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Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday March 27, 1912
Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1912, Part I
Found in Colorado, Wyoming, Illinois, Ohio and Indiana
From the Appeal to Reason of February 3, 1912:
The California Building Trades convention [of late January] unanimously adopted a resolution calling for a conference between the Socialist Party, the state A. F. of L. and the State Building Trades, with a view to united political action for the working class. Job Harriman, Mother Jones and Alexander Irvine were among the speakers at the convention.
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[Photograph added.]
From the Denver Rocky Mountain News of February 7, 1912:
ROOSEVELT ‘MONKEY CHASER,’
DECLARES ‘MOTHER’ JONES
———-“WALL STREET WILL ELECT HIM NEXT PRESIDENT,”
SAYS WOMAN LABOR LEADER.
———-That Theodore Roosevelt is a “monkey chaser,” but will be elected the next president of the United States despite the fact, is the opinion of “Mother” Jones, who arrived in Denver yesterday to investigate labor conditions.
“I have no doubt that Roosevelt will be the next president,” she says. “Of course, I have no use for him, but he plays to the galleries, and a Wall street will elect him.
“He is the fellow who sent guns to murder the working men in the strike of 1904 [Telluride, November 1903].
“Taft is right in with him, but I think that Taft is more of a gentleman than Roosevelt is.”
“Mother” Jones will make an address at Eagle hall tomorrow night, under the auspices of the Western Federation of Miners.
———-
From Denver’s United Labor Bulletin of February 8, 1912:
“MOTHER” JONES SPEAKS TO
FEDERATED SHOPMENStrike Is Already Won, Says “Mother”
Many Entertainments for Benefit of Strikers“Mother” Jones spoke to a large crowd at Eagles’ hall Wednesday night, and during her address but one man left the hall. She spoke to the striking Federated Shopmen, and her discourse covered a period of two and one-half hours. “Mother” Jones has passed through the entire life of the labor movement in the United States. The daughter of a miner and later a miner’s wife, she was reared and spent her life in the labor movement. She has a wonderful memory, and in her address she followed the evolution of the labor movement in the United States, and told of how labor has been exploited by capital to the detriment of the human race.
“Mother” Jones has been traveling over the Harriman system, and said that the strike of the shopmen was won now, and it was only a matter of time until the roads will sign up. She said that on one occasion where a train on which she was riding had a nine-hour schedule it took the train thirty-six hours to make the trip.
From Rawlins Republican (Wyoming) of February 8, 1912:
MOTHER JONES HERE
Last Thursday evening in the Danish hall Mother Jones spoke to the striking shopmen and several of their friends. The crowd was very enthusiastic and frequently applauded the speaker.
Mother Jones is a strong and vigorous speaker and does not hesitate to call a spade a spade. She assured the strikers that she was confident that a settlement of their troubles would be made in the near future, advised them to remain firm in their demands and not desert the cause for which they had been fighting for so long. She urged the men strongly to remain away from the saloons and gambling houses and prophesied that if this was not done much discredit would be thrown upon the cause they represent.
As is usual in labor leaders, she strongly denounced the capitalist class and even took a shot at several of she religious organizations.
From the Illinois State Register (Springfield) of February 23, 1912:
REFERENDUM RETURNS SHOW LARGE
VICTORY FOR JOHN WALKER[…]
MOTHER JONES AND WRIGHT IN CLASH
———-
Wright’s Argument for State Labor Platform
Is Assailed by the Socialist.
—–[…]
The result of the referendum election in the Twelfth or Illinois district of the United Mine Workers of America was a sweeping victory for the present regime, headed by President John Walker of Danville and Secretary-Treasurer Duncan McDonald of this city. Paul J. Smith of Marion was victorious over Adolph Germer of Belleville for the office of vice-president by a safe margin. The result of the election was made known immediately after the afternoon session of the convention was called to order.
The other feature of the afternoon was a clash between E. R. [Edwin R.] Wright of Chicago, president of the [Illinois] State Federation of Labor, and “Mother” Jones, a noted Socialist and friend of labor. The question at issue was the state labor platform, advocated by Mr. Wright….
[In his speech before the convention, Wright stated:] “I would prefer that labor have a party of its own, and I believe a platform can be built upon which the laboring socialist, democrat and republican, and every man who works for a living, can get together. I didn’t expect to see this, and of course you voted against it, and would not have it.”
Here “Mother” Jones took up her argument against President Wright. In her discussion she assailed the profit system, and held that it was the cause of the misery in the labor classes and that only by the abolition of this system could the misery of the laboring classes be alleviated.
Scores Capitalists.
“Mother” Jones spoke before the convention in the morning, and then assailed the profit system, woman suffrage, the capitalist classes, whom she designated as the blood-sucking capitalists, and staunchly stood for the principles of the socialist party as she saw them.
In introducing “Mother” Jones, President Walker spoke of her as a lady whom every laboring man and especially every miner would remember as the champion of their cause. She replied to this that she was not a lady. “God made women but blood-sucking capital made the lady,” she said. She referred to the woman suffragists as a class who did not better conditions, and spoke of the bull-pens which existed in Colorado without the women voting for their abolishment.
Defends McNamara.
