Labor Day Ponderings

Here's to remembering the Pullman Strike of 1894 that spurred President Cleveland and the United States Congress to quickly (6 days) make Labor Day a Federal Holiday! Here are a few quotes about work to prompt us to take a good look to see if things have really changed all that much in the century that has followed.

No order of society can last in which one man says to another, “You work and toil, and earn bread, and I will eat it.”

~ Abraham Lincoln

Those who live without working are either beggars or thieves.

~ Proudhon

The present position which we, the educated and well-to-do classes, occupy, is that of the old man of the sea, riding on the poor man’s back; only unlike the old man of the sea, we are very sorry for the poor man, very sorry; and we will do almost anything for the poor man’s relief. We will not only supply him with food sufficient to keep him on his legs, but we will teach and instruct him and point out the beauties of the landscape: We will discourse sweet music to him and give him an abundance of good advice: Yes, we will do almost anything for the poor man, anything but get off his back.

~ Tolstoy

May you have a blessed and thoughtful/thankful Labor Day.

Joel