If the plutocrats begin the program,
we will end it.
-Eugene V. Debs
Hellraisers Journal, Sunday February 3, 1907
Goldfield, Nevada – Red Flags, Red Banners, Red Ribbons Rule!
The kept press finds itself in a state of supreme outrage in view of the fact that the rabble of the nation are not conducting themselves in a calm and reasonable manner as the authorities of the states of Colorado and Idaho, acting in the interests of the Mine Owners Association, attempt a frame-up on Big Bill Haywood and Charles Moyer, officers of the Western Federation of Miners.
From the Appeal to Reason of February 2, 1907:
KING GEORGE AND CAPITAL
—–
The Words of Vincent St. John Have the
Same Effect on American Tories as
Those of Patrick Henry Had
Upon the British Tories.
—–
TO illustrate the attitude invariably assumed by the conservators of the dominant order at various times in the world’s history, I herewith reprint two articles taken from papers published more than a hundred years apart. One refers to the demonstration of the Goldfield miners last Sunday, in behalf of Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone, and is clipped from the Denver Republican; the other describes the scenes in the Virginia House of Burgesses, when Patrick Henry delivered his famous philippie against King George, and is selected from a history in which was copied the article as it was taken from an old English paper. The Denver Republican typically represents the cause of capitalism today; the old english paper typically represented the cause of toryism a century ago.
Read and observe the parallel:
From the Denver Republican.
Goldfield, Nev., Jan. 20.-(Special.)-Red flags, red banners and red ribbons ruled Goldfield today. Neither Christmas, Fourth of July, Decoration Day nor any other public day, has heretofore been able to close mines, saloons, restaurants or drug stores, but today the newsboys even were not allowed to sell papers from 10 o’clock to noon.
No sound of fife, drum or music, but silently 1,000 men marched behind the red banners, and pinned to the lapel of each coat was a blood-red ribbon reading: “Bloody Sunday-Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone.” One big red banner read: “Their only crime was loyalty to the workingmen.” Another: “Shall Our Brothers Be Murdered?” Another: “Second Anniversary of St. Petersburg Massacre.”
The parade was from Miners’ Union hall south along Main to Meyers, up Meyers to Columbia, north on Columbia to Miner, down Miner to Main, thence again to the hall.
Incendiary speeches were made in the open air at the close of the parade, in which nearly all public officers were denounced, including the president, the supreme court of the United States, the supreme court of the state of Idaho, the governor of the state of Idaho, and those prosecuting the case, the general tone of which was that if Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone were murdered by being hanged the fact would cause an uprising against the capitalistic class and mine owners and against those illegally prosecuting them, and if, through fear, justice was done and they were cleared, they would lead the workingmen into a haven of Utopia.
Vincent St. John, formerly of Colorado, is the “Father Gapon” of this movement.
In his address this evening, St. John charged that the murders in the Pennsylvania coal regions were committed by James McPartland [McParland], that juries were packed there, and that thirty innocent men were hanged. “That the first Western Russian governor of the United States met what was coming to him in Caldwell at the close of the year 1903 [1905], and that the deed may have been done by some victim of the Coeur d’Alene bull pen, or more likely by a man hired by the Mine Owners’ association.”
Around the walls of the hall were hung such placards as these: “If they pack a jury to hang our men, we will pack hell full of them.” “A capitalist for every hair of our brothers’ heads” Pointing to these, St John exclaimed: “I do not know what other men may do, but as for me, I propose to do my part to see that it is done.”
There were cries from the audience, “Let her go double.”
Resolutions were adopted which denounce the supreme court of the United States and declare that if the Mine Owners’ association and the Standard Oil company hang these men, “their blood will be upon their own heads.”
From the London Mail and Gazette.
December 21. 1765.-By royal messenger it is learned that the subjects of His Most Gracious Majesty, in America, are making demonstrations that are not worthy to be classed among the actions of good and dutiful Christians whose delight it is to obey the King. The Stamp Act, recently passed by Parliament, seems to have aroused the anger of some of the wilfully disobedient, who, in turn, are trying to excite the passions of the thoughtless and ignorant. This act was passed by our nation’s rulers solely for the good of the subjects across the sea, and it is extremely impertinent and ungrateful that they should seek to repudiate the measure. If the present conduct of the agitators continues, no doubt our Gracious Lord and Sovereign, the King, will send troops to Massachusetts and Virginia to teach the obstreperous some of the maxims of law and order.
