Category: Mother Mary Harris Jones

Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Speaks to Workingmen and Their Women Folk in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Part I

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

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday January 14, 1920
Altoona, Pennsylvania – Mother Jones Speaks at Mishler Theater, Part I

From the Altoona Times Tribune of January 12, 1920:

Blair Co PA Labor News, CLU, Altoona PA Tx Tb p6, Jan 12, 1920

Mother Jones Elucidates Theories To Altoona Audience

[Part I of II.]

GSS, Mother Jones, WZF, Survey p64, Nov 8, 1919

Yesterday afternoon shortly after 2:30 o’clock, the crowd of workingmen and their women folks who had assembled at the Mishler theatre, were given the privilege of seeing Mother Jones in the flesh and of hearing her speak. At that moment there appeared upon the platform a silver haired motherly looking woman in black, wearing a flowing white lace jabot. Looking on her self-composed, benign countenance, the wonder struck one. Is this the Mother Jones who has created a furore in the whole world, whose impassioned waging of her cause for full economical rights of the working man has caused kings of finance to tremble in fear and who by her own admission says she wants “to raise Hell”?

But a second glance at that sturdy upright figure and one recognized a presence that radiates a dynamic force and vitality which gives the impression that it could conquer all obstacles no matter how great. Her strength and power in look and speech bely that 90th mile stone, which she said would reach May 1 of 1920, by many years.

Introduced by Pres. Charles Kutz, of Machinist Union No. 1008, Mother Jones wasted no time in digression but at once launched upon her theme by saying that this is the great year in the turning tide of oppression. For centuries the greatest agitators were murdered and driven off the earth through the power of money.

CITES CARTHAGE AGITATOR

Referring, by way of illustrations, to the time in Carthage when the rulers feared annihilation at the hands of the agitators, she detailed the incident of the leading one who was brought before the rulers. Asked, “Who are you?” he replied, “I am a man, a member of the human family.” “Why do you persist in this sedition?” “I belong to a class that through the progression of time has been murdered, maligned, imprisoned, roasted and tyrannized over.”

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for December 1909, Part II: Found in Philadelphia Speaking to Shirtwaist Makers

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Quote Mother Jones to Philly Shirtwaist Makers Dec 19, NY Call Dec 21, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday January 10, 1910
Mother Jones News Round-Up for December 1909, Part II:
-Found in Philadelphia Speaking to Shirtwaist Makers

On Sunday evening, December 19th, Mother Jones spoke to shirtwaist makers of Philadelphia at meetings held at the Labor Lyceum and Mercantile Hall. By unanimous vote and to deafening cheers, a strike was declared and set to begin at 9 a. m. on December 20th.

From The New York Call of December 21, 1909:

[Mother Jones Speaks.]

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

The action of Director Clay in forbidding the holding of a meeting in the Arch Street Theater, last night, to declare the strike was severely criticised by Mother Jones, in her speeches. She denounced the city administration as roundly as she denounced the bosses, who, she declared, had become wealthy through the toil of the girls before her.

[She said:]

They have an Independence Hall down here on Chestnut street; I wonder what it means to those who, for some deep political purpose, prevented you from having independence in the way of having a meeting to assert your rights? Tomorrow morning I hope every girl in this hall will walk out of the shops and let the employers make the waists themselves. Walk out at 9 o’clock, and don’t wear your Sunday-go-to-meetings clothes.

Let the people see you. Let them see that you are going to strike the shackles of slavery off your body. Get the spirit of revolt and be a woman. It’s not a Mrs. Belmont or an Anne Morgan that we want, but independent workers who will assert their rights.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for December 1909, Part I: Found in New York City Speaking to Shirtwaist Strikers

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Quote Mother Jones, Parade past swells who wear waists, Speech Dec 9, NY Cl p2, Dec 10, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday January 9, 1910
Mother Jones News Round-Up for December 1909, Part I:
-Found in New York City Speaking to Shirtwaist Strikers

From the New York Call of December 10, 1909:

“This is not a play this is a fight!”

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

With these ringing words, Mother Jones, the valiant agitator for the freedom of the workers, struck the keynote of the enthusiastic mass meeting, in behalf of the waist strikers, held by Local New York, of the Socialist party in Thalia Theater yesterday afternoon. The big crowd applauded this sentiment to the echo……

Mother Jones Speaks.

