You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
Saturday July 29, 1916
Mesabi Range, Minnesota: Miss Flynn Speaks to Striking Miners
From The Duluth News Tribune of
July 24, 1916:
I. W. W. LEADER GOES BACK TO STRIKE ZONE
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Elizabeth G. Flynn’s Departure Causes
Postponement of Rallies in Duluth.
—–Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, I. W. W. leader, returned to the range yesterday, forcing the postponement of last night’s meetings here, at which she was scheduled to appear to renew her local efforts for funds with which to continue the strike.
It was announced at local I. W. W. headquarters that Miss Flynn, after arriving in the city Saturday night to fill Sunday’s speech-making engagements, received orders to return immediately to the range. Louis Meles, secretary of the local branch of the organization, professed ignorance of the contingency requiring her presence in the strike zone.
J. S. Randolph substituted for Miss Flynn at a street meeting last night at Sixth avenue West and Michigan street. A few dollars was collected from the throng who heard his plea for financial assistance in behalf of the miners.
“Conditions on the Range” were discussed by Einar Ljungberg, Socialist orator, in an address last night before 300 Duluth Scandinavians at the Woodman hall. It was Ljungberg’s last speech in this country before returning to his home in Stockholm, Sweden.
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From The Duluth News Tribune of July 26, 1916:
DOESN’T WISH TO BE CALLED ‘FAT’
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Elizabeth Flynn Lets Newspaper
Man Hear Talk at Hibbing.
Is Optimistic.
—–HIBBING. July 25.-Welcoming the hundred women and children and 200 striking miners who took part in the parade here tonight. Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, on her return from Minneapolis, where she said $111 was collected for aid of the range strikers, declared that a co-operative store would be built in Hibbing where all miners could be supplied with necessaries on a credit basis. Other stores have been located at Aurora, Virginia, Biwabik and Chisholm. She urged greater activity by strikers, telling them to show business men that the strike is not dead.
While the parade was in progress Miss Flynn was “captured” in a secluded corner of the Workers’ hall by a News Tribune representative, whom she greeted cordially though with touch of shyness. She declared she was weary with traveling about Duluth’s streets all day.
When local lawyers sought to eject newspaper men, Miss Flynn protested and prevailed upon strikers to allow them to remain for her lecture.
[She said:]
If he does not call me “The Flynn Woman,” “Agitator,” “Fire Eater” or “Anarchist” and above all “Fat,” we will allow him to come again.
Before commencing her speech several minutes were occupied with opening of pop bottles, which Miss Flynn caused to be distributed among women and children.
[She then said:]
It is amazing to me that the strikers’ demands are so moderate.
In western and anthracite regions, miners are paid much more than minimum of demands here.
I read in today’s paper that the Steel corporation made between $80,000,000 and $90,000,000 profit in the past year. The range miners have given their labor and lives to help make that profit and we desire our share in the ninety millions.
I have just returned from Minneapolis, where the Socialists, American Federation of Labor and I. W. W. gathered in a big picnic and officers of all these unions were on the speakers’ platform.
They all declared there never was a better time to win a strike on the range.
She urged that invitation be extended business men to attend the meeting tomorrow night when another demonstration will be made.
[She further stated:]
It is the business men of St. Louis county who will have to pay $2,000 a day that deputies are costing, not the Oliver Iron Mining company..We want them to know what this strike means. I do not carry dynamite, nor have I guns nor daggers about me and I try to use good English, so they need not be afraid to come.
From The Duluth News Tribune of July 26, 1916:
Urges Exodus From Range.With mining companies evincing no indication of acceding to demands of insurgent employes, and with funds for the maintenance of the strike admitted to be at low ebb, the I. W. W. is urging an exodus of range miners to the northwestern harvest fields rather than abandon the cause for which they have been struggling for several weeks, according to Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, organization leader, who stopped in Duluth yesterday on her way to the strike district from Minneapolis.
As an inducement to miners to further emphasize their demands by deserting the range, Miss Flynn asserted the Agricultural Workers’ association, a branch of the I. W. W. stood ready to transport the majority to the harvest fields of North and South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska.
Miss Flynn left for the range last night where she is scheduled to make several speeches, including one at Two Harbors, Sunday.
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SOURCE
The Duluth News Tribune
(Duluth, Minnesota)
-July 24, 1916, page 3
-July 26, 1916, page 5 & 14
http://www.genealogybank.com/
EGF, Tresca, MN Miners Strike, Logansport (IN) Daily Tb, July 29, 1916
https://www.newspapers.com/image/32398809
The Rebel Girl – Alyeah Hansen
Lyrics by Joe Hill