Montana labor news., 1935-08-29
First Law Making Labor Day
Legal Holiday Was Passed by
Oregon in February, 1887 -
Colorado, New Jersey, New
York and Massachusetts Also
Enacted Labor Day Laws
During That Year.
Wyoming Passed Last Law in
l923-Now Every State in the
Union, the District of Column
bia, Hawaii, the Philippine
Islands and Puerto Rico Have
Labor Day Statutes.

1Ork lily SldIlcu LdDOI LAY oh 10
way as a general holiday on May 8,
1882, when the Council adopted the
plan presented by P. J. Mcclure,
founder of the Brotherhood Of Car
penters and Joiners, that one day in
each year should be set apart as a spe-
cial holiday for working men and wo-
men.
On the first Monday in September,
1882, the Central Labor Union spon-
sored the first Labor Day parade, which
was reviewed in Union Square by
prominent labor leaders and ended with
a celebration and speeches in Elm
Park.
Following the New York City cele-
bration several municipal councils
passed ordinances making the first
Monday in September a municipal
holiday, but it was not until 1887 that
the States initiated the movement to
make Labor Day a legal State holiday.
First Law Enacted by Oregon.
Oregon enacted the first State law
in 1887. The legislature fixed the first
Saturday in June as Labor Day, but in
September, 1898, changed the date to
the first Monday in September.
The action of Oregon was followed
in quick succession by the legislatures
of Colorado. New Jersey, New York
and Massachusetts, all of them enact
ing Labor Day laws in 1887.
The forty-eighth State TO come I'M
der the Labor Day influence was Wyo-
ming whose legislature enacted a La
Dor Day law in 1923.
Dates When Laws Were Passed.
Following is the list OF States, COM
piled from data in the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the United States Depart
ment of Labor, which have passed laws
making Labor Day a legal holiday, with
the date of the enactment Of the law
Alabama-Decembe II, 1892.
Alaska-March %, 1913.
Arizona-April %, 1912.
Arkansas-January g, 1908.
Caifornia-February q, 1897. Under
the original law of California of May
%, 1898, Labor Day fell on the first
Monday in October.
Colorado-March Is, 1887.
Connecticut-March 20, 1889.
Delaware-February ID, 1898.
District of Columbia-June 28, 1894.
Florida-April %, 1893.
Georgia-Octob 10, 1891.
Hawaii-1903.
Idaho-March 5, 1909.
Illinois-June II, 1891.
Indiana-March 9, 1891.
Iowa-April 5, 1890.
Kansas-March 4, 1891.
Kentucky-March II, 1902.
Louisiana-July 8, 1912. The law en-
acted July 7, 1892, affected Parish of
New Orleans only.
Maine-February 10, 1891.
Maryland-March %, 1910.
Massachusetts-May IL, 1887.
Michigan-May II, 1898.
Minnesota-April IS, 1898.
Mississippi-March 4, 1904.
Missouri-April 9, 1895.
Montana-February 10, 1895.
Nebraska-March %, 1889.
Nevada-March IL, 1913.
New Hampshire-March 81, 1891.
New Jersey-April 8, 1887.
New Mexico-March Is, 1915.
New York-May 6, 1887.
North Carolina-January %, 1901.
North Dakota-March 10, 1909.
Ohio-April 28, 1890.
Oklahoma-May q, 1908.
Oregon-February 81, 1893. Under
the original law Of Oregon of February
81, 1887, Labor Day fell on the first
Saturday in June.
Pennsylvania-April rs, 1889. In
Pennsylvania by an act Of May 81,
1893, the date of Labor Day was
changed to the first Saturday in Sep
TENDER, but by an act of June %, 1897,
the original date was restored.
Philippine Islands-April 80, 1908.
May | is observed as Labor Day in the
Philippine Islands.
Puerto Rico-1902.
Rhode Island-May 70, 1898.
South Carolina-December p, 1891.
South Dakota-February II, 1907.
Tennessee-March II, 1891.
Texas-February II, 1898.
Utah-February q, 1892.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 70, 1903.
Virginia-February S, 1892.
Washington-February "a, 1891.
West Virginia-February q, 1899.
Wisconsin-April 10. 1893. Labor