Mother Jones, the friend of the miners and champion of all oppressed, was greeted with a very hearty reception by the big crowd. She was in excellent conditions. As she scored the system with sledge-hammer blows of logic and wit, the enthusiasm of the crowd broke into storms of applause.

[Said Mother Jones in opening:]

Through all the ages you have built a wonderful monument of civilization, but you don’t own it. You make all the fine waists, but you do not wear them. You work hard and are poorly paid, and now you have been forced to strike for better conditions of labor, shorter hours and higher wages.

You ought to parade past the shops where you work and up the avenues where the swells who wear the waists you make live. They won’t like to see you, they will be afraid of you!

If I belonged to a union and was on strike I would insist that we parade past the shops and homes of the masters.

You must stick together to win. The boss looks for cheap workers. When the child can do the work cheaper he displaces the woman. When the woman can do the work cheaper he displaces the man. But when you are organized you have something to say about the conditions of labor and your wages. You must stand shoulder to shoulder. The women must fight in the labor movement beside man. Every strike that I have ever been in was won by the women.

Last Great Fight of Man.

[Declared Mother Jones, as she concluded amid storms of applause:]

Whether you know of it or not, this is the last great fight of man against man. We are fighting for the time when there will be no master and no slave. When the fight of the workers to own the tools with which they toil is won, for the first time in human history man will be free.

———-

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: “The Cherry Mine Murders” -Men and Boys Burned and Suffocated in Criminal Fire Trap, Part II

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Mother Jones Quote, Life Cheaper Than Props, Trinidad CO, Sept 16, 1913, Hse Com p2630———-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday January 8, 1910
Cherry, Illinois – Scene of Mass Murder of Men and Boys, Part II

From the International Socialist Review of January 1910:

The Cherry Mine Murders.
—–

Why Four Hundred Workers Were Burned and Suffocated
in a Criminal Fire Trap.
—–

By J. O. Bentall.
—–

[Part II of II.]

Cherry MnDs Murders by JO Bentall, Despair, ISR p582, Jan 1920

Little Albert Buckle, 15 years old November 28, who escaped on the last car up, and his mother and sister stood at the ropes all day watching for “Rich,” who was 16 years the 21st of last June, and who had worked in the mine ever since his father was killed three years ago, but poor Richard was not brought up that day. On Monday I went to see the broken-hearted mother but I could not comfort her.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for November 1919, Part II: Not Afraid of Federal Judge in Washington, D. C.

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Quote Mother Jones in WDC re Great Coal Strike, Lebanon Dly Ns p1, Nov 14, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday December 29, 1919
Mother Jones News for November 1919, Part II
Found in Washington, D. C., Not Afraid of Judge Anderson

From the Lebanon Daily News of November 14, 1919:

Great Coal Strike, Mother Jones v Jdg Anderson, Lebanon PA Dly Ns p1, Nov 14, 1919Great Coal Strike, Mother Jones v Jdg A, Lebanon PA Dly Ns p1, Nov 14, 1919—–

(Special to News by United Press)

Washington, Nov. 14.-With the government acting as mediator, mine operators and representatives of the United Mine Workers came together here today in an effort to settle the dispute over wages and hours which caused the recent coal strike.

As the delegates assembled for this “peace conference,” it appeared there would be a deadlock from the very outset.

The union representatives were prepared to enter the conference at 2:30 this afternoon determined to hold out for an uncompromising victory. Less than complete triumph, they feared, will give the extreme radical element control of the miners-the men will lose faith in their conservative leaders. Acting President Lewis was expected to insist on full compliance with the men’s demands of a 50 hour week and wage increases ranging up to sixty per cent.

Operators were solidly in favor of refusing to surrender anything to the workers, according to early indications. They stood pat on the “Washington wage agreement,” contending it runs until the end of the war, and that the war is not ended. Some of them were disposed to emphasize that comparatively few of the miners have returned to work in obedience to their leaders instructions, and it was expected the union chiefs would be asked about this at the outset of the meeting.

Secretary of Labor Wilson, who called the conference, has invited Dr. Harry A. Garfield, Fuel Administrator, to participate in the hope that if an agreement cannot he reached within a reasonable time the government may be able to offer a compromise. Any compromise will probably carry with it an increase in the price of coal to the consumer, so the operators will have increased revenue to pay higher wages.

