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Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday February 17, 1909
Mother Jones News Round-Up for January 1909, Part II:
-Found Speaking at Convention of United Mine Workers of America
From The Indianapolis Star of January 29, 1909:
“Mother and the Boys,” a drama of real life, in many acts and scenes, was presented in Indianapolis yesterday. “Mother” Jones came to see her “boys”-the miners-whose battles she has been fighting for years. Among the “boys” she found Tom Haggerty, who is always alluded to as the “field marshal” of the mine workers.
Haggerty comes from Pennsylvania, where “Mother” Jones used to help the miners fight their labor troubles.
Several years ago “Mother” Jones and Haggerty, while trying to assist the striking miners of West Virginia, were arrested for violating the court’s injunction and were thrown into jail.
[Said Mother Jones:]
You see, we were old-time pals for we have fought together in fair weather and in foul weather, and we have been in jail together.
From The Indianapolis Star of January 27, 1909:
MOTHER JONES HERE.
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Famous Socialist and Agitator
May Address Convention.The center of attraction in the lobby of the Hotel English last evening was “Mother” Jones, who is idolized by the members of the miners’ organization. In her home, among her own people, “Mother” Jones is plain Mary Jones.
To the miners she is known always as “Mother,” because for years she has helped them in their fights. She alludes to the miners as “my boys.”
Mrs. Jones became interested in the miners in 1897, when she stopped at Pittsburg on her way to her home in Chicago from Washington. She had been to see President McKinley in the interests of some federal prisoners held in California.
[She said last night:]
I was always for the under dog, and I like to fight when the personal liberty of a man or a women is threatened.
Mrs. Jones had been fighting for labor for years and had helped with many strikes. When she reached Pittsburg the miners took her from the train. They were involved in a big strike.
[She further said last night;]
That was the way I became interested in the miners. From Pittsburg I went to the anthracite district and helped the boys out there. I like the miners. They are whole-hearted, sincere men. These convention troubles don’t count. There are enough honest men in the organization to drive out the factional disturbers.
“Mother” Jones is a rank Socialist. She was met at the train when she arrived yesterday evening by a delegation from the Socialist element in the miners’ organization. She probably will address the convention while she is here.
“Mother” Jones is just now interested in trying to liberate four Mexican “patriots” who are confined in prison in the West at the instance of the Mexican government on the charge of violating treaty laws.
A resolution in the interests of these Mexicans has been considered by the miners’ resolution committee and will be reported favorably to the convention.
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From The Indianapolis (Evening) News of January 27, 1909:
“MOTHER” JONES ARRIVES.
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She Will Spend a Few Days with “Her Boys”
-Delivers An Address.“Mother” Jones, hair a little grayer, but looking scarcely a day older than she did several years ago, when she annually attended the miners’ convention, has arrived to spend a few days with “her boys.” She is just in from everywhere. She is still carrying on her crusade against labor conditions in the South and is talking socialism on all occasions. She is now especially aggrieved at the Government because of its attitude toward Mexican and Russian political refugees which have been pursued to this country and arrested. Several resolutions have been presented to the miners denouncing the governmental policy in these cases, and it is expected that she will add her eloquent and forceful voice to the demand that this convention declare itself against this extradition policy.
Though there is an element in the miners’ organization that does not dote on “Mother” Jones and has given her a cold shoulder in the past, still even the members of this faction declare that she has the “biggest heart” in the country. She can not keep a penny as long as there is distress. She is “motherly” to the extreme that whenever she is along no hotel ever feeds “her boys” poorly cooked food or coffee. She will not stand for that a minute and she straightway goes into the kitchen and insists on doing the cooking or the coffee brewing herself.
Received Great Ovation.
When “Mother” Jones appeared before the convention this morning she received a great ovation. She delivered one of her characteristic radical socialistic “rippers” in which she talked about everybody and everything from Congressmen W. B. Wilson and T. D. Nichols, the miners’ Congressmen, to Congress, Roosevelt, “Alice” and “Czar” Cannon.
