| Show I SAYS DAY HAD NO FOUNDER Terence V. V Powderly Tells of the Beginning Be Do- ginning of Labors Labor's Celebration It has been stated at various times that Labor da day had this or that man manfor manfor manfor for Its father said Mr Terence V V. Powderly when asked concerning this occasion pf of ot momentous momento birth But the day h had d no father r. r or rather he corrected with a smile it had many fathers and I think I should know having been present at the birth 1 Labor da day as we know it today was a growth born from the perception perception tion of many men at the same time of or orthe the need of such a day Of such movements it Is always hard to fix an exact moment when they spring Into being when being when from a vague idea they become the practical thing But Butof Butof of Labor day it can be said with certainty certainty that It was born In New York city September 5 1882 At that time the Knights of Labor of which I was grand master workman workman work work- man were holding their annual convention convention con con- ventron in that city The labor unions of New York determined to give a demonstration In our honor and so on the afternoon of ot the day mentioned mentioned mentioned men men- they paraded to the number of several thousand So eagerly had the Idea been grasped by the labor folk of New York that the whole day was practically given over to to labor labor just Just as the tho Fourth of July is given over to the consideration of our national inde indo We Ve were deep in deliberations on that day I well remember for the cause of labor before that time an Infant infant In in- fant In swaddling clothes was begin- begin ging to walk erect and Its Inarticulate inarticulate late cry of the past was forming It Itself it ft self into sentences for the world to listen Therefore when we were Informed In formed that the laboring people of ot New York had made the day a virtual vir viz holiday and would parade In our honor we adjourned to review the procession procession procession pro pro- cession from the stand erected in Union Umon square Upon that platform were among others Hugh F t Robert Price a coal miner of or Pennsylvania Pennsyl and member of the general executive I board of ot the Knights of ot Labor and General Worthy f Foreman oreman Richard Griffith a veteran In the cause |