Garfield, who is in charge of coal prices, was in a position to give expert advice on just what a raise in pay to the workers will mean to the coal market.

That Lewis and his colleagues will not be left in doubt as to how radical labor stands on the miners’ case, “Mother” Jones, of Colorado fame, and Andy Furuseth, head of the Seamen’s union, are here to let them know. Both are emphatic in their disapproval of Lewis’ compliance with Federal Judge Anderson’s order to end the strike.

“The strike should never have been called off,” said Furuseth. “The miners won’t return to work, and I approve of it.”

[Mother Jones Defies John L. Lewis.]

[Said Mother Jones:]

This is a free country, but it would starve people. This is what Judge Anderson’s order means to the miners who are fighting for their freedom and a living.

Next Monday I am going down into West Virginia and urge the miners to stay out until they win. I am not afraid of Judge Anderson. He can send me to jail or he can hang me, but he will have to do it.

Overhearing “Mother’s” remark, Furuseth exclaimed:

Lewis wears pants, but he ought to wear petticoats; Mother, you wear petticoats but you ought to be in Lewis place.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for November 1919, Part I: Found in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D. C.

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Quote Mother Jones, Raise Hell in Jail, Gary IN Oct 23, NYT p2, Oct 24, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday December 28, 1919
Mother Jones News for November 1919, Part I
Found in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Washington, D. C.

From The Survey of November 8, 1919
-taken from “Closed Towns” by S. Adele Shaw:

GSS, Mother Jones, WZF, Organizers, Survey p64, Nov 8, 1919

———-

[One] evening I went to a meeting of strikers [held in Braddock, Pennsylvania]. All was quiet as I made my way toward the river. Down a poorly lighted street, so dark I could scarcely see the curb, I found the men standing, filling the vacant lot before the door of the hall which was packed, and on the sidewalks and street, but not blocking either. There was neither noise nor excitement. “Mother Jones goin’ to speak.” “Come on, lady.” And the men held up their arms to open a passage for me. The hall was jammed. Sweat stood on every forehead.

The first speaker was J. G. Brown of the Pittsburgh strike committee. I had heard him the summer before in the mill towns telling the men what the eight-hour day would mean for them and their families, urging them to take out their papers and become citizens, and never failing to impress upon them the necessity of obeying the laws of the town, state and the country. Then came the deep clear voice of a woman, filling every corner of the hall. I stood on tiptoe and saw the grey hair of Mother Jones, the woman agitator of the mining districts of Colorado and West Virginia, who with the rough speech and ready invective of the old-time labor spell binder, has exerted a powerful influence over the striking steel workers. At her first words there was complete silence. Though practically all were foreigners, not a man in the hall appeared to miss a word.

[Mother Jones said:]

We’re going to have a hell of a fight here, boys. We are to find out whether Pennsylvania belongs to Gary or to Uncle Sam. If it belongs to Gary we are going to take it away from him. We can scare and starve and lick the whole gang when we get ready…The eyes of the world are on us today. They want to see if America can make the fight…Our boys went over there. You were told to clean up the Kaiser. Well, you did it. And now we’re going to clean up the damned Kaisers at home…They sit up and smoke seventy-five cent cigars and have a lackey bring them champagne. They have stomachs two miles long and two miles wide and we fill them…Remember when all was dark in Europe and Columbus said, “I see a new land,” they laughed. But the Queen of Spain sold her jewels and Columbus went to it…He died in poverty, but he gave us this nation and you and I aren’t going to let Gary take it from us…If he wants fourteen hours he can go in and work it himself…We don’t want guns. We want to destroy guns. We want honest men to keep the peace. We want music and play grounds and the things to make life worth while…Now, you fellows go on out. I want to talk to the other boys.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for November 1909, Part II: Found Speaking in New York City on Behalf of Carlo de Fornaro

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Quote Mother Jones re Mex Rev Fornaro, NYT p15, Nov 29, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday December 22, 1909
Mother Jones News Round-Up for November 1909, Part II:
-Found Speaking in New York City on Behalf of Carlo de Fornaro

From the New York Sun of November 29, 1909:

DEMAND DE FORNARO’S PARDON
—–
Protest Against the Cartoonist’s Imprisonment
Voiced at the Berkeley Theatre.