“Mother” Jones openly defended the McNamaras, stating that they had become desperate with the conditions which labor was facing, and that as the result committed the crime with which they were charged. She denounced the action of numerous trade unions in passing resolutions against them after they had confessed, calling such action a cowardly act.
“Mother” Jones is within a year or two of 80 years of age, but in spite of her age is a vigorous and emphatic speaker…..
From the Scott County Kicker of February 24, 1912:
Until Madero promises the Wall street interests that he will in the future use the mailed fist on the Mexican working class nothing can prevent the United states troops crossing the Rio Grande.
American capitalists are very much incensed over the compromising tactics that have been introduced by the present ruler of Mexico. They have learned that Madero has assured Mother Jones and L. Gutierrez De Lara, the Mexican Socialist, that he would not interfere with the unionizing of the miners of Mexico
Wall Street has also learned that organizers of the Western Federation of Miners have been very active in Mexico lately and that they have been succeeding remarkably well. These organizers were never allowed to do their work openly when Porfirio Diaz held the Scepter. But under Madero they have not only been allowed to do their work, but according to information received here, have even received encouragement from the more enlightened Maderists.
Recently a strike of 8,000 cotton workers took place in Mexico City. They had been receiving 35 cents a day and were forced to pay about 80 cents a week to the company for the privilege of living in foul huts reeking with vermin. The workers rebelled, and under the leadership of De Lara and other progressive workers, crippled the cotton industry in the federal district.
These cotton mills are in the main owned by the capitalists of the United States. And they want Madero to handle strikes just as our Governors and Presidents do. So Wall Street wants to take charge of things in Mexico and give the people of that country a taste of “American freedom.”
From The Indianapolis News of February 26, 1912:
MOTHER JONES IN CITY.
———-
Says She Visited McNamara Brothers’
Mother in Cincinnati.Mother Jones, eighty years old, an organizer of the miners and one of the picturesque figures in the labor world, was in Indianapolis today. She stopped off at international headquarters on her way to the Colorado mining field. During the big Irwin field strike, Mother Jones gained considerable fame in leading the miners. She also spent two or three months with the striking shopmen on the Harriman railway system.
At Cincinnati, yesterday, Mother Jones visited the mother of J. J. and J. B. McNamara. She says the mother of the dynamiters has had a hard time of it, but is bearing up remarkably well under the strain.
———-
From The Indianapolis Star of February 28, 1912:
BELIEVES BROTHERS INNOCENT.
Mother Jones, well-known to all the miners of the country, who was in Indianapolis Monday and yesterday, declared that in her opinion the McNamaras are innocent and their confessions were caused by threats.
Seated in the offices of Frank Hayes, vice president of the United Mine Workers of America, Mother Jones told mine workers who called to see her the men are innocent.
“I believe it was all fixed up by the Steel Trust,” declared one of the miners in the course of the conversation.
“Yes, yes, you are right. I do not believe the men were guilty,” replied Mother Jones.
“I am sure that the entire affair will in no way injure the labor movement,” she continued. “It will help us. We shall go right on with our work and we will succeed.”
Mother Jones will depart today for the West where she will resume her visits of the miners in the mines and at their homes.
Note: Emphasis added throughout.
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SOURCES
Appeal to Reason
(Girard, Kansas)
-Feb 3, 1912, p3
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/appeal-to-reason/120203-appealtoreason-w844.pdf
The Rocky Mountain News
(Denver, Colorado)
-Feb 7, 1912, p4
https://www.genealogybank.com/
United Labor Bulletin
(Denver, Colorado)
-Feb 8, 1912, p1
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn91052295/1912-02-08/ed-1/seq-1/
Rawlins Republican
“The People’s Official Paper of Carbon County”
-Feb 8, 1912, p8
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn92067236/1912-02-08/ed-1/seq-8/
Illinois State Register
(Springfield, Illinois)
-Feb 23, 1912, p1+8
https://www.genealogybank.com/
Scott County Kicker
(Benton, Missouri)
-Feb 24, 1912, p1
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn89066234/1912-02-24/ed-1/seq-1/
The Indianapolis News
(Indianapolis, Indiana)
-Feb 26, 1912, p14
https://www.newspapers.com/image/39563044/
The Indianapolis Star
(Indianapolis, Indiana)
-Feb 28, 1912, p14
https://www.newspapers.com/image/7478374/
IMAGE
Mother Jones, Tacoma Tx p3, Feb 14, 1912
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88085187/1912-02-14/ed-1/seq-3/
See also:
Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for January 1912
Part I: Found in California Speaking on Behalf of Striking Railroad Shopmen
Part II: Found in Fresno at California State Convention of Building Trades Council
Colorado Labor Wars, 1903-1904
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Labor_Wars
Tag: Illinois Central and Harriman Lines Strike of 1911 to 1915
https://weneverforget.org/tag/illinois-central-and-harriman-lines-strike-of-1911-to-1915/
Tag: McNamara Brothers
https://weneverforget.org/tag/mcnamara-brothers/
Hellraisers Journal – Sunday October 22, 1911
Mother Jones in Mexico City, Meets with Madero Regarding Right to Organize
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Children of Mother Jones – Pete Duffy