Month: August 2019

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1909, Part IV: Speaks for Mexican Revolutionaries

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones Save Our Mexican Comrades, AtR p3, Feb 20, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday August 11, 1909
Mother Jones News Round-Up for July 1909, Part IV:
-Mother Speaks on Behalf of Mexican Revolutionaries

From Los Angeles Herald of July 23, 1909:

MOYER-FLYNN FIGHT RAGING
—–

WESTERN FEDERATION WAR IS CLOSE TO CLIMAX
—–
Butte Union Insurgent Leaders Insist That
Funds Due Local Body Were Diverted
to the Main Organization
—–

(By Associated Press.)

Mother Jones, Elkhart IN Dly Rv p2, Crpd, July 19, 1909

DENVER, July 22.-The expected controversy over the adoption of President Moyer’s report occupied practically the entire time of today’s sessions of the convention of the Western Federation of Miners.

The introduction of the committee resolution recommending favorable action was the signal for the anti-administration forces, led by P. W. Flynn of Butte, to launch their carefully prepared contest….

A lengthy discussion ended in an attempt by the Flynn crowd to have Moyer’s supplementary report as well as his statement tabled, but this was lost, 149 to 198.

Before the vote on the adoption of the Flynn statement could be taken the hour of adjournment was reached.

“Mother” Jones Talks

“Mother” Jones addressed the convention today in behalf of the alleged Mexican revolutionists, for whom extradition is sought by the Diaz government.

Hereafter when a delegate on the floor of the convention of the Western Federation of Miners calls another delegate a liar or uses profane language it will cost him $10. A resolution to this effect was adopted this morning.

The convention again reaffirmed its policy of education and recommended an aggressive campaign along the lines of independent political action and industrial unionism. It also instructed the executive board whenever the revenues would permit to place Socialist workers in the field and distribute Socialist literature.

———-

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1909, Part III: Addresses Convention of W. F. of M.

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, re Ruling Class, AtR p2, Jan 23, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday August 10, 1909
Mother Jones News Round-Up for July 1909, Part III:
-Addresses Convention of Western Federation of Miners

From El Paso Herald of July 17, 1909:

Mother Jones, Elkhart IN Dly Rv p2, Crpd, July 19, 1909

“MOTHER JONES” ADDRESSES MINERS’ CONVENTION

Denver, Col., July 17.-The dispute between the Butte brewery workers and the Western Federation of Miners over the control of the brewery engineers, occupied the attention of the miners this morning and the question is still unsettled. “Mother Jones” addressed the convention this afternoon.

———-

[Photograph added.]

From the Appeal to Reason of July 17, 1909:

SW Edition, Texas, WJ Bell Sec Tyler, AtR p3, July 3, 1909

[…..]

Mineral Wells Encampment.

As encampments on a large scale is the order of the day, the locals and comrades of Parker and Palo Pinto counties instead of trying to hold ordinary encampments separately, have united their resources and efforts in the production of one huge encampment.

Mineral Wells is an ideal spot for and encampment [scheduled for Aug. 9-14]. A full corps of speakers will be on hand for the full six days. Hickey, Brewer, Andrews, Lena Morrow Lewis, Noble, Buchanan, Mother Jones and able local speakers. Every kind of amusement and attraction that goes with an encampment will serve to amuse those in attendance while the speakers educate. Bring your families in your wagons or come by rail at special rates and camp with us for the week.

———-

[Note: Mineral Wells is about 50 miles west of Fort Worth.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1909, Part III: Addresses Convention of W. F. of M.” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1909, Part II: Found Speaking at Convention of the Western Federation of Miners

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, We Will Rest, UMWC Jan 27, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday August 9, 1909
Mother Jones News Round-Up for July 1909, Part II:
-Found Speaking in Denver at W. F. of M. Convention

From Proceedings of the Convention of Western Federation of Miners
-Held at Denver, Colorado, July 12-August 3, 1909:

Third Day, Afternoon Session of July 14, 1909:
-From Financial Report of Secretary-Treasurer Earnest Mills

Mother Jones, Elkhart IN Dly Rv p2, July 19, 1909

We have been in receipt of $3,911.72, principally through the efforts of “Mother” Jones, for the defense of the Mexican Political Refugees, whose cases were discussed at the Sixteenth Annual Convention, and $3,809.75 has been paid to the Bisbee Mexican Defense Committee, and used directly in behalf of securing the liberty of the imprisoned men, while the balance, $101.97, has been forwarded to the Political Refugee Defense Committee at Chicago at the request of “Mother” Jones for the defense of Calixto Guerra, a political refugee, whose extradition is demanded by President Diaz of Mexico.