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

A meeting to protest against the imprisonment of Carlo de Fornaro, a cartoonist, for libeling a Mexican editor was held at the Berkeley Theatre last night. This resolution was adopted:

We the citizens of New York city in mass meeting assembled, herewith resolve that we regard the conviction of Carlo de Fornaro of libel and his sentence of one year’s imprisonment at hard labor as an unprecedented and unconstitutional attack upon free speech and the freedom of the press. We demand that our Legislature repeal that part of the libel laws which gave an excuse for the action of the court and we call upon the governor of New York for the immediate and unconditional pardon of Carlo de Fornaro.

First of all reporters were introduced to Heriberto Barrow, who says he’s the Democratic candidate for President of Mexico, running against President Dias. He was a member of the House of Representatives, he said, and about a year ago introduced to Mexico to the New Idea party of young men, or Democratic party. In September he fled, fearing persecution. He says posters announcing his candidacy in big red letters are being torn down by the police in Mexico and any one that dares to indorse him openly is being thrown into prison by Diaz.

[Then followed, as speakers, Gaylord Wilshire, chairman of the meeting, and George Edwin Joseph, attorney for De Fornaro.]

Mother Jones, the Socialist propagandist, then took the centre of the stage and scanning the audience shouted that she had no fear of any Pinkerton dogs who were present and worked for Diaz. She was as ready to die to-night as any time in her fight for liberty.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for November 1909, Part I: Found Speaking for Socialism in the Lone Star State

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Quote Mother Jones, For the Wage Workers, ISR p462, Nov 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday December 21, 1909
Mother Jones News Round-Up for November 1909, Part I:
-Found Speaking for the Socialist Party in the Lone Star State

From the International Socialist Review of November 1909:

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

MOTHER JONES was in to see us a few days ago. We asked if she had any message to send the readers of the Review and she replied:

FIRST, last and ALWAYS, of, for and BY the wage-workers.

Paste this motto in your hat. There never was any other one-half so good as this. Mother Jones infused this office with enough courage and ginger to keep us going till the next time she comes to see us.

[Photograph added.]

From the Appeal to Reason of November 13, 1909:

From page 4:

SHALL HE BE MURDERED?
—–

BY LUELLA TWINING.
—–

While in Los Angeles, Calif., I visited Comrade L. Guterrez DeLara, and his wife, Hattie Elliot DeLara. Comrade DeLara is charged with being an alien, an anarchist. He can prove by hundreds of witnesses that he is neither, but his trial before the Immigration Official Ridgway is to be secret, and as an official in Tucson inadvertently said, “Diaz has a long arm.” Our officials have too long been ready to do the bidding of that murderer, Porfirio Diaz, for us to trust them.

I learned to love the DeLaras dearly, and my heart bleeds for them. Every spare moment while I was with them we talked of the social questions and conditions in Mexico and America. With his black eyes blazing with the fire of the revolution DeLara said many, many times: “I must work and work and work to educate my people. That is our only hope. Diaz has stolen the money that should be used for schools and my people are in ignorance. I can not tell you in a few days of the suffering of the Mexican workers. They must be taught that Socialism is the remedy. They learn very easily if given an opportunity.”

It is this man who is charged with being an anarchist.

[…..]

Comrade DeLara said of the Appeal to Reason: “The Mexican workers appreciate the work the Appeal to Reason has done for them. They love Eugene V. Debs and Mother Jones, too.”

From page 5:

SW Edition Tx, AtR p5, Nov 13, 1909

—–

Lone Star Notes.

[…..]

Few speakers can awaken the workers as can Mother Jones. Her meeting at Troupe, where dense prejudice has existed, will be of great and lasting benefit to the movement. Some of the most prejudiced opponents of the movement there came to her at the close of the meeting and assured her that they were Socialists henceforth and contributed liberally for the expense of the meeting. Comrade Butler writes: “God bless Mother Jones; her memory will be enshrined in the hearts of the people long after Taft, Roosevelt and company are forgotten.”