She called Miles Dougherty, of the anthracite, to task for “sitting up at the mahogany and drinking champagne” with Mrs. Harriman.
She singled out Wilson and Nichols and said:
I’ve been keeping my eye on you fellows, and I want to tell you that you’re not raising enough noise with those fellows down at Washington.
If you can’t make more noise get down and out and let us women go into Congress and we’ll wake them up.
She declared that the seat of government was not at Washington, any way, insisting that it was in Wall street.
The Wright Decision.
Touching on the Wright decision, she declared that the sending of Gompers, Mitchell and Morrison to prison was “legitimate,” because they had stood for the building of prisons-which she did not.
She said that the jails were the national reception parlors for the workers of the country.
In pleading for a $1,000 appropriation to fight the extradition of Mexican political refugees, she declared that Diaz is a military despot and that, governmentally, Mexico is not as free as is Russia.
She told many good stories, and in closing declared that the miners have to work too much and too hard, and that she also stood for the union label being displayed on church doors, and that such doors not bearing the label should be boycotted. She also defied Judge Wright.
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From the Appeal to Reason of January 30, 1909:
“MOTHER” JONES forwarded a letter to the headquarters of the Western Federation of Miners last week, containing a check for $365.00 to be used in behalf of the Mexican prisoners. “Mother” Jones raised the money among the coal miners of Illinois. If the labor movement of America contained more of such grand and noble characters as “Mother” Jones, liberty would not be trembling upon its blood-bought throne.-Miner’s Magazine.
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From The Scranton Republican of January 31, 1909:
Mother Jones at Miners’ Convention
Special to The Republican.
INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 30.-
[…..]
“Mother” Jones won in her fight to secure the appropriation of $1,000 to fight the extradition of the “Mexican patriots,” Flores Magon, Antonio Villareal and Librado Rivera. The committee on resolutions presented a resolution of protest on the extradition laws, and at the same time appropriated $1,000 to assist in fighting the efforts of the Mexican government to take these men back to Mexico…..
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Mother Jones Speaks at Convention of
United Mine Workers of America
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From Hellraisers Journal of January 29, 1909
Indianapolis, Indiana – Mother Speaks at U. M. W. Convention, Part I
Excerpts from the Proceedings of United Mine Workers Convention-Wednesday January 27, 1909:
President Lewis—If there are no objections we will have a short intermission at this time and hear from a visitor we have present.
We have with us this morning a friend with whom many of the delegates are acquainted. The Mine Workers of the country generally know of the work of this friend. In many of the districts in the turbulent times when our men were engaged in a struggle, when men, women and children were suffering all the hardships incident to industrial warfare, she spent her time helping them. This morning she is here in the interest of men who have been persecuted in other countries and have come to this country in the belief that they were coming to the land of the free. We understand that the men in whose interest she is here have not committed any crime, but rather are regarded as political criminals because they believed that all men have certain rights that all other men should respect. She has encouraged our men, women and children, not alone in the mountains of West Virginia and the valleys of Pennsylvania, but on the prairies of some of our states where words of encouragement were needed by those whose spirits were drooping because of surrounding conditions. I therefore take great pleasure in introducing to this convention Mother Jones, who has lost none of her vigor, none of her interest in the cause of organized labor and in the cause of humanity because of her age or her white hair.