According to information, one Patrick Henry appears to be the leader of the disaffection. In the so-called House of Burgesses, Henry, it is said, made an extremely incendiary speech, in which he intimated that our Gracious Majesty, the King, stood in danger of profiting by the example of Charles I. Think of it, the language he is reported to have used is so infamously blasphemous that we dare not reproduce it. It is said that a large number of persons were present and heard the speech, and that some of them actually applauded the utterance. Steps should be taken to apprehend this agitator and stop his mouth.
The rash and hasty proceeding of the House of Burgesses in adopting the resolution presented by Henry will, no doubt, be severely censured by Parliament. If such resolutions are allowed to pass uncensured, there is no telling to what end the agitation may come. The men who voted for the resolutions were misguided. Their feelings were operated upon by sinister demagogues, and in a moment of passion they did that which their better natures will revolt against when the matter has been brought to their attention. It cannot be that the colonists will be long deceived by such as Henry.
This paper is only voicing the sentiments of the best people and most loyal subjects of His Gracious Majesty when we declare that the time is at hand when agitators and agitation against the most glorious government this world ever saw must be stamped out as one would take a viper’s life. Patrick Henry and his ilk must be taught to remain content with the situation whereunto they have been placed, or they must pay the forfeit of their treason.
May God save the King, and protect him from his enemies.
———-
[Emphasis and photograph of St John added.]
From The San Francisco Call of Feb 1, 1907:
EVIDENCE BURNED UP IN SAFE
—–
COLORADO SPRINGS. Jan. 31.-A special to the Gazette from Cripple Creek says:
Through a fire thought to have been caused by “Pettibone dope” or “hell fire,” a combustible liquid, certain documentary evidence, photographs and other valuable papers that were to be used as evidence against Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone, officers of the Western Federation of Miners, charged with complicity in the murder of former Governor Steunenberg of Idaho, and which had been placed in the safe of the Mine Owners’ Association in this city, are believed to have been destroyed.
At 1:45 o’clock this afternoon smoke was discovered emitting from the safe in the rooms of the association in the National Hotel. Small embers leaked out through a crack at the bottom, and falling on the floor, burned holes in the linoleum, The Fire Department was called, but as the fire was confined to the safe it was shoved out on the sidewalk and all the crevices were stopped up with putty.
The chemical came into the possession of the Mine Owners’ Association through Steve Adams’ confession several months ago. It had been buried in the Cripple Creek district and was found after Adams disclosed its whereabouts. It was stored in the safe for use at the trial as evidence.
The liquid, it is said, will ignite by spontaneous combustion, if kept in a place free from air. It is claimed that it will produce intense heat. This, it is believed, has affected the combination of the safe, as it is impossible to open it and learn the extent of the damage. The safe still stands on the sidewalk in front of the National Hotel and is being guarded by policemen.
———-
[Drawing by Ryan Walker added.]
SOURCES
Appeal to Reason
(Girard, Kansas)
-Feb 2, 1907
https://www.newspapers.com/image/67586804
The San Francisco Call
(San Francisco, California)
-Feb 1, 1907
https://www.newspapers.com/image/87803505/
IMAGES
WFM Button
https://www.nps.gov/kewe/learn/historyculture/museum-guide-5.htm
Vincent St John, New Castle (PA) Herald, Aug 11, 1906
https://www.newspapers.com/image/97054793
HMP, St John & Henry Quotes, AtR, Feb 2, 1907
https://www.newspapers.com/image/67586804
Colorado MOA, Ryan Walker, AtR, Jul 30, 1904
https://www.newspapers.com/image/66990929
See also:
For more on IWW activity in Goldfield, NV, during 1907:
http://depts.washington.edu/iww/iwwyearbook1907.shtml
For more on the St Petersburg Massacre and Father Gapon:
https://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/%E2%80%98bloody-sunday%E2%80%99-st-petersburg
For more on the Martyred Miners of Pennsylvania:
“The Molly Maguires”
–from Richard O. Boyer and Herbert M. Morais, Labor’s Untold Story.
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America,
Pittsburgh, PA, 1955, pp. 43-58.
https://msuweb.montclair.edu/~furrg/i2l/mollymaguires.html
For more on the Coeur d’Alene bullpen:
https://archive.org/stream/classwarinidahoh00harrrich#page/n5/mode/2up
Virginia Resolves (& role of P. Henry in)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Resolves
For more on the Cripple Creek Fire:
http://www.rebelgraphics.org/wfmhall/langdon30.html#thatfirefiasco
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