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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Speaks in New York City on Behalf of Carlo de Fornaro, Artist Convicted of Libel

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Quote Mother Jones re Mex Rev Fornaro, NYT p15, Nov 29, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday November 30, 1909
New York, New York – Mother Jones Speaks for Convicted Mexican Revolutionary

From The New York Times of November 29, 1909:

‘MOTHER’ JONES HITS OUT AT THE COURTS
—–
They’d Pronounce the Ten Commandments
Unconstitutional, She Says.
—–

THIS AT A FORNARO MEETING
—–
Woman Agitator and Gaylord Wilshire Ask
Berkeley Theatre Audience to Help Free
Artist Convicted of Libel.
—–

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

Mother Jones, who goes about fighting the battles of the downtrodden, turned up again in New York last night as a speaker. She joined with Gaylord Wilshire, Joshua Wanhope and others at a meeting held in the Berkeley Theatre to protest against the conviction of Carlo de Fornaro, the caricaturist, who has been sentenced to one year’s hard labor on Blackwell’s Island on the charge of libeling Rafael Reyes Espindola, an editor and politician of Mexico, in his book on Mexico published last year.

Resolutions were adopted protesting against the conviction, calling for the repeal of the law under which the conviction was obtained, and asking that Gov. Hughes immediately pardon Mr. de Fornaro. Moreover, a collection was taken up to help fight the case in the courts, if that is found necessary.

Mother Jones, though she said last night that she was 74 years old, is still marvelously vigorous, at least in speech. She said she had been spending a lot of her time of late down in the Southwest, where she had learned some horrible things about Mexican rule. She is going back there immediately, she declared. Assuming that the Berkeley Theatre was almost filled with spies of the Mexican and United States Governments, she hurled defiance at them, and spoke a good deal more cruelly about Mexico and big Mexicans than Fornaro did in his book.

[She said:]

In 1861 they used to say, “all is quiet along the Potomac.” Now the black press is saying that all is quiet along the Rio Grande. But in 1861, while all that talk was going on, there was the glint of bayonets on both sides of the Potomac and to-day United States officers are arresting all along the Rio Grande hundreds of Mexicans for no other crime than that they have denounced the tyrannical Government in their own country.

In Kansas to-day three young men are lying in prison for doing just exactly what Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry did for their country. Our judges and officers are doing scavenger work for the Mexican pirate. Let the Mexican bloodhounds here to-night take that to Taft if they want to.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for October 1919, Part II: Found in Indiana Encouraging Wives of Steel Strikers to Raise Hell

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Quote Mother Jones, Fight for Righteousness n Justice, Gary IN Oct 23, 1919, Ab Chp 24———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday November 21, 1919
Mother Jones News for October 1919, Part II
Found in Indiana Encouraging Wives of Steel Strikers to Raise Hell

From The Muncie Morning Star of October 29, 1919:

Elwood District Quiet

Mother Jones n WZF Couple of Reds, Chg Tb p120, Oct 26, 1919
Mother Jones with William Z. Foster

Harry B. Dynes, who is the state representative at Elwood, reported to the governor today that everything is going along nicely at Elwood. He said that there are many rumors, but little trouble. Mother Jones spoke there last night, but according to Mr. Dynes, “even the strikers were disgusted with her line of talk.”

Mr. Dynes sent the Governor quotations from her speech. The report said that she declared “this industrial war must be fought to a finish” and that she advised the women “to raise hell.”

[In fact Mother was loudly applauded by her audience, see below.]
[Photograph added.]

MOTHER JONES NEWS FOR OCTOBER 1919

From the Mount Carmel Item of October 16, 1919:

“MOTHER” JONES WILL BE 90 YEARS OLD NEXT MAY

“Mother” Jones, who took a leading part in the anthracite coal strikes here in 1900 and 1902 and is now assisting in the steel strike, will be ninety years old next May.

She made this statement to an audience of Bethlehem steel strikers in the Lyric Theatre at Allentown, where she spoke in support of the tieup.

Introduced as being a “better fighter at 83 than when she was 23,” Mrs. Jones corrected the Chairman and said that she was on the eve of four score and ten.

Approaching 90, she retains her mental and physical faculties to a remarkable degree and is as active as she was during the coal suspension before the Strike Commission put an end to labor troubles in that industry through northeastern Pennsylvania.

She has been in strikes all over the country and has been an organizer of the American Federation of Labor for nearly fifty years.

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