Fifth Day, Afternoon Session of July 16, 1909:

Mother Jones, having entered the hall at this time [following the Report of Vice-President C. E. Mahoney], was escorted to the platform, where she was introduced by the chair to the delegates, who received the venerable “mother” with ringing applause.

“Mother” Jones spoke at length, describing the struggle of the coal miners who are now on strike, and urging the delegates to elect men to their respective legislatures and congress who would look after the interests of the working class. At the conclusion of her address, “Mother” Jones was loudly applauded.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1909, Part I: Found in New Castle, Pennsylvania

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Old Devil, UMWC Jan 27, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday August 8, 1909
Mother Jones News Round-Up for July 1909, Part I:
-Found Speaking to Tin Workers in New Castle, Pennsylvania

From the Pittsburg National Labor Tribune of July 1, 1909:

Mother Jones, Muncie IN Eve Prs p3, July 17, 1909

VOTE AT NEW CASTLE.
—–

[…]

Pride of New Castle lodge, composed of members of the Amalgamated [Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers] employed at the Greer tin mills, decided at a meeting Saturday night to strike against the “open shop” policy the vote was 153 for and 104 against….

———-

Mother Jones Speaks Out.

Many of the tin workers who had voted to strike went to hear Mother Jones speak at the Airdome Sunday night but were not as well pleased with her remarks as they thought they would be as she held out no hope for them winning their strike. Mrs. Jones stated that the men had no hope at all unless they were solidly organized and that they could accomplish nothing in the condition that they were. She did suggest that they all get into the Socialist party and by all uniting under that banner that they would win in the end. That was the gist of her remarks pertaining to the New Castle situation.-News

———-

[Photograph added from The Muncie Evening Press of July 17, 1909.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Western Federation of Miners Dedicates Monuments to John Murphy & George Pettibone, Part II

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote John ONeill re Pettibone, Mnrs Mag p7, July 29, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday August 7, 1909
Denver, Colorado – Monuments for Murphy and Pettibone Dedicated, Part II

From The Miners Magazine of August 5, 1909:

Monument to Murphy and Pettibone Dedicated July 24th.
[Part II]
—–

John Murphy, Pettibone, Mnrs Mag p4, Aug 5, p6, July 29, 1909
—–

Judge Hynes in a neat address then introduced John M. O’Neill, editor of the Miners’ Magazine, who delivered the following address:

Ladies and Gentlemen, Members of Organized Labor and Delegates to the Western Federation of Miners:

We have gathered here today to dedicate monuments to the memory of two men, who in life entwined themselves in the hearts of men and women who are scanning with yearning eyes the distant horizon and watching for the faint gleams of that glad morning that shall usher in a civilization that bequeathes to humanity the priceless heritage of industrial liberty. These monuments are the generous gifts of men who mourned the cruel summons of the grim messengers of death that snatched from life’s arena men whose deathless devotion and loyalty to the eternal principles of justice, made their names immortal in the labor movement of Western America. They did not come from the gory field of battle bearing victories that were baptized in human blood. They were not crowned with achievements won amid the fire and smoke of shot and shell, but they were soldiers in that great army of the world’s struggling millions that is slowly but surely marching onward toward the goal of economic freedom.

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Hellraisers Journal: Western Federation of Miners Dedicates Monuments to John Murphy & George Pettibone, Part I

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday August 6, 1909
Denver, Colorado – Monuments for Murphy and Pettibone Dedicated, Part I

From The Miners Magazine of August 5, 1909:

Monument to Murphy and Pettibone Dedicated July 24th.
[Part I]
—–

John Murphy, Pettibone, Mnrs Mag p4, Aug 5, p6, July 29, 1909
—–

On last Saturday afternoon the monuments erected to the memory of John H. Murphy and George A. Pettibone, were unveiled in the presence of more than 500 people who had gathered in Fairmont cemetery: The convention of the Western Federation of Miners adjourned at noon Saturday in order that the delegates might attend the dedication services in a body. At 2:15 p.m. the delegates left Denver in two special cars for the cemetery, followed by a special car containing members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen and another special car with members of the Granite Cutters’ Union. When the special cars reached the cemetery, the monuments were already surrounded by many of the friends of the departed and at 4 o’clock, Judge W. F. Hynes, who was master of ceremonies, addressed the gathering and paid eloquent tributes to the men who had proven their loyalty to the principles of organized labor. Judge Hynes then introduced A. H. Hawley, general secretary-treasurer of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, who spoke as follows:

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Hellraisers Journal: “Bisbee, for the Second Anniversary” by Card No. 512210: “Comes the day, ah! we’ll remember…”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Frank Little re Guts, Wobbly by RC p208, Chg July 1917———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday August 5, 1919
Bisbee Deportations of 1917: “Come the day, ah! we’ll remember…”

From The One Big Union Monthly of August 1919:

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Hellraisers Journal: The Messenger: Ben Fletcher in Leavenworth for a principle: “to the workers belongs the world.”

