There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
Thursday July 6, 1916
Mother Jones Defamed by Newspaper of Clifton, Arizona
The Copper Era of Clifton, Arizona, took on both Mother Jones and Charles Moyer, President of the Western Federation of Miners, in a pair of articles published on June 2nd of this year. It is doubtful that the opinion of the kept press regarding Moyer’s supposed radicalism will weigh into the miners decision one way or the other when they gather at their convention later this month.
The Copper Era took note of the fact that Mother Jones came to Arizona to lend her support to Governor Hunt, friend of the copper miners, and that she is also a close associate of Charles Moyer, and has been for a very long time. In a long article, that newspaper revived the old charges made against Mother in 1904 by the scandal-sheet, Polly Pry. Those charges were then read into the Congressional Record in June of 1914 by Congressman Kindel of Colorado. The goal is to defame Mother Jones in eyes of working people-a waste of ink, as that tactic has been tried before and has never succeeded.
From The Copper Era of June 2, 1916:
GLOBE LABOR MEN ARE
AFTER MOYER
—–
Holds Meeting and Gives Endorsement to George Powell
for President of the Western Federation of Miners.
—–With the Globe Labor council after the scalp of Charles Mover and “Mother” Jones touring Arizona in defense of Moyer, the outlook is that inharmony may be featured in union ranks during the next few months. Moyer, it must be understood stands for about everything vicious in the ranks of unionism; he believes in strikes and he believes in boycott which has brought so many failures and troubles to the laboring men in the country in the past. Moyer will have whatever advantage the support of Gov. Hunt may mean in the labor scrap in the state, and with the booking of both “Mother” Jones and the governor the chances for Moyer over the Globe council seems to be pretty good, though such a result would be most unfortunate for the cause of labor. Following are the resolutions passed at Globe by the labor council:
“Whereas, the administration of Charles Moyer, the present president of the Western Federation of Miners, has reduced the membership of the said miner organization from 60,000 in 1907 to about 15,000 in 1915, and
“Whereas, the said Charles Moyer, has made an unscrupulous attack on Geo. Powell in the Miners’ Magazine of May 4, and
“Whereas, the said charges against Geo. Powell are not supported by facts and contrary to truth, and
“Whereas, fourteen (14) locals, of the Western Federation of Miners have endorsed the nomination of Geo. Powell, without any solicitation on his part, and
“Whereas, the said Geo. Powell is engaged as timberman at the Inspiration mine, and is not holding any office of pay, in any union, and
“Whereas, the efforts and ability displayed by the said Geo. Powell has enabled the workers of Arizona to enjoy greater liberty and more substantial returns from their labor, therefore,
“Be it resolved by the Globe Central Labor Council in regular session May 22, 1916, that we do hereby endorse the candidacy of Brother Geo. Powell for the office of president of the Western Federation of Miners and be it further
“Resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be spread upon our minutes and copies be given to the press of the district for publication; also copies forwarded to the Miners Magazine and the Arizona Labor Journal; copies sent to President Chas. H. Moyer and Brother George Powell.
“M. C. SCHALM, President,
“G. FRANK H. SENDERLING,
“Secretary.”—–
From The Copper Era of June 2, 1916:
“MOTHER” JONES; MOTHER OF TROUBLE
—–Does the visit of “Mother Jones” in Arizona portend a renewal of labor trouble in Arizona? According to her own admissions her residence is “wherever there is trouble.” The history of her activities not only bears out this assertion but shows that often where there was no trouble, she endeavored to establish her residence by creating trouble, in fact, the endearing name by which she is known- “mother,” could be justly applied to her only as the mother of trouble.
During her brief stay in Phoenix as a reward for declaring Gov. Hunt to be the greatest governor that the country has ever produced, the latter sent her a handsome bouquet to her hotel. The congressional record of June 13, 1914, contains a biographical sketch of this woman, who proclaims the greatness of her ideal governor, and whose chief delight is trouble, which if true, will give a glimpse of the real inner life of the person who has been christened with the sacred name of “mother,” and which if not true, the Gazette will give her an opportunity to refute. It is taken from the third page of the record of the above date and reads:
“POLLY PRY”
A Journal of Comment and Criticism(Denver, Colo., Saturday, Jan. 2, 1904, Vol. I, No. 18)At Coliseum Hall, Sunday night, January 3, 8 p.m., a mass meeting of union labor people and their sympathizers.
J. Warner Mills, presiding.
Judge Frank Owners, J. O. Morris, O’Neil, Sullivan, Haywood, Moyer, “Mother” Jones, speakers.
That is the announcement which is expected to crowd the big hall to suffocation. The real attraction is “Mother” Jones, national labor agitator, about whom is curious, the story may be of interest:
Mary Harris, born in Cork, Ireland, 60 years ago, of respectable parentage and good antecedents.
Brought to New England at an early age. People settled in Maine. Educated in common school. Taught at country school for several years.
Married a prosperous farmer, and when widowed immediately allied herself with a labor movement, then attracting attention in the East, claiming, that, she wanted to elevate the laboring classes, and socially.
Began to associate with labor leaders and reformers at the time of the A. R. in 1894.Since then has kept pretty busy stirring things up. Has bad a record for never advocating peace, nor arbitration; but always for strife and war.
Was particularly prominent in the strike’ of 1895, miners’ strike of 1897, central Pennsylvania strike of 1899 and 1900, the coal strike of last year in the anthracite district in Pennsylvania, and textile strike in Philadelphia.
