Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: “Girl Slaves of Milwaukee Breweries” by Mother Jones

14th April 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones, Mlk Girl Slaves n Virtue, AtR p2, Apr 9, 1910 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday April 14, 1910
Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Mother Jones on Girl Slaves of Brewery Plutocrats

From the Appeal to Reason of April 9, 1910:

It is the same old story, as pitiful as old, as true as pitiful.

When the whistle blows in the morning, it calls the girl slaves of the bottle washing department of the breweries, to don their wet shoes and rags, and hustle to the bastile to serve out their sentences.

It is indeed true, they are sentenced to hard, brutal labor, labor that gives no cheer, brings no recompense. Condemned for life to drudge daily in the wash-room with wet shoes and wet clothes, surrounded with foul mouthed, brutal foremen, whose orders and language would not look well in print, and would surely shock over-sensitive ears, or delicate nerves!

And their crime? Involuntary poverty. It is hereditary. They are no more to blame for it than a horse is, for having the glanders. It is the accident of birth. This accident that throws so many girl workers into the urging, seething mass, known as the working class, is what forces them out of the cradle into servitude-to be willing (?)slaves of the mill, factory, department store, hell or bottling shop in Milwaukee’s colossal breweries.

Here they create wealth for the brewery barons, that they may own palaces, theaters, automobiles, blooded stock, farms, banks and heaven knows what all, while the poor girls slave on, all day, in the vile smell of sour beer, lifting cases of empty and full bottles, weighing from 100 to 150 pounds, while wearing wet shoes and rags; for God knows they can not buy clothes on the miserable pittance doled out to them by their soulless master class.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for March 1900: “For many years she has devoted her life to the downtrodden.” -J. A. Wayland

10th April 20207th July 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote JA Wayland, Mother Jones, AtR p1, Mar 17, 1900 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday April 10, 1900
Mother Jones News Round-Up for March 1900
Found Receiving Tributes from J. A. Wayland and Arnot Miners

From Appeal to Reason from March 17, 1900:

[by J. A. Wayland]

WHEN the history of these times, shall be written by people living under a state of industrial harmony and peace, in the years to come, the name of “Mother” Mary Jones will occupy a prominent place. For many years she has devoted her life to the downtrodden, and is known to every railroad man and miner who is intelligent enough to be called a man. She was my guest during the winter and early spring of 1898-9, and I learned to love her great heart and gray hairs. For many months she has been working among the striking miners of Pennsylvania, encouraging the men and advising them not only absent the tactics necessary to win the industrial battle, but teaching them the lessons of brotherhood and the rights of the working people to have the full results of their labor. Writing to “Grit,” a correspondent recites the tribute paid Mother Jones at the ending of the long struggle as follows:

Blossburg, Feb. 23.–A most appropriate finale to the long struggle between operaters and miners in this section, and a just tribute of love, honor, and respect to one of the most active participants in the whole affair, was the immense parade of men, women, and children, which marched from Arnot to Blossburg, a distance of five miles, on Saturday night, Feb. 17, one of the roughest and coldest nights of this winter, to pay their last heartfelt tribute to one, who, while her labors in this county are ended, and she may never return to this locality again, bears away with her the most sincere gratitude of the mining portion of Tioga county-Mrs. Mary Jones. As they had marched to Blossburg at critical times during the strike to hear words of encouragement from her, and to feel strengthened by her presence, so they marched on that last night of her stay, through a gale of wind and snow, to proclaim their fealty to her, and their true appreciation of her labor.

On Saturday night Mrs. Jones made her last speech and the “striking” portion of Arnot, together with the citizens of Blossburg, turned out in full farce to do honor to the old lady who is generally credited with having won the strike.