Mrs. Mary Jones (Mother Jones)—Permit me to extend to your worthy President my appreciation for his introduction. In the days of old when the revolutionists fought against the conditions that King George III was about to fasten upon them, could he have reached his claws in and have put them around Washington he would no doubt have hung him. Today, after a century or more of history in this nation, we find two diabolically tyrannous governments reaching their hands into this country and asking us to deliver men who have taken refuge here and surrender our rights to the czar of Russia and the military despot of Mexico. You will realize, my friends, that international economic interests are back of all this; you must realize that for this change in our nation’s history there is a cause. Economic interests, both in Mexico and Russia, are dictating the policy of our government today—I mean the other fellow’s government……
That month I went up to Douglas, Arizona, to try and organize the smelters for the boys. One evening on the street one of the boys came to me and said, “Mother, there has been some dirty work going on at the jail.” I said, “That is none of our business; let the jail take care of itself.” Then he said, “But something is going on that is not straight. They brought a fellow there in an automobile and he screamed for his liberty. I think there is something wrong.” Then a young fellow came along and said, “My God, Mother, they have kidnapped our young revolutionist [Manuel Sarabia], and they have run him across to Mexico and he will be murdered immediately!” We telegraphed to the governor and to Washington. We got Teddy out of bed that night, I can tell you. The next night we proposed to hold a mass meeting. I needn’t tell you it is a very hard thing to wake people up in a town. There is a peculiar stupidity about them, and it is hard to wake them up at once to action. I said we would have to get at the papers in some way or put leaflets into the hands of the people.
I went to a fellow who was fighting the Copper Queen and asked if he could get out an extra. He said he hadn’t the money, and I gave him twenty dollars and told him to go ahead. He did, and we flooded the town with them, and when we got to the meeting the crowd was dense all around that neighborhood. I needn’t tell you, boys, I suppose, or most of you, that I long ago quit praying and took to swearing. If I pray I will have to wait until I am dead to get anything; but when I swear I get things here. Well, I was not very particular what I said at that meeting. I said, “Boys, if you will go with me we will go into Mexico and bring that fellow back; we will make Diaz give him up.” They said they would go with me. I said, “There isn’t a Pinkerton between here and hell we won’t hang,”and they went and got the ropes. Well, we got the fellow back…..
From Hellraisers Journal of January 30, 1909
Indianapolis, Indiana – Mother Speaks at U. M. W. Convention, Part II
Excerpts from the Proceedings of United Mine Workers Convention-Wednesday January 27, 1909:
Now, I will tell you what I am here today for. I am not here to beg. I hate beggars; I don’t want any begging machines; I want to do away with every begging parasite in the world. I want to fight and take what belongs to us. What I want here today with you is this: We have got to get those boys out of jail. We have got to let them live in this land; we have got to let them fight Mexico from here. And I am with those boys because Diaz and Harriman and Rockefeller and the whole push are together down there. They were down there wining and dining, and we paid for it…..
Now, I want some money. I am not here begging; I am simply here to wake you up and tell you to tell Mr. Lewis and Mr. Ryan—I am not going to say “brother” to him now because he is leaving me and going over to the other fellows. We fellows have got to stick together and fight, and if we get a jag on us we have to get a ten-cent drink of rotten whisky instead of champagne. And they are even trying to get that away from us! What we want to do is to fix things so we can drink the champagne and make them drink the whisky for a while. As I started out to say, I want you to tell Mr. Lewis and Mr. Ryan to give me this money. I want to get those men out of the clutch of Diaz…..
I want to say to you here before I close that they are more afraid of the organized body of workers than they are of all the political bodies of the country. If we can thoroughly organize and educate our people we can stop every wheel in the country and we can make those fellows stop eating. When we do that we will spend what belongs to us and they will work as we will rest…..
I am not going to hold you here any longer. Say, you ought to be out in the country with me. We have great times out there in the West, and I am going to stay there for quite a while. An old fellow said the other day in Pittsburg, speaking of me, “That old devil ought to die!” What is the matter with him? Why, I am only seventy-three years young and I have a contract with God to let me stay here many more to help clean up that old gang……
Hellraisers Journal – Sunday January 31, 1909
Indianapolis, Indiana – Mother Jones Thanks Mine Workers’ Convention
Excerpts from the Proceedings of United Mine Workers Convention-Wednesday January 29, 1909:
President Lewis—…..Mother Jones would like the floor for a few minutes to express her appreciation of the action of the convention in donating $1,000 for the defense of the Mexican refugees.