Janet RayeA. Philip Randolph
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Quote Frank Little re Guts, Wobbly by RC p208, Chg July 1917———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday August 3, 1919
Leavenworth Penitentiary – Ben Fletcher Imprisoned for Principle

From The Messenger of August 1919:

Ben Fletcher

IWW, Ben Fletcher, 13126 Leavenworth, Sept 7 or 8, 1918
Fellow Worker Ben Fletcher

Negro newspapers seldom publish anything about men who are useful to the race. Some parasite, ecclesiastical poltroon, sacerdotal tax gatherer, political faker or business exploiter will have his name in the papers, weekly or daily. But when it comes to one of those who fights for the great masses to lessen their hours of work, to increase their wages, to decrease their high cost of living, to make life more livable for the toiling black workers-that man is not respectable for the average Negro sheet.

Such a man is Ben Fletcher. He is one of the leading organizers of the Industrial Workers of the World, commonly known as I. W. W. He is in the Leavenworth Penitentiary, Kansas, where he was sent for trying to secure better working conditions of colored men and women in the United States. He has a vision far beyond that of almost any Negro leader whom we know. He threw in his lot with his fellow white workers, who work side by side with black men and black women to raise their standard of living. It is not uncommon to see Negro papers have headlines concerning a Negro who had committed murder, cut some woman’s throat, stolen a chicken or a loaf of bread, but those same papers never record happenings concerning the few Negro manly men who go to prison for principle. Ben Fletcher is in Leavenworth for a principle-a principle which when adopted, will put all the Negro leaders out of their parasitical jobs that principle is that to the workers belongs the world, but useful work is not done by negro leaders.

We want to advocate and urge that Negro societies, lodges, churches, N. A. A. C. P. branches and, of course, their labor organizations begin to protest against the imprisonment of Ben Fletcher and to demand his release. He has been of more service to the masses of the plain Negro people than all the wind jamming Negro leaders in the United States.

[Photograph and emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Spokane Industrial Worker: “Women Workers of the World” -Fight for Emancipation

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote re IWW Women, Scarlet Letter Flag, IW p2, July 29, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday August 2, 1909
“True respect for women is mostly confined to the working class.”

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of July 29, 1909:

THE WOMEN WORKERS OF THE WORLD

Honor the Women, Schiller, IW p2, July 29, 1909

58 Lodging House women Freed to Leave Spokane, IW p4, July 29, 1909

True respect for women is mostly confined to the working class. Strange as it may sound to the unthinking, and the unobserving, a woman or girl is safer from insult in any crowd of workingmen, however plain and rough, than in any crowd of idlers, however well-dressed and worthless. To take the modern miniature of Sodom, Spokane for example: decent women may pass up and down Stevens street-even among the spiritless slaves who are saying mass to the job signs of the employment sharks, and not a man who would breathe a word of offense.

How many women do not look down and feel nervous and apprehensive as they pass the crowd of loafers at the corner of Howard and Riverside streets, and these loafers are the very cream of Spokane society-yes, more, they are the refined cream, the Limburger cheese of the town. The same thing is true in all cities; it is the workingmen who are chivalrous, and the loafers who are curs.

The sharpest quote in the battle hymns of all nations has been the call to defend “wife, home and children,” but how could this affect our modern American employing class? What a task! “To defend wife?” Which wife? Which one of the modern employing class concubines could stir the spirit of bravery in the breast of a spaniel? The task is too great; too much responsibility! Love of home and wife may do well enough for a plain workingmen, but our advanced employers, with their plural marriages, have not bravery and “love” enough to go ’round.

In all ages, women, from their comparative bodily weakness, have been treated as inferiors. St. Paul says that “It is a shame for a woman to speak in the church.” Paul was right. It is a shame not only for women, but for men to speak in the church, which has been and is, one of the chief influences used to keep the female sex in submission. “Let her ask her husband at home”-for information, says Paul. Fancy a woman asking an A. F. of L. scab, with a broken back, for “information!” Men have fought and bled for religious liberty for themselves, and have thought to win real freedom by gaining the baubles of suffrage and theoretical “political” rights. The modern suffragette agitation among women may cause some of the men to smile, but they are following where the political “socialist” saints have trod-the ballot is the way, the truth and the life!

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