Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1921-09-05
HOLIDAY OF LABOR A BIG EvENT-Labor

Day, today is the twenty -seventh annual celebra-
ton of Labor Day legal national holiday.
Labor day evolved from the aspiration of the labor
movement; it was not handed down as present.
The history of Labor Day is significant of the in
creasing strength and progress of organized lebor
Its recognition legal holiday won by la
Dor it was not given to labor.
The united voluntary efforts of the American
workers themselves established Labor Day as a
National holiday long before any state legislature
or the National legislature enacted the custom in
tostatute law. But the history of the statute law
is in itself significant indicates the ever ncreas-
ing influence of the economic organizations of
labor over the deliberations of law makers.
The Labor Day idea was originated by p l.
Mcclure for many years first vice president of
the American Federation OF Labor At a meeting
of the New York Central labor union held on
May 9Th, 1882, Mcclure urged the propriety of
setting aside one day iii the year as general ho
iday for the laborng people. He suggested that
ii be called Labor Day" The idea was adopted
by the central labor union and it staged Labor
Day parade and festival on the first Monday in
September 1882.
The American Federation of Labor endorsed
the national labor day holiday at its 1884 conven
ton, held in Chicago The convention unan-
mously adopted the following resolution intro
duced by A c. Cameron, delegate from the Chicago
trades and labor alliance:
Resolved, That the first Monday in September
OF each year be set apart as laborers' national
holiday, and that we recommend its observance
by all wage workers. irrespective of sex, calling or
nationality"
Through the activity of the state declarations of
labor and the central labor bodies the Labor day
demand spread from city to city and state TO state
Many municipal councils and state legislatures
made it legal holiday. Oregon was tie first
state to accede to labor's demand that Labor day
be made state holiday. The Oregon Labor dav
law was signed by the governor on February 81
1887 The legislatures of Colorado, MasschLss-
etts, New Jersey and New York also made labor
day state holiday in 1887 Georgia Illinois In
diana, Kansas, Maine Montana, New Hampshire,
South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington in
1891; Alabama, Louisiana, Utah and Virginia in
1892, and California, Delaware, Florida Minueso
Ia Rhode Island, Texas and Wisconsin in $780,,
In the meantime American Federation OF Labor
officials sought congressional legislation to make
Labor Day national holiday, in conformity with
the resolution Of the 1884 convention The bill
became law ten years later 1t passed. Congress
on June 18th, 1894
On June 10Th, 1894, President Cleveland signed
inc Labor Day law in the presence OF Amos
Cummings, representative in congress from New
Yorl; City. Mr. Cummings presented the pen and
Fenholer used by President Cleveland to Fresi-
dent Samuel Gompers
In his annual report to the 1894 American Fed
Grafton of Labor Convention, President Gompe1s
said =
National Labor Day--It affords me pleasure
to be able to report that the demand by the Amer
lcan Federation of Labor for making the first Mon
day in September of each year legal holiday has
passed Congress and was made law on June %
1894"