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Hellraisers Journal – Sunday October 30, 1910
Fresno, California – Editorial Advocates Whipping Post to Suppress Free Speech
From the Spokane Industrial Worker of October 26, 1910:
[…..]
ADVOCATES WHIPPING POST TO
SUPPRESS FREE SPEECH.General Headquarters I. W. W., 518 Cambridge Bldg., Chicago, Ill.
The Fresno Herald and Democrat, published at Fresno, Cal., for which one John Hamilton Gilmour assumes responsibility as publisher, has an editorial in the issue of October 12th commenting on the fight for free speech that is being made by the I. W. W. at Fresno, which ends by saying:
“It is incumbent upon all classes of citizens to aid the police in the suppression of these Industrial Workers of the World if they attempt to disturb the peace of the city. * * * For men to come here with the express purpose of creating trouble a whipping post and cat-o’-nine-tails well seasoned by being soaked in salt water is none to harsh a treatment for peace breakers. Indeed, such a punishment would prove more efficacious than a term in a dark cell.”
The editorial is an indication of what the membership for the I. W. W. have to fight against in carrying on the campaign for education and organization amongst the workers of the San Joaquin valley.
A whipping post and cat-o’-nine-tails seasoned with brine! For what? because workers of that sections-a few of them insist that they have an opportunity of holding meetings, to discuss matters of interest to their class, and to devise ways and means to educate, and organize the wage slaves of the farms, factories and railroads into an effective organization. The master class of the San Joaquin valley have throws off the mask. Through the mouthpiece of their class they have made known to what extent they are willing to go in order that they may continue to plunder the workers of that section, in PEACE.
This letter is addressed to the membership of the California locals in particular, and to the members and wage workers in general to acquaint them with the real attitude of the master class and the servants, the slugging committee.
It is now incumbent upon all that they do their utmost to see that the fellow workers in Fresno are reinforced in sufficient numbers to make success assured in their struggle. Rally to the fight, fellow workers! Show Mr. John Hamilton Gilmour and those whose servile tool he is, that there are still enough militants left among the workers to defeat the masters of the San Joaquin valley and all their hirelings regardless of how blood-thirsty they may be.
Show them that their threats are of no avail! That we will be heard “though all earth’s systems crack.”
Up and at them. An injury to one is an injury to all!
By the might of your presence on the scene establish once and for all our right to organize our class.
Missoula, Spokane, Duluth, Minneapolis, San Diego, show what can be done. Let’s add the name of Fresno to the list.
Get the news into your local papers. Expose the “peaceful” plunderers of Fresno to the workers of the country. Get on the ground without delay.
VINCENT ST. JOHN,
General Secretary-Treasurer I. W. W.
All labor papers are requested to publish.—————
[Emphasis added.]
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SOURCES & IMAGES
Quote James Russell Lowell, We Will Speak, Car Wkr p19, Aug 1903
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=u0M2AQAAMAAJ&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA4-PA19
Industrial Worker
(Spokane, Washington)
-Oct 26, 1910
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iw/v2n32-w84-oct-26-1910-IW.pdf
See also:
Tag: Fresno Free Speech Fight of 1910-1911
https://weneverforget.org/tag/fresno-free-speech-fight-of-1910-1911/
Duluth Labor World of Oct 29, 1910
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn78000395/1910-10-29/ed-1/seq-6/
For more from Industrial Worker of Oct 26, 1910:
Page 1-News from Fresno Jungles Camp
Page 1-News from Coalinga Strike
Page 3-Funds for Fresno
Page 4-Fresno Bound
Page 4-Photo of Albert V. Roe, sadly poor quality.
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iw/v2n32-w84-oct-26-1910-IW.pdf
From: Fresno Morning Republican
Oct 28, 1910
“Armed Guards on Duty to Prevent Escape From Jail”
https://www.newspapers.com/image/606954205/
Oct 29, 1910
“[IWW] on verge of Abandoning [Free Speech Fight]
Sudden Change of Heart of W. F. [Fred] Little”
https://www.newspapers.com/image/606954236/
Note: many articles from FMR can be found here:
http://mikerhodes.us/iww-archive-project/
The Car Worker, Volume 1
Apr 1903 to March 1904
International Association of Car Workers, 1904
https://books.google.com/books?id=u0M2AQAAMAAJ
The Car Worker of Aug 1903
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=u0M2AQAAMAAJ&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA4-PA1
“Our Creed” by James Russell Lowell
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=u0M2AQAAMAAJ&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA4-PA19
Note: First date I can find this poem:
Cadiz Sentinel (OH) of Feb 4, 1846
https://www.newspapers.com/image/339505883/
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This Land Is Your Land – Bruce Springsteen