———-
Hellraisers Journal – Saturday December 11, 1909
Spokane, Washington – I. W. W. Causing a “Little Stir”
From the Socialist Montana News of December 2, 1909:
[Part I of II.]
The Industrial Workers of the World are making a little stir in this western section of the country in its valiant maintenance of the right of free speech. A battle royal was commenced with the authorities of Spokane. The authorities show an unusual malignancy against these I. W. W. because they so openly denounce capitalism, its laws, its government and its authorities; they call on the workingmen of all grades and stations to unite on these principles, and to openly, radically and emphatically fight the capitalists and their government.
Now this attitude is not particularly soothing to officials of a class government, even though the insurgents are backed by a constitutional guarantee. With officials it is “To Hell with the constitution”, whenever its enforcement jeopardizes their graft.
Dirty Chicanery.
The Spokane authorities have played a dirty trick with the I. W. W. A year ago the Industrial entered upon a desperate fight for free speech. They filled the jail and nonplussed the city administration. The city thought fit to call a truce and asked that hostilities be suspended pending a court decision. The I. W. W. agreed to these terms, but no action has ever been taken on the part of the city to get a settlement of the case. Tired of being buffaloed in this shape the I. W. W. prepared for a march on Spokane, the authorities prepared to resist them, and the Workers are now fighting capitalist domination, and unjust abridgment of legal personal rights with all the forces at their command. The capitalist papers of Spokane have announced in staring headlines that 8,000 revolutionists from all over the northwest were gathering for the fray.
The “Industrial Workers”, the Spokane organ of the I. W. W., issued the call for this gathering of the clans. Different unions were notified by wire how many men to send to Spokane. One capitalist paper stated that 500 recruits for the battle boarded trains out of Portland, Oregon, without the formality of purchasing tickets.
City Violates Constitution.
The city officials prepared to handle these American citizens contesting for their guaranteed rights. The mayor instructed the chief of police to issue orders to his entire department to jail the workers, to put them on the rock-pile, to starve them if they would not work, and to prepare means to incarcerate at least 500. Orders were issued to give them two baths a day. This is under the ordinary capitalist caliber notion that socialists and revolutionary socialism are opposed to cleanliness. The ignoramuses have never yet got it through their thick skull that all of this trouble is because the revolutionists want a higher civilization, and such a government as the city of Spokane cannot furnish. It is one of the greatest complaints that the socialists bring against this system that the treatment accorded to prisoners is filthy and inhuman. And if Spokane can bathe 500 prisoners twice a day it will take the cake over all other American cities for progress in penal methods.
Colored Troops Called.
The mayor has requisitioned the United States government for eight companies of colored troops from Fort Wright if the rulers of the people shall deem it necessary. A city ordinance was passed prohibiting all but religious organizations from speaking on the streets. This is aimed directly at revolutionary speakers as no other political belief uses the streets.
150 Speakers were arrested the first day. The charge was for speaking on the street without permission of the authorities. The chief of police and the sheriff headed a party of deputies and detectives invaded the I. W. W. headquarters, took into custody James Wilson, the editor of the paper, and seven of the principal leaders and organizers of the union. Here is an attack on the principle of free labor organization. It is disguised under the name of disturbance, but that has always been the method throughout history of crushing organizations distasteful to the rulers. Those arrested are held without bonds on the charge of incitement to riot.
[Emphasis added.]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOURCES & IMAGES
Quote EGF, Compliment IWW, IW p1, Nov 17, 1909
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iw/v1n35-nov-17-1909-IW.pdf
Montana News
(Helena, Montana)
-Dec 2, 1909
https://www.newspapers.com/image/72192234
See also:
Tag: Spokane Free Speech Fight of 1909-1910
https://weneverforget.org/tag/spokane-free-speech-fight-of-1909-1910/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Tramp – Cisco Houston
Lyrics by Joe Hill