TheHistoryofLaborDay
　　
　　"LaborDaydiffersineveryessentialfromtheotherholidaysoftheyearinanycountry,"
　　
　　saidSamuelGompers,founderandlongtimepresidentoftheAmericanFederationofLabor.
　　
　　"Allotherholidaysareinamoreorlessdegreeconnectedwithconflictsandbattlesof
　　
　　man’sprowessoverman,ofstrifeanddiscordforgreedandpower,ofgloriesachievedby
　　
　　onenationoveranother.LaborDay...isdevotedtonoman,livingordead,tonosect,
　　
　　race,ornation."
　　
　　LaborDay,thefirstMondayinSeptember,isacreationofthelabormovementandis
　　
　　dedicatedtothesocialandeconomicachievementsofAmericanworkers.Itconstitutes
　　
　　ayearlynationaltributetothecontributionsworkershavemadetothestrength,
　　
　　prosperityandwell-beingofourcountry.
　　
　　FounderofLaborDay
　　
　　Morethan100yearsafterthefirstLaborDayobservance,thereisstillsomedoubtasto
　　
　　whofirstproposedtheholidayforworkers.
　　
　　SomerecordsshowthatPeterJ.McGuire,generalsecretaryoftheBrotherhoodof
　　
　　CarpentersandJoinersandaco-founderoftheAmericanFederationofLabor,wasfirstinsuggestingadaytohonor
　　
　　those"whofromrudenaturehavedelvedandcarvedallthegrandeurwebehold."
　　
　　ButPeterMcGuire’splaceinLaborDayhistoryhasnotgoneunchallenged.ManybelievethatMatthew
　　
　　Maguire,amachinist,notPeterMcGuire,foundedtheholiday.Recentresearchseems
　　
　　tosupportthecontentionthatMatthewMaguire,laterthesecretaryofLocal344ofthe
　　
　　InternationalAssociationofMachinistsinPaterson,N.J.,proposedtheholidayin1882
　　
　　whileservingassecretaryoftheCentralLaborUnioninNewYork.Whatisclearisthat
　　
　　theCentralLaborUnionadoptedaLaborDayproposalandappointedacommitteeto
　　
　　planademonstrationandpicnic.
　　
　　TheFirstLaborDay
　　
　　ThefirstLaborDayholidaywascelebratedonTuesday,September5,1882,inNewYork
　　
　　City,inaccordancewiththeplansoftheCentralLaborUnion.TheCentralLaborUnion
　　
　　helditssecondLaborDayholidayjustayearlater,onSeptember5,l883.
　　
　　Inl884thefirstMondayinSeptemberwasselectedastheholiday,asoriginallyproposed,
　　
　　andtheCentralLaborUnionurgedsimilarorganizationsinothercitiestofollowthe
　　
　　exampleofNewYorkandcelebratea"workingmen’sholiday"onthatdate.Theideaspreadwiththegrowthoflabororganiza

       tions,andin
　　
　　l885LaborDaywascelebratedinmanyindustrialcentersofthecountry.
　　
　　LaborDayLegislation
　　
　　ThroughtheyearsthenationgaveincreasingemphasistoLaborDay.Thefirst
　　
　　governmentalrecognitioncamethroughmunicipalordinancespassedduring1885and
　　
　　1886.Fromthemdevelopedthemovementtosecurestatelegislation.Thefirststatebill
　　
　　wasintroducedintotheNewYorklegislature,butthefirsttobecomelawwaspassedby
　　
　　OregononFebruary2l,l887.Duringtheyearfourmorestates--Colorado,Massachusetts,NewJersey,andNewYork--    

       createdtheLaborDayholidaybylegislativeenactment.Bytheendofthedecade
　　
　　Connecticut,Nebraska,andPennsylvaniahadfollowedsuit.By1894,23otherstateshad
　　
　　adoptedtheholidayinhonorofworkers,andonJune28ofthatyear,Congresspassed
　　
　　anactmakingthefirstMondayinSeptemberofeachyearalegalholidayintheDistrictof
　　
　　Columbiaandtheterritories.
　　
　　ANationwideHoliday
　　
　　TheformthattheobservanceandcelebrationofLaborDayshouldtakewereoutlinedin

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