Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-09-05
GOMPERS WRITES
LABOR DAY HISTORY
President Of American Federation
Originated Movement at Meeting
In New York in 1882.
NOW HOLIDAY IN ALL STATES


WASHINGTON. Sept. A-samuel Com
pers, founder and president OF the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor gave out for |
publication today some interesting his |
torical meter on the observance Of |
Labor day.
Undoubtedly the first suggestion OF
setting apart a day in each year to be |
observed as Labor day" said Mr. Com
pera, was conceived by the late p J..
Mcclure. who was a, that time score
tary Of the United Brotherhood Of Car
penters. The suggestion occurred during
the period when the Knights OF Tabor
was in existence, p. J. MCGUIRE being a
member OF that organisation.
writing for the American Federation
lot in 1900. p. J. MCGUIRE had this to say:
Pagan feasts and Christian observ-
ances have come down 20 us through the
long ages. But II was reserved for this
country. and for the American people, 20
give birth to Labor day. In this they
honor the toilers of the earth and pay
homage 60 those who from rude nature
have delved and carved all the comfort
and grandeur we behold.
More than all. the thought. the con-
oeption. yes. the very inspiration OF this
holiday came from men In the ranks OF
the working people, men active in uplift-
ing their fellows and leading them to bet
ter conditions. II came from a little
group IN New York CITY, the Central
Labor union. which had Just been
formed. and which in later years attained
widespread influence,
Gompers OrisinRtes idea.
ON May s. 1854 the writer made the
proposition. He urged the proprety OF
setting aside one day IN the year to be
DESIGNATED as Labor day, and TO be es-
tahiished as a general holiday for the
iaboring classes. He advised the day
should first be celebrated by n street
parade which would publicly show the
strength and esprit du corps Of the trade
and labor organizations. Next the parade
should bo followed by q picnic or feS-
tival IN some grove. the proceeds Of the
Same 90 be divided on the geml-co-oper-
ative PLAN
ut was further argued Labor day
should be observed an one festal day in
the year for public tribute 10 the genius
Of American industry. There we're other
worthy holidays. representative OF the
religious. civil and military spirit. But
none representative Of the Industrial
aparit the great vital force of every ma
ton. He suggested tho first Monday In
September OF every year for such a holt
day, a. II would come at the most pleas
ant season OF the year. nearly midway
between the Fourth OF July and Thanks
giving, and would fiil wide gap In the
chronology Of legal holidays. Many were
the ccgent reasons he advanced. and at
once the idea was enthusiastically en-
braced.
First Parade An New York.
THE first Labor day parade ana fss-
tivnl Of the Central Labor union of New
York City on September & 1ssa. was stm-
ply an imposing success. From that DAY
ON It became fixed Institution m the
United States, observed today In overy
city OF the land. The plan was next en-
dorsed by the annual convention Of the
American Federation Of Labor ana the
general assembly OF the KNIGHTS OF
Labor. II spread rapidly from city 70
city and from town 20 town. city ooun-
ella and state ieeialaturUs took II up ana
made II legal holiday. untn finally.
June -. 1904. Il became q national hoii-
day by act OF congress.
'"rhe initial action taken setting apart
one day In the year on which 70 review
the activities and beneficial influence OF
organised labor occurred at the AFTER
noon meeting of the third day Of the
fourth annual session OF the Federation.
October ., 1854 the convention being held
IN Schioesser's hall. Chicago. ILL., The
resolution creating Labor day was intro
duced in the convention by A. c. Cam
eron. a delegate from the Chicago Trades
and Labor assembly. and was as fol-
lows:
g Resolved. That the first Monday IN
September of each year be set apart a. a
iaborera' national holiday. and that we
recommend its observance by all wage
workers.. irrespective OF sex. calling or
nationality
w. J. Hammond, representing the In
tsrnationai Typosraphical union, from
New Orleans, La. was president OF this
convention. The accredited DELEGATES 20
this convention numbered only twenty
sfx.
The federation held its annual con.
rention at Columbus. O. December STA
1850 Al this ssssion the officers re-
ported the following:
AZ the fourth session OF the fed
GRAFTON . resolution was adopted making
the first Monday IN September Of each
year labor'B national holiday. and recon.
mending its Observance by wage work.
eFs generally throughout the country
This mot with response that exceeded
the most sanguine expectations. In ouI
great manufacturing and distributing cen,
ters thousands Of worlungmen marched
IN procession and participated IN the fes
tivtties Of the picnic grounds. where IN,
most skilled mechanics and workers n
pTofessions and lahorers united IN a com
mon celebration. exchanging fr4endl,
frateEna greetings while they listened 4
tho champions of labor discussing tn
economic and political questions Of tn
day. The Good effects OF this are .
well Understood that we recommend IL
more general Observance stu, until
shall BE- as uncommon for a man 10 wor
on that day as on independence day
In order that there be no misunder
standing with reference 20 the action o
congress In enacting legislation upon thl
subject Il Il well to state that the Law
passed By congress on June =, ise4. de
seribed above. e. making LAbor day
national holiday only provided that Labo
dag should be observed In the Distric
Of Columbia a. we'll a. the then terri
tories
H0v states Lac UP.