Hellraisers Journal – Monday April 17, 1911 Mother Jones News Round-Up for March 1911: –Found in Denver Fighting for Sixteen Miners Jailed by Judge Whitford
From the Black Hills Daily Register of March 6, 1911:
Accuses Judge of Bribery
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(By Pan-American Press.)
Sixteen miners freed from jail with assistance of Mother Jones. —–
Denver, March 6.-The impeachment investigation against Judge Greeley W. Whitford, which is being conducted by a committee of the Colorado house of representatives, took a most sensational turn when the committee was told by Mrs. Margaret Miller that prior to his sentencing sixteen union men to jail a few mouths ago, she had delivered a package to Whitford which, she alleged, contained $3,000.
Mrs. Miller said she had been on terms of close relationship with Whitford for eight years. She testified that during the Cripple Creek mining troubles she was in the employ of the Mine Owners’ Association. She alleges a man associated with her in those troubles, gave her the money to give to Judge Whitford.
The sixteen miner were released from jail recently by Judge Whitford after serving two months of their sentence.
Union labor organizations all over the state of Colorado united in petitioning for Judge Whitford’s removal from the bench, declaring that the court in sentencing the miners, had found them guilty of a criminal charge without giving them the right of trial by jury. “Mother Jones” played an important part in the freeing of the men by holding immense meetings in all the large cities of the state.
Hellraisers Journal – Friday April 12, 1901 Mother Jones News Round-Up for March 1901, Part III Found Seeking Settlement of Pennsylvania Silk Mill Workers Strike
From the Scranton Tribune of March 12, 1901:
…..Nothing has been heard from any of the mill owners or superintendents regarding their attitude on the arbitration question. Mother Mary Jones and Committeeman Frederick Dilcher, of the mine workers, both leave the city this morning…
A mass meeting was held in Taylor Saturday night, which was scheduled as a meeting of the silk mill girls,. Very few of the latter were, however, in attendance, the greater part of the audience being made up of miners. An address by Mother Jones featured the meeting.
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[Photograph added.]
The Philadelphia Times of March 23, 1901:
DAWN BREAKING IN SILK STRIKE ———– Scranton Mill Girls, Aided by “Mother” Jones, Win Their Fight. ———-
FIRST BREAK IN THE RANKS —–
Special Telegram to THE TIMES.
SCRANTON, March 22.
Dawn is surely breaking in the silk strike and within a week’s time fully half of the mills which have been tied up will be working again. Thanks are due entirely to “Mother” Jones, who has labored long to bring about an amicable adjustment of the existing troubles.
This morning ‘Mother” Jones and Alfred Harvey, the owner of the Forest City mill, met and came to an agreement, and the strike at that mill was promptly called off and the girls will commence work to-morrow morning. The basis of the agreement is an increase of 25 cents a week to all employes and after a stated period an increase of 25 cents more, making 50 cents in all.
This will be a considerable gain. Mr. Harvey also owns the second largest mill in Scranton, and he and “Mother” Jones will meet again to-morrow and come to an agreement in regard to the mill here. This is the first break in the ranks of the mill owners’, and the proprietors of all the smaller mills are expected to fall in line with the movement. That will leave Superintendent Davis and the big Sauquoit mill out in the cold, thus forcing them to give in.
Hellraisers Journal – Thursday April 11, 1901 Mother Jones News Round-Up for March 1901, Part II Found Arriving in Hazleton, Pa., for Mine Worker’s Convention
From the Philadelphia Times of March 13, 1901:
National Organizer Chris Evans Makes an Impassioned Appeal to the Delegates at Hazleton. ———- LEGISLATION IS DISCUSSED ———- Bills Now Pending at Harrisburg Come Up for Debate in the Convention and Evoke Heated Discussion. ———- [Mother Jones Arrives]
From a Staff Correspondent.
Hazleton, March 12.
National Organizer Chris Evans, in a speech before the convention of the miners here this afternoon, struck the keynote of the situation when he made an impassioned appeal for uniformity…..
…It is sure that a resolution will be introduced in the convention, making a demand for uniformity in the day wage scale for each of the three districts.
The convention was called to order by President Mitchell in the Grand Opera House at 10 o’clock. The house was filled, and it is believed that 700 delegates are in attendance.
In his opening address President Mitchell referred to the great growth in this region since the strike of last fall, which, he said, had proven that there is a community of interest between the anthracite and bituminous miners which makes needless the argument that they should stand together in one union.
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Mitchell Refuses a House.
President Mitchell created somewhat of a sensation this afternoon by positively refusing to accept the offer of a house which the anthracite miners have decided to give him. In a touching speech he thanked the men very kindly for their appreciation of his efforts, and strongly urged them to devote the money to erecting a monument to those members of the union who gave up their lives in the cause of unionism at Latimer in 1897……
“Mother” Jones arrived here to-night from Scranton and immediately went to MacAdoo, where she and District President Duffy and National Organizer Chris Evans addressed a big meeting. “Mother” Jones will remain here several days and will likely address the convention to-morrow.
Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday April 10, 1901 Mother Jones News Round-Up for March 1901, Part I Found Writing for The Review and Marching with Striking Silk Workers
From the International Socialist Review of March 1901:
Civilization in Southern Mills ———-
The miners and railroad boys of Birmingham, Ala., entertained me one evening some months ago with a graphic description of the conditions among the slaves of the Southern cotton mills. While I imagined that these must be something of a modern Siberia, I concluded that the boys were overdrawing the picture and made up my mind to see for myself the conditions described. Accordingly I got a job and mingled with the workers in the mill and in their homes. I found that children of six and seven years of age were dragged out of bed at half-past 4 in the morning when the task-master’s whistle blew. They eat their scanty meal of black coffee and corn bread mixed with cottonseed oil in place of butter, and then off trots the whole army of serfs, big and little. By 5:30 they are all behind the factory walls, where amid the whir of machinery they grind their young lives out for fourteen long hours each day. As one looks on this brood of helpless human souls one could almost hear their voices cry out, “Be still a moment, O you iron wheels or capitalistic greed, and let us hear each other’s voices, and let us feel for a moment that this is not all of life.”
We stopped at 12 for a scanty lunch and a half-hour’s rest. At 12:30 we were at it again with never a stop until 7. Then a dreary march home, where we swallowed our scanty supper, talked for a few minutes of our misery and then dropped down upon a pallet of straw, to lie until the whistle should once more awaken us, summoning babes and all alike to another round of toil and misery.
I have seen mothers take their babes and slap cold water in their face to wake the poor little things. I have watched them all day long tending the dangerous machinery. I have seen their helpless limbs torn off, and then when they were disabled and of no more use to their master, thrown out to die. I must give the company credit for having hired a Sunday school teacher to tell the little things that “Jesus put it into the heart of Mr. – to build that factory so they would have work with which to earn a little money to enable them to put a nickel in the box for the poor little heathen Chinese babies.”
Hellraisers Journal – Saturday April 2, 1921 Secretary-Treasure Fred Mooney Reports on Trip to Mexico City
From the United Mine Workers Journal of April 1, 1921:
Circular Sent Out by Secretary-Treasurer Mooney
Fred Mooney, secretary-treasurer of District 17, has sent a circular letter to all local unions of that district entitled, “An Open Declaration of War,” in which he tells of the great attack that is being made on organized labor by that element of employers opposed to labor unions. He shows that the declaration of these employers in favor of the open shop is a declaration of war against labor. He calls upon organized labor everywhere to stand together in this crisis. He urges more thorough organization of workers into unions, so that they may be in position to meet the attack and defeat the effort that is being made to destroy labor unions.
Another circular which Secretary Mooney has sent out deals with his recent trip to Mexico City as representative of District 17 to the Pan-American Labor Congress. Among the interesting passages in this circular is the following:
Progress was reported from every quarter of Mexico and for many independent countries of South America. Four states of Mexico reported the election of Socialist or Labor Party Governors; in four different states of Mexico it constitutes a violation of law for an employer to hire non-union labor when union men are on strike to better their conditions. The federal constitution of Mexico provides that any employer who discharges an employe for union activities shall pay the employe three months’ wages in advance.
Mexico today has one of the most liberal and friendly governments towards the workers that is in existence on the Western Hemisphere, and the workers are building up a strong labor movement, their chief desire is to be let alone to work out their own destiny. The Mexican Regional Confederation of Labor has a membership of 450,000, among which are 82,000 railroad men, 7,000 munition workers, 18,000 carpenters, 3,000 miners, the remainder is composed of different trades. Luis N. Morones, president of the Confederation of Labor, is also chief of Military Commissariat, and one of the reservations made by him when accepting government appointment was that his service to his government should not interfere with his activities in the Federation of Labor, and that every employe under him must be permitted to join the Federation of Labor if they so desired; this was granted. Every member of the Federation of Labor who is elected or appointed to any government position must pay one-sixth of his salary each month into the treasury of the Federation of Labor. Morones is well educated, a born leader, knows no fear when fighting for his class—he was sentenced to be shot four different times during the revolution.
Hellraisers Journal – Monday March 20, 1911
Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1911, Part II:
–Found in Report of Socialist Party’s Investigating Committee
From The Socialist Party Official Bulletin:
Report of the Investigating Committee- Sub-Committee of the National Committee
As to charges of dishonesty, brought by Comrade Mother Jones against Comrade J. Mahlon Barnes, through Attorney Thomas J. Morgan, the Investigating Committee found that:
[W]hen the alleged claim was placed in the hands of Thomas J. Morgan there was, in fact, nothing due Mother Jones; that the debt had been paid in full, and that the subsequent payment of $200 to Morgan was made under duress.
