The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-08-24

~ IA be observed the forty
sixth anniversary of a
holiday which originated
- in America but which,
in less than half a CEN
fury, has become inter-
ISAzAG national in its scope.
jOM Aol For that is the date of
It&%SSSH the annual celebration
of Labor day and it's
advent recalls the little group of
workers in New York city who on
May s, 1882, heard the suggestion
which eventually resulted in the adj
sdition of this holiday to our national
calendar.
The man to whom the idea of
Labor day is usually credited was
p. ]. Mcclure, for many years secre-
tary of the United Brotherhood of
Carpenters and Joiners of America, a
vice president of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor and one of the best
known labor leaders of his day.
McGuire's thought was that one day
in the year should be set aside as
general holiday for the men and wom-
en- who toll. In its initial form he
contemplates festival day for only
those who work with hands and mus
Gle, day to be devoted to parades,
picnics and speeches.
Mcclure presented his idea at
session of the newly formed Central
Labor union in New York city in May,
1882. His choice for such holiday
was the first Monday in September as
a strategic date midway between the
Fourth Of July and Thanksgiving. He
felt that this was the most suitable
day Of the entire year for a new holt
day and especially for the workers,
for 1t offered respite In their labors
after the hot weather Of July and
August. The choice of the day of the
week was happy one, too, for 1t
really meant q twO-day respite from
work-Sunday and Monday. How
wise his choice was is shown by the
fact that in recent years there has
been tendency toward triple holt
day, the laborer laying down his tools
Friday evening and not taking them
up again until Tuesday morning In
fact, no other holiday of the year,
year In and year out, offers similar
advantage to that of Labor day.
McGuire's suggestion was readily
accepted by the members of the Cen
trail Labor union and the first celebra-
ton took place in New York on Sep
TENDER s, 1882. Although, as previ-
ously stated, MCGUIRE is usually cred
tied with having originated this holt
day, there is another man who had
some part In it. That man Is Theo-
dore F. Cuno and his part in the
origin of Labor day is told in the fol-
lowing story which appeared in the
Kansas City Star under the headline
of "The Aristocrat Who Planned the
First Labor Day.:
From his Utopian colony shack in
the stump-dotted uplands of Vernon
parish, Louisiana, Theodore F. Cuno,
international Socialist who set Amer
lean labor to marching thirty-five
years ago. will mark with satisfaction
Mondays parade of labor all over the
United States.
Cuno. an aristocrat by birth, breed
ing and Inclination, despite his long
life of socialism and "co-operativism,"
will do no marching Monday Every
day is labor's day in the colony that
the late Job Hartman, Los Angeles
lawyer, established first in the Mojave
desert and later two miles south of
this parish seat. Every day of the 365
is a demonstration of the theories that
Theodore F. Cuno was beginning to
glimpse in 1882, when, during the
Powderly fight in the Knights Of
Labor, he wrote the first American
Labor day proclamation.
Uriah Stevens secret society of 1869
had evolved greatly from its original
form when Cuno, then editor of the
Brewers Journal in New York, wrote
the simple call to labor, which he still