Both Mr. Wilson and Mrs. Jones addressed the people, but interest was mainly centered on “Mother” that night, and her bright beaming face told how happy she was at the miner’s success. She spoke at length on the strike and its results, and cited it as a repetition of the Civil war on a small scale. She addressed the women feelingly, and ended by advising the men to be always peaceful, and to bury the hatchet, to forget all little animosities, to be careful in the future at the polls, and to be sure and pay those men who had stood by them, if only a dollar a month. The speaking ended about 11 o’clock and the procession quickly formed and started homeward. The settlement includes the restoration to their houses of the evicted miners, but as Mr. Lincoln is away none have been able to move back as yet. The men of Arnot and Landrus are to be provided with work first, and the mine foremen are offering to put on three shifts of eight hours each in order to more speedily open the north drift headings and to employ as many men as possible.

———-

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for January and February 1900, Found Receiving Fervent Ovation from Arnot Strikers

9th April 202010th April 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote re Mother Jones at Arnot, Wellsboro PA Agitator p1, Jan 17, 1900 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday April 9, 1900
Mother Jones News Round-Up for January and February 1900
Found in Pennsylvania Receiving “Fervent Ovation” from Arnot Miners

From The Wellsboro Agitator of February 28, 1900:

Mother Jones, Arnot Strike ed, Elmira NY Dly Gz p5, Oct 7, 1899

LOCAL FACTS AND COMMENTS.
—–
Recent Haps and Mishaps in this County and Its Vicinity.

[…..]

–Arnot miners, who sought work elsewhere after the strike began, are now coming home.

[…..]

–Mrs. Mary Jones, of Pittsburg, the striking miners’ champion, left this county on the 19th instant to go to Toby valley whither she had been summoned. The night before her departure there was a fervent ovation in her honor at the opera-house in Blossburg. Mr. W. B. Wilson, of Blossburg, President of the 5th District United Mine Workers of America, presided and paid Mrs. Jones a glowing tribute. Mrs. Jones’s remarks were very affecting.

[…..]

———-

[Inset added from Elmira Gazette of October 7, 1899.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Speaks to Delegates at United Mine Workers Special Convention in Cincinnati

27th March 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones, Young Again, Special UMWC Cinc OH p62, Mar 24, 1910 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday March 27, 1910
Cincinnati, Ohio-Speech of Mother Jones at Miners’ Special Convention

From The Topeka State Journal of March 24, 1910:

SOUNDS CALL TO ARMS.
—–
“Mother Jones” Arouses Coal Miners
to Great Enthusiasm.
—–

Cincinnati. O., March 24.-Bituminous coal operators and miners of Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania, entered their subscale meeting this afternoon with almost certainty that a disagreement would be reported to the joint committee, that the joint conference would reach a like disagreement before tomorrow noon and that the International Convention of United Mine Workers would then be asked to say whether it should be industrial peace or war after April 1.

Operators of the three states immediately concerned, held a secret conference all morning and at the conclusion announced that the vote had been unanimous to resist all of the miners’ demand. The attitude of the miners in the international convention was shown during an address by “Mother” Jones when she declared:

If the operators force a fight we are all in trim to give them the hottest fight they ever had in their lives.

The convention was almost stampeded and the cheering did not cease for several minutes.

[She shouted:]

Line up, we are ready for war.

———-

[Photograph and emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for February 1910, Part II: Found Supporting Black Hills Miners of South Dakota

13th March 202012th March 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones, No master no slave, Speech Dec 9, NY Cl p2, Dec 10, 1909 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday March 13, 1910
Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1910, Part II:
-Found Supporting the Miners of the Black Hills in South Dakota

From the Black Hills Daily Register of February 22, 1910:

Mother Jones Sends Money

James Kirwan yesterday received a letter from Mother Jones, who is now in Milwaukee, informing him that she was coming to Lead to take a hand in the fight for the right to organize. She asked no money, but, on the contrary, enclosed a check for one hundred dollars, with these words:

My boys in Lead gave me one hundred and fifty dollars for the 1909 Labor Day speech. Fifty dollars of this sum I gave to the Mexicans and I am sending you the balance for the locked-out Black Hills boys.

Further along in her letter, Mother says:

Tell the boys to keep up that fight. Have no surrender written on the banners of the Western Federation of Miners. I am coming up there to take a hand. The Hearst crowd of blood-suckers are organizing to get more profits. We also have a right to organize to give that crew of blood-suckers less profits. Tell my boys to stand pat. Mother.

