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Hellraisers Journal – Saturday May 11, 1901
Mother Jones News Round-Up for April 1901, Part III
The Sunday School Teacher and the Little Wage Slaves
From the Illinois State Register of April 23, 1901:
Christian Zeal Off the Track.
Chicago American: When human beings make idiots of themselves the most extraordinary things are sometimes done by those who think they are doing good.
“Mother Jones,” who interests herself in working people and their condition, declares that she attended Sunday school at Birmingham, Ala., and heard a teacher address the following remarks to a class of little millhands ten or twelve years old:
“God put it in the heart of Mr. B— to build a factory so that you little children can have work and earn money, so that you can put a nickel in the box for the poor little heathen Chinese children.”
That kind of thing is apt to make the devil suffer from the effects of too violent laughter.
“Mr. B—” spoken of by the foolish Sunday school teacher is, of course, one of the most dangerous elements in civilization. He exploits child life in his money-making process. In the midst of a poor community he establishes a factory, knowing that want will induce parents, when the opportunity offers, to force their little children to work long hours in crowded rooms.
“Mr. B—” gets his money by killing just so many children a year and stunting the growth of all of them.
It would be far better for the world if, instead of building a factory and employing a thousand children, he would erect a gallows and hang five hundred. That would a least give the remaining five hundred children some kind of chance for normal development.
As long as there are persons like “Mr. B—” to build factories in which children shall be worked to death, and foolish, ignorant teachers to talk like the one quoted here, this world cannot call itself civilized.
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[Drawing added.]
From The Scranton Republican of April 25, 1901:
THIS WILL END SILK MILL STRIKE
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Supt. Davis’ Terms Accepted at a Meeting
of Strikers-Others Will Follow Today.
———-TO RESUME WORK MONDAY
———-There have been many rumors of an impending settlement of the silk mill strike, but there appears no reason now to doubt the announcement that a general resumption of work will be witnessed on Monday next. A number of the strikers connected with the Sauquoit silk mills met in Carpenters’ hall yesterday and upon a vote, practically unanimous, decided to accept the terms offered by Superintendent Davis, and which have been arranged through the mediation of Bishop Hoban…..
HARD SILK WORKERS FIRST.
Yesterday’s meeting was held by the hard silk workers of the Sauquoit mills and there is no doubt but that their action will be followed by the employes in the other departments of that mill as well as all the employes of the mills now closed. The Sauquoit mill controls the largest output of any silk mill in this country, and the owners of smaller concerns will adopt its scale of wages in their propositions for a settlement. Before the vote was cast “Mother” Jones addressed the girls and advised them to return on the terms offered them. She spoke for about a half hour and earnestly set the situation before them. In the course of her remarks she said:
You will now go back with flying colors and I would not advise you to miss this opportunity to gain a successful conclusion to your strike, rather than to have your colors lowered by too much prolongation of your acceptance.
You have gained some very fair concessions, and I would advise you to vote to return to work.
The vote was practically unanimous, 314 voting to return and only six voted against.
From The Scranton Times of April 26, 1901:
MOTHER JONES SAYS THE STRIKE IS ENDED
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She Declares That There Will Be a General
Resumption of Work on Tuesday Next.
———-SAUQUOIT TO START WORK
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Decision Reached at a Meeting of the Executive
Committee Held at Headquarters This Morning.
———-WARPERS ARE STIIL BOLTING
———-There will be a general resumption of work at the various silk mills on Tuesday morning when all the strikers will return to work in a body. On Sunday afternoon a statement will be issued by the executive board officially declaring the strike off and ordering all the girls back to work.
The above statement was made by “Mother” Mary Jones to a Times reporter at the conclusion of the meeting of the hard silk workers this morning.
“Mother” Jones stated that this decision had been reached by the executive committee at a meeting held this morning.
[Said Mother Jones:]
The bolt made by the warpers and their determination to stay on strike unless they are granted an increase of one-quarter cent per hundred ends will not interfere with the resumption of work on Tuesday morning next. There are only forty-five warpers. They are the best paid employes in the mill and it would not be fair to keep fourteen hundred girls employed in the other departments on strike if the warpers don’t see fit to return. Then the majority of the strikers have voted to return to work and the warpers should abide by the majority. If on Tuesday they are still firm in their determination to stay out Superintendent Davis will secure warpers from Philadelphia to fill their places. However, I think the warpers will decide to go back with the others.
At the meeting of the soft silk workers of the Sauquoit mill, held yesterday evening, the warpers bolted and decided not to go to work until certain demands had been conceded them. They want an increase of only one-quarter cent per hundred ends. In the proposition submitted by Superintendent Davis he made no concessions to the “warpers. They are the best paid employes in the mill, and he is not in position to grant them an increase at present.
About three hundred girls were present at the meeting. Mother Jones was also present and advised them to accept the proposition. The warpers were determined. The other girls made efforts to induce them to accept, but it was no use. A vote was finally taken, but the result was not given out, as it was stated that only about half of those present voted. A committee was then appointed to wait on Superintendent Davis and see what could be done regarding the warpers.
This afternoon the Harvey mill local will meet. The meeting will be called at 3 o’clock, and the proposition will be acted upon. Mother Jones will be on hand to urge them to accept the terms. She will also attend the meeting of the Klotz local to-morrow afternoon. This morning she stated that each of these locals would undoubtedly vote favorably on the proposition.
Tomorrow afternoon the Taylor local will meet and an attempt will be made to settle the strike there.
On Monday afternoon the younger girls, to whom “Mother” Jones says all the credit for the successful ending of the strike is due, because of the manner in which they stood together during the struggle, will have a parade. There will be several hundred of them in line.
On Monday evening a big meeting of the girls will be held in St. Thomas’ college hall. “Mother” Jones and Mr. Mailley [Mailly], of New York, will deliver addresses and there will be several musical numbers.
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Note: emphasis added throughout.
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SOURCES
Quote Mother Jones, Child Labor Sleep, Ab Chp 14 p120
https://archive.iww.org/history/library/MotherJones/autobiography/14/
Illinois State Register
(Springfield, Illinois)
-Apr 23, 1901, page 4
https://www.genealogybank.com/
The Scranton Republican
(Scranton, Pennsylvania)
-Apr 25, 1901
https://www.newspapers.com/image/48312626/
The Scranton Times
(Scranton, Pennsylvania)
-Apr 26, 1901
https://www.newspapers.com/image/533480268/
IMAGE
Mother Jones, Drawing, SDH p4, Mar 9, 1901
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/social-democratic-herald-us/010309-socdemherald-v03n38w140.pdf
See also:
Tag: Pennsylvania Silk Mill Workers Strikes of 1901
https://weneverforget.org/tag/pennsylvania-silk-mill-workers-strikes-of-1901/
Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for April 1901, Part II:
Scranton Silk Strikers: “Little Tots ranging from 8 to 14 years of age.”
William Mailly
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Mailly
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The Preacher and the Slave · John McCutcheon
Lyrics by Joe Hill