Hellraisers Journal, Thursday September 14, 1916
Mother Jones in Arizona and West Texas During August of 1916
Today we take a look at the whereabouts and doings of Mother Jones for the month of August 1916. Mother Jones was first found in the state of Arizona where she spoke in Tucson at the State Federation of Labor Convention. We next found her in El Paso, Texas, speaking up for the striking streetcar workers.
From The Bisbee Daily Review of August 9, 1916:
“MOTHER” JONES SPEAKS AT LABOR
MEETING AT TUCSON
—–
Von Kleinsmid, Arizona University
Head, Also Addresses Delegates.
“Times” Raised.
—–TUCSON. Ariz., Aug 8-The convention of the Arizona state federation
of labor in session here today listened to an address, by “Mother” Jones, the militant feminist labor leader, and Dr. Rufus Bernhard von Kleinsmid, president of the University of Arizona, speaking from the same platform, the educator following “Mother” Jones.
Following a plea by Olaf Tveitmoe, San Francisco labor leader, the convention voted $500 dollars for the defense of Schmidt and Caplan, alleged murderers of the 21 employes of the Los Angeles Times’ explosion in 1910.
A discussion of resolutions that have been offered is the order of business for tomorrow.
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From El Paso Herald of August 10, 1916:
LABOR GAIN IN ARIZONA LARGE
—–
Federation Delegates at Tucson Liberally Entertained;
Discuss McNamara case.
—–Tucson, Ariz, Aug. 10-The membership of the State Federation of Labor is being given large entertainment, has been welcomed by the governor and other public officials, extended a reception, entertained at the university and given a motor car ride to San Xavier Mission…..
“Mother” Jones also is here and will remain in Arizona during the campaign, sent by the Western Federation to visit camps and to say a good word for governor Hunt, she says.
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From The Copper Era and Morenci Leader of August 11, 1916:
TVEITMOE BEGS AID OF ARIZONA LABOR
—–
Olaf Tveitmoe, one of the figures in the dynamiting trials around whom the prosecution raged fiercest, and who was convicted and sentenced to six years at Leavenworth, but who was afterwards discharged by the United States; court of appeals, came to Tucson from San Francisco and appealed to the convention of the Arizona State Federation of Labor this morning for money to assist in defraying the bills and the future costs for the defense of Schmidt and Caplan, alleged participants in the dynamiting of the Times building. Judging from the applause accorded the distinguished union leader, his mission will be successful…
Mother Jones Speaks
Mother Jones, one of the most widely known members of the Western Federation of Miners and a prominent worker wherever labor is concerned took the convention floor late this afternoon and entertained the audience with her recital of numerous arrests and other conflicts with the police in which she has figured.
In explaining the reason for her appearance in this state Mother Jones said, that the Western Federa-[tion had sent her to Ari?]-zona to “look over” the several mining camps, and “incidentally” to say a few words in support of the candidacy of G. W. P. Hunt for governor…
From El Paso Herald of August 14, 1916:
“MOTHER” JONES, FAMOUS LABOR ADVOCATE, COMING
“Mother” Jones, famous through the country as a strike organizer, will arrive in the city Wednesday afternoon from Tucson, where she attended the Arizona labor federation convention, according to a telegram received by secretary W. E. Lunsford, of the Street Railway employes’ union, Sunday afternoon. A mass meeting of sympathizers and strikers of the railway company will be held Wednesday night at Cleveland square, at which speeches will be made by “Mother” Jones, and several local union men, “Mother” Jones was a prominent figure in the Colorado mine strike two years ago.
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From El Paso Herald of August 15, 1916:
“MOTHER” JONES TO SPEAK IN CLEVELAND
SQUARE WED. NIGHT“Mother” Jones, the labor speaker, will arrive here Wednesday morning and will speak in Cleveland Square Wednesday evening at eight o’clock on labor matters.
“Mother” Jones will come here from Arizona, where she has been attending the State Federation at Tucson.
Preceding her talk the union band will give a concert from seven to eight o’clock in the square.
