had formally set
aside day the others followed with
more or less alacrity. 1t should be said,
in justice to these latter states, that their
delay In passing a measure which. 1t was
then clear to the world, was desired by
not due to any Organized opposition
against such a measure on the part OF
any political party or class of people, but
was due to two natural causes. One, the
congestion Of many bills in the various
legislatures. whose consideration, from
local causes, was matter of great
urgency. The other. that, as the day
had become. by common consent OF the
people throughout the country, day OF
holiday. any ratification of such adoption
by the people was matter OF pure for
mality Indeed. probably one-half the
people in the United States do not know
when their particular state adopted Labor
day as legal holiday.
1t was much like the case OF Decora-
ton day. The spirit and sentiment Of
the people in the south, where most OF
the graves Of the civil war were dug,
crystallized upon a certain time In the
early summer to honor the memory OF
the dead by decoration of the cemeteries,
alike OF Confederate and Union dead. In
the course of years a certain day was
formally adopted by law by the various
states; but few people can recall when
their particular state passed such a law.
Thus with Labor day; the rank and
file Of the labor movement. consisting Of
hundreds of thousands of men in the va
rious organizations. had adopted the idea
years before the states, or majority
even, had crystallized 1t into statute law
The numbers who will gather In this
celebration 1T is impossible to give with
any degree of accuracy. but it can be
stated. beyond exaggeration, that the
men and women In line Of parade alone
will mount far T.. IN the hundreds OF
thousands. many more marching than
ever before in the history .of the world
in witness Of any cause. That this is
no exaggeration is. plain from the. fol
lowing figures: -as-t
The American Federation Of Labor, the
most powerful ana numerous Of the labor
organizations of today. numbered last
January in active members nineteen
hundred and seventy-odd thousand. Since
that time their numbers have increased
until they are now well beyond the two
million mark. The nearest approach to
accuracy is to place their number next
Labor day at 2.O25. 600.
These include only the active members.
When one considers the families of these
members. the auxiliary associations af-
hliated with the parent body In the way
of relief associations, chiIdren's societies
and such kindred bodies. 1t is well with
in the number to say that more than
two million will march on that day.
And that is out Of the American Fed
GRAFTON Of Labor alone. Besides this and
its affiliated bodies, there are other labor
organizations, as well as societies, that
are not strictly labor unions. but which
take advantage of the holiday to demon
strate themselves to the world by formal
parade. From these one may add half a
million more.
So that tomorrow there will march In
peaceful procession a number that will
more than equal the Union troops active
ly engaged in the civil war-a line which,
New York to San Francisco; all this
from that small beginning September s.
1882.
OF course. the inward meaning of day
thus devoted to a cause Is what denotes
its true worth-the test which tells the
thoughtful man whether it is merely an
evidence Of an ephemeral and hystericAl
emotion. or whether 1t is grappled down
deep in the hearts Of its advocates. While
many may differ as to the perpefuation
of this day. the sentiment behind It is
of first Importance.
Therefore. to determine what was the
meaning of Labor day to the men in the
ranks. as well as at the head Of the
greatest OF labor unions. the American
Federation of Labor, Mr.. Frank Morri-
son was asked to give his sentiments on
this subject. Mr.. Morrison is the secre-
tary OF that organization, and having
for years been identified with its growth
Is well qualified as it's mouthpiece. This
is what he says:
Labor day means much more to the
wageworkers than a holiday day OK
rest 1t means day set apart for them
suits achieved through their organized
efforts, and what they propose to accom-
plish in the future.
''Organized labor never presented great
er unity of purpose than 1t does today:
Its members were never more active In
the endeavor to secure improved condi-
lions. The reports fro the tnterna-
uonal officers indicate steady increase
in membership, reduction In hours. and
more satisfactory condition as to wages.
federation for the organization Of the I'M
skilled workers. That success in that
line il being achieved Is Indicated by the
fact that the membership OF the affiiiated