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Hellraisers Journal – Monday December 9, 1901
Mother Jones News Round-Up for November 1901, Part I
Found at State Miners’ Convention in Huntington, West Virginia
From The Indianapolis Journal of November 1, 1901:
“MOTHER” JONES FOR WAR.
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Urges Miners to Resort to Arms if Necessary to Win.
HUNTINGTON, W. Va., Oct. 31.-Twenty-five of the officials and organizers of the United Mine Workers of America attended the first day’s session of the State miners,’ convention here to-day. The presence of John Mitchell, president of the United Mine Workers, Vice President Lewis, Secretary-treasurer Wilson and others of prominence made the meeting one of more than ordinary importance. The convention consists of more than 150 union miners from Virginia and West Virginia. A permanent organization was effected during the forenoon session and the usual committees were appointed.
The afternoon was spent in hearing the reports from the various delegates as to the condition of the order in their respective territories. There were no transactions of importance, and the day ended with a mass meeting to-night which was addressed by Vice President T. L. Lewis, of the national organization. “Mother” Jones and Organizer and Secretary-treasurer W. B. Wilson, “Mother” Jones advised the miners to go home and resort to arms, if necessary, to accomplish their purpose.
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[Photograph added.]
From the New York Worker of November 17, 1901:
“THAT OTHER FELLOW” AND MOTHER JONES.
The Paterson “Evening News” has on its staff a person-we do not call him a man, because he isn’t one-who writes under the title of “That Other Fellow.” He writes in rather a bright style, with good command of language-in fact, the only thing he seems to lack is sincerity or respect for truth and that he lacks completely. That is why we don’t designate him as a man.
We are called upon to notice “That Other Fellow” by an attack which he has recently made upon Mother Jones, who is well known in Paterson and in many another town, East and West, North and South, for her faithful work on behalf of toilers struggling for an improvement in their condition.
”That Other Fellow” heard Mother Jones speak to the striking silk workers. He did not learn anything form her. Naturally not. “That Other Fellow” is one of those silly fellows who “know it all” and therefore cannot possibly learn anything. “That Other Fellow” then went up to the office and wrote a column of “stuff”-that’s what they call it in newspaper offices and it’s the right name-about Mother Jones and the silk-mill strikers. Then he drew his pay-so much per inch-and went out and had a drink and thought what a smart fellow he was, to be able to get paid for writing “stuff” about people and things that he didn’t know the first thing about.
The burden of “That Other Fellow’s” accusation against Mother Jones is in this passage: “Did she ever live away back, as a girl among other people-this “Mother “ Jones, as they call her-did she ever know what toiling and working and skimping and saving for the month’s rent and the food for the children meant? She hardly did.” And so he goes on ad nauseam.
Now, in order to save “That Other Fellow”-who is really not a bad sort of a fellow at heart, but only foolish and conceited and, apparently, very, very young-from making such an exhibition of himself in this line again, we will inform him that long before he had cut his milk-teeth-if we judge his age correctly-Mother Jones had earned more with her needle than “That Other Fellow’s” writings have ever been worth or ever will be. Mother Jones, as seamstress, knew very well “what toiling and working and skimping and sewing meant.” And Mother Jones, as union organizer, keeps right on toiling and working and skimping and sewing-for the labor movement does not provide a very luxurious nor a very easy life for its faithful servants.
“That Other Fellow”-superior young gentleman that he is-refers to Mother Jones as a “weak-eyed old lady.” If Mother Jones’ physical vision is impaired, the people who made profits off her labor all through the long years might tell how it came about. But of one thing we are sure: Her mental vision is keen enough to to see right through “That Other Fellow’s” skull and perceive the emptyness of his head and his heart and to feel sorry for him, rather than to resent his attacks.
Oh, you foolish young “Other Fellow,” go and ask your mother, who has perhaps toiled for you as Mother Jones has toiled for others, to pardon the insult you have offered to one of her noblest sisters. Go and learn from her what it means to be a man and a gentleman-not just an “Other Fellow”-learn to tell the truth you know and keep silent when you know nothing.
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SOURCES
Quote Mother Jones WV Miners Conditions, ISR p179, Sept 1901
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/isr/v02n03-sep-1901-ISR-gog-Princ.pdf
The Indianapolis Journal
(Indianapolis, Indiana)
-Nov 1, 1901
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82015679/1901-11-01/ed-1/seq-1/
The Worker
(New York, New York)
-Nov 17, 1901, page 2, column 3
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/the-people-the-worker/011117-worker-v11n33.pdf
IMAGE
Mother Jones, Drawing, SDH p4, Mar 9, 1901
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/social-democratic-herald-us/010309-socdemherald-v03n38w140.pdf
See also:
Tag: UMW West Virginia Organizing Campaign of 1900-1902
https://weneverforget.org/tag/umw-west-virginia-organizing-campaign-of-1900-1902/
The People & The Worker (1899-1908)
by Tim Davenport
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/the-people-the-worker/index.htm
Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for October 1901
Part I: Found in West Virginia; Gives Interview in Paterson, New Jersey
Part II: Found Speaking in New Jersey and Pennsylvania; Returns to West Virginia
The Correspondence of Mother Jones
-ed by Edward M. Steel
U of Pittsburgh Press, 1985
https://books.google.com/books?id=EZ2xAAAAIAAJ
https://digital.library.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt%3A31735057897435
-pages 11-17 (66 of 415) for Correspondence of Nov 1901:
https://digital.library.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt%3A31735057897435/viewer#page/66/mode/2up
From Mother Jones at Sewell WV to W. B. Wilson, Sec-Trea of UMWA:
-as written except periods added for clarity.
Sewell West Virginia
Nov the 15thMy dear Comrade Wilson
I note all you say about making war on the forces I realize it is not not the best policy but if you could see what I see you would not blame me. You know I pour my whole soul out to you.
John Walker and myself are getting this New River organized. The whole place is stired up for organization. It is creating a jealosy in the minds of some who have made a failure of their own district. Now they are laying their plans to get a hold of this place and do as they did on Kanawha. Tear down what had been done here. I want to tell you that if Chris Evans [UMWA Statistician] send Burk [UMWA executive board member] in here that I will leave the field. I have a good deal to tell you when I see you and I think Walker will return to Ill. You nor the Prest do not know all. I will fight for right even if those traitors stab me to the heart.
Well I went to a meeting alone Wensday night and organized the whole camp. Take the $15.00 out of my salary. I did not get done untill after Eleven OClock. Then I walked up the track one mile and a quarter. Frank freeman had promised to meet me but the General Manager would not let him come, and Boskill [International Organizer] had gone up Thurman Mountain. I had to divide up so as to get what work we could on this side of the River before the Convention. This is not a safe place for the men to go alone not to talk of me but its alright I did work they failed to do for the poor slaves. I have come to the final conclusion that those fellows dont want a woman in the field. I will have a talk with you both when at Huntington in another month. All of New River will be organized Provided we are left to work together I mean Walker and I and freeman. Write me when you can it is the only comfort I have to hear from you and that noble soul Geon [Gene Debs] D-It will all come right some day.
fraternally yours
Mother
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Spirit of Mother Jones – Andy Irvine