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From El Paso Herald of August 16, 1916:
“MOTHER” JONES ARRIVES TO SPEAK
IN CLEVELAND SQUARE“Mother” Jones will speak this evening in Cleveland square and will discuss local and national labor conditions. She arrived Wednesday afternoon from Bisbee, having been in Arizona to attend the State Federation of Labor meeting.
Ponder Carter will also make a speech at the meeting to be held in Cleveland square and A. W. Grow, who will accompany “Mother” Jones
here, will also speak. W. J. Moran will preside at the meeting.A union band will play from 7 until 8 o’clock when speaking will start.
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Hellraisers Journal of August 22nd republished an article from El Paso Herald of August 17th which reported on the speech given by Mother Jones on the evening of Wednesday, August 16, 1916.
From El Paso Herald of August 19, 1916:
“MOTHER” JONES TO SPEAK IN
CLEVELAND SQUARE TONIGHT
“Mother” Jones will speak in Cleveland square this evening in the interest of the El Paso labor situation.
Preceding the speaking the union band will play a concert from 6:30 to 7:30 and the union leaders have invited the public, especially the business men of the city, to hear the lecture of the aged labor speaker.
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Hellraisers Journal of August 23rd republished an article from El Paso Herald of August 21st which reported on the speech given by Mother Jones on the evening of Saturday, August 19, 1916.
From the Phoenix Arizona Republican of August 21, 1916:
MOTHER JONES IS HERE
Mother Jones arrived in the city last night and will address a meeting at the City Hall plaza tonight at eight o’clock. She will speak on the subject of “Organization.”
From The Arizona Republican of August 22, 1916:
MOTHER JONES TALKS TO LARGE AUDIENCE
—–
Her Stormy Career Described; Urges Organization;
Boosts Hunt and Anathematizes Journal
—–Mother Jones must have felt gratification when she looked down upon the crowd that assembled at the city hall plaza last night. She had an audience of fully 2,500 and that is something of a crowd for Phoenix to turn out on a Monday night in mid-summer. It was a rather attentive crowd and sufficiently sympathetic and enthusiastic…
From The Arizona Republican of August 23, 1916:
MOTHER JONES LEAVES-Mother Jones, the aged worker in behalf of organized labor who addressed a large audience in front of the city hall Monday night, left Phoenix last night for Prescott, where she will stop a few days and rest up. The heat in Phoenix was a little too strenuous for one of her age. It is not known whether or not she will speak in Prescott.
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SOURCES
The Bisbee Daily Review
(Bisbee, Arizona)
-Aug 09, 1916
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024827/1916-08-09/ed-1/seq-5/
El Paso Herald
(El Paso, Texas)
-Aug 10, 1916
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88084272/1916-08-10/ed-1/seq-8/
-Aug 14, 1916
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88084272/1916-08-14/ed-1/seq-2/
-Aug 15, 1916
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88084272/1916-08-15/ed-1/seq-4
-Aug 16, 1916
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88084272/1916-08-16/ed-1/seq-9/
-Aug 19, 1916
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88084272/1916-08-19/ed-1/seq-9/
The Copper Era and Morenci Leader
(Clifton, Arizona)
-Aug 11, 1916
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn94050892/1916-08-11/ed-1/seq-2/
The Arizona Republican
(Phoenix, Arizona)
-Aug 21, 1916
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020558/1916-08-21/ed-1/seq-5/
-Aug 22, 1916
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020558/1916-08-22/ed-1/seq-2/
-Aug 23, 1916
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020558/1916-08-23/ed-1/seq-6/
Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Speaks to Striking Street Car Workers in El Paso, Texas
https://weneverforget.org/hellraisers-journal-mother-jones-speaks-to-striking-street-car-workers-in-el-paso-texas/#more-548
Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Speaks in El Paso, Texas: “Eats More Fire, Calls Spade a Spade and Swears.”
https://weneverforget.org/hellraisers-journal-mother-jones-speaks-in-el-paso-texas-eats-more-fire-calls-spade-a-spade-and-swears/
IMAGE
Mother Jones, Stormy Petrel Poster, Graham Guardian AZ, Sept 1, 1916
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn95060914/1916-09-01/ed-1/seq-4/
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