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

dreamer, indeed who could see from
that small beginning America sre"
Labor day of tomorrow.
He must have been very Joseph OF
Dothan, come to view, who could see, IN
his minds eye, the limitless lines or Ia
borers thousands upon their hundreds OF
thousands until the brain grows weary IN
the estimate that will tomorrow parade
throughout every city of the Union-not
in thin, tricklng files. but in broad pla-
toons that stretch from curb to curD
and crowd the gaping gazers; and pa
rade. with blazoned banners at their head
and brass bands blaring their notes OF
victory, with all the pomp and circum-
stance of war: for il is war, indeed
against want and poverty. idieness and
oppression.
And yet it was from that little begin
ming referred to that all this arose. True.
there had been labor unions in the United
States before that and they had paraded
in their organized form. In 1927 and In
the three years following the labor So
cieties of New York paraded in the pro-
cession of the Fourth of July. and on va
rious occasions after they turned out IN
strength.
But, as far as can be learned, this pa
rade September 5. 1882, was the first time
that the labor unions set aside specific
day devoted to the goddess at whose
shrine they worshiped. and turned out
in full force that all the world might see.
And this demonstration was confined SOLE
ly to New York city.
1t was on the occasion of the annual
meeting of the Knights of Labor, which
ton of labor had been founded about
fifteen years before by some striking gar
ment workers of Philadelphia. 1t was
born at a time when the laboring man
was beginning to do a good deal OF hard
thinking for himself and wonder quite
deal whether all this talk about the
blessings of poverty and the lowly poor
being Gods own was quite as true as Its
smug-faced teachers had, for genera
tons. been DINING into the ears Of the
man behind the hammer and the shovel.
And so the Knights OF Labor, filled with
those doubts, throve amain. At their
head was Terence v. Powderly, now oc-
cupying a responsible position in the new
Department Of Commerce.
1T has been stated at various timeA
That Labor day had this or that man
for its father" said Mr.. Powderly,
when asked concerning this occasion
of momentous birth. But the day had
no father. or rather" he corrected with
a smile. sit had many fathers. and 1
think ! should know. having been pres
emit at the BIRTH
Labor day. as we know 1t today,
was a growth. born from the percep-.
the need Of such q day. OF such move
ments. 1t Is always hard to fix an exact
moment when they spring into being
when. from vague Idea they become
the practical thing But OF Labor day
II can be said with certainty that 1t
was born in New York city September
5, 1892
AT that time the knights OF Labor, of
which was grand master workman, were
holding their annual convention in that
determined to give a demonstration in
our honor. and so. on the afternoon OF
the day mentioned. they paraded to
the number of several thousand.
by the labor folks of New York that
the whole day was practically given
over to 1abor-just as the Fourth Of
July is given over to to the considera-
ton of our national independence.
I'VE were deep in deliberations on
that day. I well remember. for the
cause Of labor, before that time an in
FAINT in swaddling clothes, was begin
ming to walk erect, and its inarticulate
cry OF the past pas was wa: framing itself into
Therefore. when we were informed
that the laboring people OF New York
had made the day q, virtual holiday and
would parade in our honor we ad-
journed to review the procession from
the stand erected in Union Square.
Upon that platform were. among
others, Hugh F. Pentecost, Robert
Price. coal miner of Pennsylvania
board of the Knight OF Labor. and
General Worthy Foreman Richard Crit
9Th. veteran in the cause
"As the procession passed by, Its num-
bers. few for these days. but imposing
then, so aroused the feelings OF Price
that he leaned over to the rest OF us and,
addressing Richard Griffith in particular,
exclaimed:
This is Labor day. Uncle Dick. Labor
day now and hereafter
THAT moment / have always con-
sidered to be the instant when Labor
day was born. The incident. trivial in
itself. was the nucleus OF many a con-
ference. Each Of us worked to the end
Of having a particular day set apart by
law devoted to the consideration and in
terests OF the labortng classes. and in
time that end was achieved. ! myself.
-
lodge in the Union, pushing the idea Of
Labor day"
But 1t was not achieved Immediately.
Each year more and more lodges in more
and more cities of the country fell into
line with the suggestion and set apart
day. There was no action taken by the
states. Indeed. the movement for a La
Dor day had reached CONFERENCE.-THE pro-
portions before 1t was even preached,
with any result. in the legislatures of
But the genius of the American people
was behind the idea Oliver Wendell
Holmes. greatest Of genial philosophers,
in speaking of the Unborn desire of the
American people to perpetuate some idea
that Is dear to them by the dedication OF
a special days to it says somewhere, that
Il q party of Americans were ship
wrecked upon desert island the first
thing they would do would be to hold a
meeting and organize. Their proceedings
banquet. even though they Toasted on
aothing but raw crayfish, and they
would conclude the whole thing by set
ting apart that day as hereafter to be
annually kept holy in memory Of their
And so. in keeping with this American
spirit, the leaders Of labor. backed by
their followers. more and more spread
the .propaganda OF Labor day: each year
they held their day holy. demonstrating
the faith that was In them by q parade
of all the crafts. And this grew until the
lawmakers OF the country must needs
take notice Of such an insistent call
was introduced in the legislature Of New
York states providing for the setting
aside, as a legal holiday, devoted to the
interests of labor. the first Monday in
each September-the first notice taken
II