Mother Jones—In behalf of our brothers who are lying in the bastile of capitalism because they dared to raise their voices in behalf of their oppressed and murdered brothers in Mexico, I tender to you my deepest and most heartfelt appreciation of the resolution and donation to them. It is not charity; it is our duty even to go with them and give our lives for a cause so great. Never in human history before were men and women called upon to link hands in the mighty battle for the emancipation of the working class from the robbing class. Our brothers are behind the bars, and it lies with you and with me to do our part to free them. I extend to you my deep appreciation for the generous donation you gave to them. And when your turn comes they will be on deck to do their part for you. They will never surrender the rights of labor to the ruling class, even if they die in its defense.
Now, my brothers, you and I are not going to part. We have fought many battles together, and we have marched the highways together. Brave hearts marched with us then. Lying in lonely graves are some of the men who laid the foundation for this great and magnificent organization that you represent here to-day.
Note: Emphasis added to article above.
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SOURCES
The Indianapolis Star
(Indianapolis, Indiana)
-Jan 29, 1909
https://www.newspapers.com/image/118626359/
-Jan 27, 1909
https://www.newspapers.com/image/118626230/
The Indianapolis (Evening) News
(Indianapolis, Indiana)
-Jan 27, 1909
https://www.newspapers.com/image/40290279/
Appeal to Reason
(Girard, Kansas)
-Jan 30, 1909
https://www.newspapers.com/image/66981616/
The Scranton Republican
(Scranton, Pennsylvania)
-Jan 31, 1909
https://www.newspapers.com/image/48213025/
Hellraisers Journal – Friday January 29, 1909
Indianapolis, Indiana – Mother Speaks at U. M. W. Convention, Part I
From Proceedings of United Mine Workers Convention-Wednesday January 27, 1909
Hellraisers Journal – Saturday January 30, 1909
Indianapolis, Indiana – Mother Speaks at U. M. W. Convention, Part II
From Proceedings of United Mine Workers Convention-Wednesday January 27, 1909
Hellraisers Journal – Sunday January 31, 1909
Indianapolis, Indiana – Mother Jones Thanks Mine Workers’ Convention
From Proceedings of United Mine Workers Convention-Wednesday January 29, 1909
IMAGE
Mother Jones, Ipls UMWC with Her Boys, Ipl Str p7, Jan 29, 1909
https://www.newspapers.com/image/118626359/
See also:
Note: for more on names, places and events mentioned by Mother Jones, see links at Hellraisers Journals at sources above and scroll down to “see also” section.
Thomas Haggerty of UMWA (1865-1946)
Note: not to be confused with Father Tom Haggerty of the IWW.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23742998/thomas-haggerty
Proceedings of the Twentieth Annual
Convention of the United Mine Workers of America
Held in the City of Indianapolis, Indiana
-Jan 19 to Feb 4, 1909
https://books.google.com/books?id=dyhRAQAAMAAJ
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=dyhRAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA1
Wednesday January 27, 1909, Eighth Day-Morning Session
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=dyhRAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA364
UMWA President Thomas L. Lewis introduces Mother Jones
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=dyhRAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA374
Mother Jones speaks on behalf of imprisoned Mexican Revolutionaries
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=dyhRAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA375
Quote Mother Jones on Swearing & Praying, UMWC 1909
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=dyhRAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA377
Delegate John H Walker of District 12 moves “that $1000 be appropriated out of the International treasury for the purpose of defending the Mexicans refereed to by Mother Jones.” Motion was seconded.
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=dyhRAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA381
Delegate Green of District 6 states that “such matters ought not to be decided hastily here. They should be considered calmly.” Debate follows.
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=dyhRAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA382
Friday Jan 29, 1909, Tenth Day-Morning Session
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=dyhRAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA492
President Lewis introduces Mother Jones “to express her appreciation of the action of the convention in donating $1000 for the defense of the Mexican refugees.”
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=dyhRAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA516
Mother Jones Speaks
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=dyhRAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA517
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