———-

From the Socialist Montana News of February 24, 1910:

[Mother Jones in Milwaukee]

A non-partisan anti-high-price mass meeting was called for Feb. 15 by the Milwaukee Federated Trades Council Among the speakers who addressed the meeting were A. M. Simons, editor of the Chicago Daily Socialist, and Mother Jones. This so hurt the feelings of Senator Stephenson’s organ, the Free Press, that it indulged in several columns of abuse against the meeting. It had a great deal to say about the “poor attendance” of the meeting, although the hall was packed to the doors, and many were obliged to stand.

The real grievance of this capitalist sheet was that the capitalist politician who addressed the meeting cut a poor figure, having no remedy to offer except the enforcement of the law and investigation of facts which our pocket-books already understand all too well, while the Socialist speakers made ringing addresses which were roundly applauded. Resolutions that the people must own the trusts were adopted by the audience without one dissenting vote.

[Paragraph break added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for February 1910, Part I: Found Fighting for Working Women

12th March 202012th March 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones, Ladies Women, NYT p3, May 23, 1914 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday March 12, 1910
Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1910, Part I:
-Found Fighting for Working Women of Philadelphia and Milwaukee

From the International Socialist Review of February 1910:

Fighting to Live
—–

By Tom A. Price.
—–

* * *

[Mother Jones in Philadelphia.]

Mother Jones. This little woman whose heart is as big as the nation and beats wholly for humanity, came to Philadelphia while the trumpet was still reverberating after the call to arms had been sounded. Under her bold leadership the fighters were organized before the manufacturers had fairly realized that their workers had at last been stung to revolt by the same lash which had so often driven them to slavery.

In impassioned speech after impassioned speech Mother Jones urged the girls on to battle. Shaking her gray locks in defiance she pictured the scab in such a light that workers still shudder when they think of what she would have considered them had they remained in the slave pens of the manufacturers. Every man and woman and child who heard her poignantly regrets the fact that her almost ceaseless labors at last drove her to her bed where she now lies ill.

But she had instilled into the minds of her followers the spirit which prompted her to cross a continent to help them. That spirit remains and is holding in place the standard which she raised. It is leading the girls to every device possible to help the cause. Many of them are selling papers on the street that they may earn money to contribute to the union which they love.

* * *

[Photograph from cover of February Review.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Arnot Miners’ Strike Ends in Victory; Mother Jones Given Rousing Farewell at Blossburg

24th February 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote re Mother Jones at Arnot, Wellsboro PA Agitator p1, Jan 17, 1900 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday February 24, 1900
Blossburg, Pennsylvania – Arnot Miners and Families Bid Mother Jones Farewell

From the Wilkes-Barre Daily News of February 17, 1900:

STRIKE DECLARED OFF.

BLOSSBURG, Pa., Feb. 16.-The strike at the Arnot and the Landrus mines of the Blossburg Coal Company, which began eight months ago, was officially declared of to-day, when all the demands of the miners were conceded by the company. The men will be put to work as fast as places can be made for them. One thousand men are affected. During the strike forty families were evicted from company houses at Arnot. There were daily demonstrations and parades and many were arrested charged with riot, true bills being found against 35 persons, including several women.

———-

[Photograph and emphasis added.]

From the Mansfield Advertiser of February 21, 1900:

-Mrs. Jones, of Pittsburg, otherwise “Mother Jones,” was given a rousing farewell at Blossburg Opera House last Saturday by the miners, late on strike, among whom she has labored so unceasingly the past few months.

[Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for January 1920: Found Speaking in Johnstown and Altoona, Pennsylvania

17th February 202018th February 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones, Revolution in Our Veins, Altoona Tb p6, Jan 12, 1920 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday February 17, 1920
-Mother Jones News for January 1920
Found Speaking in Johnstown and Altoona, Pennsylvania

From The Pittsburg Press of January 6, 1920:

‘MOTHER’ JONES TALKS AT JOHNSTOWN TEMPLE
—–

Special to THE PRESS.

