———-
Hellraisers Journal – Saturday March 9, 1901
Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1901, Part I
Found Speaking in Cleveland, Ohio, at Labor Lyceum Meeting
From The Cleveland Leader of February 11, 1901:
SOCIALISTS AND SINGLE-TAXERS CLASH
———-
They Talk Sharply at the Labor
Lyceum Meeting.
—–“MOTHER” JONES PRESENT.
—–
She Starts the Ball Rolling by a Talk Favoring Socialism…
—–
The Socialists and the Single Taxers crossed swords yesterday afternoon at the meeting of the Labor Lyceum. Mrs. Jones, of Chicago, who took a hand in the coal miners’ strike last summer and became known a “Mother” Jones, was at the meeting and told how she helped settle the great strike and incidentally espoused the cause of Socialism. This did not suit the Single Taxers. They did not propose to see their pet theory trampled in the dust, just on the eve of a campaign in which an apostle of the single tax idea is to play a leading part.
After “Mother” Jones had spoken for nearly an hour, James Vining took the floor and said that while he did not think that the Socialists were on the right track, he
SYMPATHIZED WITH THEM
for the reason that they were working for the cause of humanity……
“Mother” Jones spoke at length about the coal strike, and among other things declared that men were not brave and had acted the part of cowards during that struggle.
[She said;]
It takes courage to win a fight like that and I was disgusted at the cowardice of the men. I never knew what fear was. Why, I remember one time when I said I would conduct a meeting, some of the leaders of the strike warned me that violence would be used against me. I said I wasn’t afraid and proceeded. The afternoon preceding the meeting I was told that the mine bosses were intending to
SET DOGS ON ME.
That proved to be true, but I was prepared. I bought a pound of meat and cut it into small chunks. Every time I saw a dog approaching I threw a piece of meat at him, and he picked up the meat and ran away. By the time I commenced to speak the only dog present was one mining boss.
After the meeting, in an interview with a Leader reporter, Mrs. Jones said:
The miners are much better off than they were before the strike. They are earning more money, and don’t have to pay so much for powder.
They, moreover, have the privilege of buying their provisions where they choose. What is of more value than all this, however, is the fact that those unfortunates have been awakened to the fact that their souls are their own, and that they are not slaves.
They have learned that it lies in their power to better their conditions if they will only do so. Their condition is still pitiable, but I think that from now on their course will be upwards instead of sinking into deeper degradation.
Mrs. Jones left last evening for Scranton, Pa., where she has been taking a hand in the strike of the factory girls.
———-
[Photograph added.]
From the Philadelphia Times of February 13, 1901:
Special Telegram to THE TIMES.
SCRANTON, February 12.
The fact that “Mother” Jones, the woman who was so prominent during the great anthracite strike last fall, is coming here to help the striking silk mill girls, has served to give a new impetus to the young women and their supporters. To-day everything was quiet here, but underneath the surface could be seen a suppressed excitement and “Mother” Jones’ arrival is very anxiously awaited.
Her coming means much to the girls, for “Mother” Jones is a leader, and there is no more popular woman hereabouts than she is. It was expected that she would arrive in time to attend the meeting held to-night in St. John’s Hall by the girls employed in the Klotz mill.
The strikers’ ranks were augmented to-day by the news from Pittston that the three hundred employes of the silk mill in that place had gone out in sympathy with the Scranton strikers, confirming the exclusive announcement made in THE TIMES yesterday morning that the sympathy movement would be worked in the mills down the valley.
It was also asserted that the West Pittston mill would probably go out to-morrow, or, at the farthest, in a couple of days, while the Avoca mill is also expected to shut down.
The strikers, while not looking for any concessions from the mill owners, are hopeful that some concessions will he made within a week or two, but have nothing definite on which to base their conclusion, and the theory is not given general credence.
The strikers contend that the mill owners will have to come to time soon, as every day the mills are idle means an enormous loss to them, and for their own protection they will not let it last much longer. If a proposition is not forthcoming from the management before very long it is the intention of the strikers to bring all the influence they can bear on the local stockholders, and in that way bring the struggle to an end, pursuing the same tactics that were used so successfully in settling the recent street car strike.
This afternoon the Harvey silk mill girls to the number of six hundred attended a meeting held in Carpenter’s Hull, at which addresses were made by various of the leaders.