Hellraisers Journal – Friday March 17, 1911 Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1911, Part I: –Found in Denver Speaking Out Against Government by Injunction
From The Rocky Mountain News of February 3, 1911:
1,000 WOMEN, SOME WITH BABIES, JOIN PROTEST ———- Twelve Thousand, Including Legislators, Parade as Rebuke to Judge Whitford for Recent Injunctions. ———-
OUST HIM, SAY RESOLUTIONS ———- Auditorium Packed Until Dark; Thomas Urges Change in Laws; Asks Recall. —–
The biggest trades union demonstration ever seen in Denver was that which took place yesterday in the form of a parade of the downtown streets and a mass meeting at the Auditorium as a protest against the decisions of Judge Greeley W. Whitford in the injunction cases against the union coal miners of the northern Colorado district and the striking machinists of the Denver Rock Drill and Machinery company.
The actual number in the parade was estimated at 12,000. The Auditorium was packed to its capacity and 2,000 were unable to get in…..
Former Governor Charles S. Thomas was the first speaker and from the time he began his address until “Mother” Jones closed at 6 o’clock the meeting was almost a continual demonstration of enthusiasm, with bursts of stormy applause whenever any especially strong denunciation of the decisions of Judge Whitford or or what the speakers designated “government by injunction” was uttered…..
Big Garment Workers’ Force.
The greatest number of women was in the first division. The Garment Workers’ union, the largest union of working girls in the city, marched in this division. So also did the woman’s auxiliary to the machinists…..
[Former Governor Thomas] urged the enactment of a recall law as one of the most effective means of putting an end to existing conditions, and the unanimity of the sentiment in favor of such a law was evidenced by vigorous applause.
E. E. [E. S.] McCullough, former vice-president of the United Mine Workers of America; John M. O’Neill, editor of the Western Federation of Miners’ magazine, and “Mother” Jones were the other speakers. O’Neill termed Whitford the Pontius Pilate of Colorado.
Hellraisers Journal – Monday March 11, 1901 Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1901, Part III Found Standing with Striking Silk Mill Workers of Pennsylvania
From the Wilkes-Barre Record of February 20, 1901:
“MOTHER’ JONES IN TOWN. ———-
ADDRESSES A LARGE AUDIENCE AT THE B. I. A. HALL. ———-
“Mother” Jones arrived in town yesterday and addressed the striking silk mill girls at B. I. A. Hall. There was a large attendance and her address created much enthusiasm. P. J. Boyle, president of the Central Labor Union, presided and a number of other labor leaders were on the platform, among them president Duke of the Pittston C. L. U.
“Mother” Jones was introduced by Mr. Boyle and she said in part:
This presents on one side a deplorable picture of greed and avarice and on the other side a new chapter in progress and civilization. In labor’s dark and dismal days past she has had her heavy burden. Labor, and labor alone, has made the American nation great, has built State houses and mansions, has raised civilization, but all the while has overlooked her own best interests. The greatness of the nation she showed-that the Mississippi Valley alone is capable of supporting six hundred millions of people. Then why is it necessary to suffer so much and work so hard for a crust of bread.
Babies are taken from the cradle to the mill. The great commercial American nation cannot be built on the bleaching bones of American children. School is the proper place for children, and those who try to place them there are called anarchists. There are millions of helpless slaves held in the hollow of the hands of a few and we propose to set them free. No longer the lash of the black slave is heard, for his wail touched the heart of the nation. The wail of the factory girls will yet touch the heart of the nation. We have wondered why the pulse of the nation has not long since throbbed. It is an appalling picture, but the spirit of greed has been so well implanted in the commercial world that the picture does not appeal to the factory owner.
She illustrated the pains that are taken to care for animals, but the deplorable condition of children is never noticed.
Here in Wilkes-Barre you have a lot of little children who ought to be in the school room. These children are paid low wages and even then do not know how much they will receive until they receive their envelopes. If they are docked and ask the reason they are discharged. If they form a union to protest the leaders are told to seek work elsewhere. The silk manufacturers unite to keep up the price of silk and why then should not the girls who produce the article unite to keep up the price of labor?…..
Hellraisers Journal – Sunday March 10, 1901 Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1901, Part II Found Speaking to Striking Silk Mill Workers in Scranton, Pennsylvania
From The Philadelphia Inquirer of February 16, 1901:
Special to The Inquirer.
SCRANTON, Pa., Feb. 15–The hard silk workers held a meeting this afternoon at Carpenter’s Hall, at which announcement was made of the coming of “Mother” Jones, of the United Mine Workers, on Monday evening next, when she has agreed to address a mass meeting of silk workers at St. Thomas’ Hall. She comes here at the request of the United Mine Workers. It has been twice announced and twice officially denied that she was coming, the leaders of the silk workers not being aware of the wires being pulled by Secretary Dempsey, of the United Mine Workers…..
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National Organizer Chris Evans 
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