Labor Day

Today is Labor Day, which came about in the U.S. after it did in Canada, propelled by a nasty event in which U.S. soldiers and marshals shot and killed thirteen, and wounded scores of other Pullman union men during the strike of 1894.

Granted, the workers had gotten feisty, having burned down railroad buildings and derailed locomotives and all, but the powers-that-were later decided that sending in the Army to keep the trains running was maybe not the best way to go about it. Especially after the President, Grover Cleveland, lost his bid for a second term as a result of his decision to use the Army, which was surely altogether unconstitutional, according to the Posse Comitatus Act, passed after the War Between the States. They could have used the Coast Guard ...

For me, Labor Day marked the end of summer, because school always started the next day. Still does in these parts, though they changed that in the city where I grew up -- now they are back at it the last week in August.

I will be cranking up the grill in a little while, even though it is drizzly and cool out -- looking for a high temperature in the high sixties today, if that. When the heater in the house kicks on, you know summer is on the wane.

Hope you all had a good summer. We had a real one around here this time and enjoyed it muchly.