Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-09-02

pOnement" of the coronation OF the
car is of peculiar interest, il view
Of a recent page in the blood
stained history of Russia. A for
eign correspondent explains that,
ewing to Nihilistic plots, the CeTe-
monies may be attended with less
pomp than formally planned"
Against this background Of hui
man interests labor flung its ban
Hers as its IeEiOns swung down
Fifth avenue So years ago. The
banners bore what were radical in
scTipuons in the early eighties: :
Labor Creates Wealth. 1.-THE La
borer Must Enjoy the Full Fruits of
His Labor" Eight Hours for a
Legal Days Work." and Close the
stores at p. m" The banners
shocked the public and the editors
wrote columns about the demon
stratiOn."
a large force of wOrkingmen of
this city and neighborhood in
Culged in a parade and picnic yes
terday, apparently for the purpose
of enjoying a holiday and at the
same time making an exhibition of
/ numerical strength - says one news
/ paper of Sept 6. adding the infor-
+ nation that William McCabe was
, Grand marshal, with Roger Burke,
/ Joseph A. Lees and NJ. NJ MCGrath
marshals of the three divisions.
| John SwintOn, the Rev. DR.. Nc
! Glynn, and ,Others reviewed the pa
rade, according to this same report.
/ Not word about Mr.. PowderIy or
the young man who gave the name
to the futurel holiday that was to
become the proud possession Of the
Lation.
So much for the first event Now
for the second. Under the caption
City and Suburban News" in one
Of the New York newspapers, it is
told that Mr.. Edison had at last
perfected his incandescent light, put
his machinery in order, and started
up his engines, so that about one
third Of the lower city was illum-
mated for a few hours. There is no
mention that Thomas A. Edison was
paying tribute TO labor, thus sym
bOlizing the greater lights of JUS
tice and Righteousness that were to
shine upon its path as the years
went by.
After the parade on that first La
Dor day Mr.. Powderly and several
Of the labor leaders sat up most of
the night talking about what a la
Dor holiday might mean. 1t was
the first Of may conferences.
That moment when Robert
Price spoke to Richard Griffith I
have always considered TO be the
bITthtime of Labor day" said Mr..
Powderly, when he could finally be
persuaded to look back. We all
worked to the end that a particular
day might be set apart by law to be
devoted TO the consideration of the
interests of the laboring classes. In
time that aim was achieved. l my
self, as head Of the Knights of La
Dor, wrote to every lodge in the
United States advocating a Labor
day"
But while the lodges quickly ac-
cepte6 the idea, action by the state
legislatures was slow. The move
ment among the workers had reach
ed across the continent before the
lawmakers took cognizance of il.
Finally, on Jan. 4. 1887. a bill was
introduced N the legislature Of New
OK state providing for the deSig-
nation of the first Monday in Sep
TENDER as q legal holiday, devoted
to the interests Of all labor. Thir-
teen days later a bill was intro
uuced in PARKWAY Oregon. which
had the honor Of being the first to
make the day a legal holiday. for
the bill was signed Feb q, 1887.
New Jersey FASTENED to be the sec
ond state on the list. New York
coming in third because Of its slow
CT action in passing its bill. One
by one the other states fell in line,
making legal what had become the
viii Of the people from ocean to
ocean.
On the first Labor day the prin-
ciple that government has right
to regulate in certain respects the