—————
From the Philadelphia Times of February 14, 1901:
Special Telegram to The Times.
Scranton, February 13.
“Mother” Jones did not arrive in the city to-day, contrary to expectations, but her presence is expected at almost any time, and the strikers are anxiously looking forward to the time when they will have her counsels and good advice.
While not admitting that the noted leader had been summoned to visit the city, they will not deny that she is coming here, and that she will assist them. One of the local papers to-night confirms the exclusive story published in The Times this morning to the effect that the woman would be here.
There is no sign of a break to-night, and several enthusiastic meetings of the girls from the various mills were held at different places this afternoon. There are no new developments in the strike, although the girls are feeling very good over the fact that they have won their first battle in preventing the manufacturers from having what raw material they had on hand woven at outside mills, and in that manner saving themselves from any material loss in having the mills shut down.
The management of the Saquoit mill shipped the raw silk they had on hand to the Sterling Silk Company, in Pittston, for the purpose of having it woven. The weavers at the latter mill discovered the tags on the silk and once communicated the fact to the Scranton strikers, and then went on strike themselves.
Organizer Martin D. Flaherty, of the American Federation of Labor, to-night received a telegram from Thomas F. Maher, national president of the Textile Workers of America, announcing that the Scranton strike would be considered at the meeting of the United Silk Weavers of America to be held in Paterson, N. J., to-night. Mr. Maher also stated that he would do all in his power to aid the strikers. It is not at all improbable that he will come here and take a hand in the strike himself before the week is out.
All the responsibility of continuing the strike now rests on Manager Davis, of the Saquoit mill, according to the mill workers. They say that they would not be over a day in coming to a compromise with the management of the other seven mills if he would consent to compromise, but this he has absolutely refused to do, and they are powerless to force him into a settlement.
———-
From the Appeal to Reason of February 9, 1901:
———-
Pennsylvania newspapers are almost a unit in predicting another great strike in the anthracite coal fields in April. One paper says some of the operators are openly violating the agreement entered into in October, and that all the operators have made it plain that they will fight. It is thought that when the struggle comes that the bituminous miners will also be called out, and that fully 250,000 men will be involved. The miners are well organized, with the exception of about 30,000 in West Virginia, who have resisted all efforts to bring them into the union. “Mother” Jones will soon invade the state to try to accomplish what the male organizers have failed in doing so far.
———-
Note: Emphasis added throughout.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOURCES & IMAGES
Quote Mother Jones, Hzltn Pln Spkr p4, Nov 15, 1900
https://www.newspapers.com/image/98099248/
The Cleveland Leader
(Cleveland, Ohio)
-Feb 11, 1901, page 10
https://www.genealogybank.com/
The Times
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
-Feb 13, 1901
https://www.newspapers.com/image/53400961/
-Feb 14, 1901
https://www.newspapers.com/image/53400973/
Appeal to Reason
(Girard, Kansas)
-Feb 9, 1901
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/appeal-to-reason/010209-appealtoreason-w271.pdf
IMAGE
Mother Jones, at Her Lecture Stand, Phl Iq p1, Sept 24, 1900
https://www.newspapers.com/image/167226270/
See also:
Georgism (Single Tax Movement)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgism
Tag: Great Anthracite Strike of 1900
https://weneverforget.org/tag/great-anthracite-strike-of-1900/
Tag: Pennsylvania Silk Mill Workers Strikes of 1901
https://weneverforget.org/tag/pennsylvania-silk-mill-workers-strikes-of-1901/
Hellraisers Journal – Friday February 15, 1901
Scranton, Pennsylvania – Mother Jones Coming to Help Striking Silk Mill Girls
Hellraisers Journal – Saturday February 16, 1901
Scranton, Pennsylvania – Striking Silk Mill Girls Await Mother Jones
Hellraisers Journal – Monday February 11, 1901
Mother Jones News Round-Up for January 1901, Part I
Found in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Indianapolis, Indiana
Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday February 12, 1901
Mother Jones News Round-Up for January 1901, Part II
Found Speaking in Indianapolis at Mine Workers’ Convention
Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday February 13, 1901
Mother Jones News Round-Up for January 1901, Part III
Found Speaking in Indianapolis on Evils of Child Labor in Pennsylvania
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We Have Fed You All For A Thousand Years