Johnstown, Pa., Jan. 6.-Under police surveillance, “Mother” Jones, aged 90, who admits she labor agitator and who often has been arrested for her utterances and her part in labor troubles, spoke to 300 men, mostly foreigners, at Labor Temple, Sunday. Her audience was largely made up of the remnants of the steel strike organization and she harangued the men as if the steel strike had never been ended. Police were present at the meeting and her statements were considered milder than when she appeared here several months ago.

[Photograph of Mother Jones with William Z. Foster added.]

Note: The Great Steel Strike was officially called off by the National Committee for Organizing Iron and Steel Workers on January 8th.

From the Altoona Times Tribune of January 7, 1920:

Mother Jones Talks To Flood City Men
—–

Mother Mary Jones, beloved by the miners of the country and the union workers of Colorado, comes to the Mishler theater Sunday afternoon to address the members of the craft unions of the city. She was the guest of the workers of Johnstown on Sunday afternoon and delivered an address in the Labor temple.

Mother Jones is most democratic and her aim in life is to make the workers comfortable. After being introduced to some 600 workers of the Flood City she won their hearts right off the reel by saying “If smoking gives you boys any comfort, keep right on smoking.” She then invited a squad of policemen to the stage but not one of them accepted but when she had finished several of them shook hands and congratulated her.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for January 1910, Part II: Found Speaking at Indianapolis United Mine Workers’ Convention

13th February 202013th February 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones, Last Great Battle, UMWC p420, Jan 26, 1910 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday February 13, 1910
Mother Jones News Round-Up for January 1910, Part II:
-Found in Indianapolis Speaking at Mine Workers’ Convention

From The Indianapolis Star of January 25, 1910:

From Hellraisers Journal of January 29, 1910
-Indianpolis, Indiana – Mother Jones Speaks to Her Boys:

From The Indianapolis News of January 26, 1910:

Mother Jones Speaks.

After music by the Lianelly Royal Welsh choir, which was applauded with a warmth that showed thorough appreciation. President [Thomas L.] Lewis introduced Mother Jones, who misses no convention of the miners. Mother Jones arraigned capital and set forth the claims of labor to better treatment. She referred to the anthracite strike and the Colorado strike.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for January 1910, Part I: Found with the Miners of the Hazleton Area of Pennsylvania

12th February 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones, Last Great Battle, UMWC p420, Jan 26, 1910 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday February 12, 1910
Mother Jones News Round-Up for January 1910, Part I:
-Found with the Miners of Northeastern Pennsylvania

Mother Jones, Ipl Str p3, Jan 25, 1910 copy — Indianapolis Star of January 25, 1910
—–

From the Wilkes-Barre Evening News
of January 5, 1910:

“Mother” Jones, who was such a prominent figure in the 1900 and 1902 strikes of the miners in this region, last night addressed the miners of Beaver Brook and was there given a hearty ovation. She will make a number of addresses in the lower end of the county to mine workers. “Mother” Jones who is now past the 70 year mark is always a welcome visitor among the miners.

[Emphasis added.]

From the Shenandoah Evening Herald
of January 5, 1910:

Mother Jones In Hazleton.

Among the visitors to Hazleton yesterday was “Mother” Jones, the well known organizer of the United Mine Workers, who took such a prominent part in the miners’ strike of this section. She was on her way from Philadelphia to the West. She just assisted the shirt waist strikers in their struggle in the Quaker City.

From The Philadelphia Inquirer
of January 6, 1910:

“Mother Jones” in Hazleton

Special to The Inquirer.

HAZLETON. Jan. 5.-Fresh from Philadelphia, where she helped in the strike of the shirtwaist workers. “Mother” Jones, who was a leading figure in the mines’ strikes of 1900 and 1902 in this section, arrived here today to conduct a series of meetings throughout the district among the miners “Mother” Jones has not been in the anthracite field since 1902.

[Emphasis added.]

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Category: Mother Mary Harris Jones