During the latter strike she placed herself at the head of 100 men, women and children, and started with them on a march to Oyster Bay to interview President Roosevelt and demand his intervention in behalf of the strikers. She held daily meetings along the route, soliciting subscriptions for the maintenance of her party, and finally landed at Oyster Bay with a handful of her followers-but she did not see the President and the expedition ended there.
That is the record, so far as the labor movement is concerned, of the woman known from Maine to California as “Mother” Jones, labor agitator and leader-“Mother” Jones, who is always to the front when there is strife, with her battle cry of “We’d rather fight than work”; “Mother” Jones, who gets $5 per day and expenses so long as there is trouble brewing, who since 1900 has received a salary from the mine workers’ organization, and who is said to be worth any five men as an agitator.
But down in the “Pinkerton” office there is another record, one that reaches back to 1889, when “Mother” Jones was a well-know-character, not alone in the “red-light” district of Denver, but in Omaha, Kansas City, Chicago, and far-off San Francisco.
That record covers many pages, but a few of the facts are all that are necessary to show you the character of this petticoated reformer. They say of her:
“Vulgar, heartless, vicious creature, with a fiery temper and a coldblooded brutality rare even in the slums.”
“An inmate of ‘Jennie Rogers’s’ house on Market street, Denver, some 12 years ago. She got into, trouble with the Rogers woman for bribing all of her girls to leave her and go to a house in Omaha, for which act she was, paid a procuress’s fee of $5 to $10 apiece,for the girls.”
“She was a confidential servant in Rose Lovejoy’s house on Market street, Denver, and with her several years.
“Was well known to Annie Wilson, another Denver woman, who ran a place on Market street, afterwards had a place in Cripple Creek, and now lives in Kansas City.”
“Known to Lolo Livingston, with whom she went to San Francisco.”
“Lived in Eva Lewis’ house on Market street at the time Coxey’s army passed through here, and took a prominent part in the Denver preparations for their cars.”
“Is known to Harry Loss, a piano player at 1925 Market street, who says he knew her first in Omaha in 1894, when she lived in a house at Tenth and Douglas, he was then selling clothes to the girls.”
“A sewing woman for the sporting class, living on Lawrence street (name withheld,) knew her 12 or 15 years ago, when she lived with Minnie Hall, and afterwards with Jennie Rogers; says it was commonly reported that she was a procuress by trade,” etc.
“Polly PRY”
A Journal of Comments and Criticism(Denver, Colo., Saturday, January 9, [1904],
Volume 1, No. 18, page 4.)“Mother” Jones didn’t appear at the Coliseum hall mass meeting last Sunday night. Neither did she formally launch the new political party for which she stands sponsor. All to the great disappointment of the crowd that had gathered to see her.
She came to Denver early last Sunday morning from Trinidad, with the avowed intention of making one of her speeches at the meeting. She went to the Oxford, got some Denver papers, and suddenly became indisposed-at least, that is the story she gave out.
And now “Mother” Jones has disappeared-utterly vanished from Colorado. She left the Oxford early Monday morning, and since that time not a trace can be found of her. They say that she is not in Trinidad nor Telluride; neither can she be found in the northern fields nor at Cripple Creek; or, if she is, her usual haunts know her no more.
However, “Mother” Jones always was a changeable being, ever since she was known as “Mother” Harris, in May, 1899 when she leased the house then standing on what is now 2114 Market street, between Twenty-first and Twenty-second streets.
She refurnished it from top to bottom and soon opened it as a “house” afterwards became one of the most notorious in the city.
Had seven inmates, who were known as the “best looking girls on the row.” For several months took great pride in the character of her house and the class that patronized it. At that (time) it was the most exclusive “house” on Market street.
Made a specialty of midnight lunches and social card games, at which unlimited gambling was indulged in.
Catered entirely to the “gang” then to control of the city, county political machines; and a few wealthy mining men.
Four months after opening the house had over $15,000 on deposit in city banks.
Had a “friend” at that time called “blackleg.”
He deserted her in September, and went to New Mexico with an inmate of the house. After that “mother” went to the bad.
Took to drink and was arrested several times on the charge of drunkenness and disorderly conduct. Left her “house”” to manage itself, and in a short time it became one of the typical dives of Market street.
By November 15 she had spent the $15,000 she had on deposit in the bank only a few months before and borrowed $2500 from H. S. Engel, a loan broker, giving a chattel mortgage on the furniture in the “house.”
On December 20, 1889, the mortgage was foreclosed, the furniture sold, and the house closed.
“Mother” Jones then became an inmate of the “Minnie Hall house.” Then came the record as I told it last week.
And this is the woman the wives and children of the deluded call “mother.”
Interesting, isn’t it?
—–
On June 12, 1916 Mother Jones wrote from Los Angeles to Governor Hunt in Phoenix, thanking him for his kind treatment while she was a visitor in his state:
I have no words to express to you my deep appreciation for the kindly treatment I received from you. It was so foreign to the treatment I get as a rule from Governor’s of States where I enter to educate the Workers to their own class interests. Generally speaking, the bayonets are sent to receive me. They are usually the flowers that our modern Statesmen send when you go to carry the message of hope the exploited and robbed….
Your administration will live in history when the administrations of Hatfield, Ammons and Peabody, and others of their type will go down in the black pages…
Governor Hunt answered her letter on June 14, 1916:
I need hardly assure you that I deeply appreciate the tribute which you have paid my humble efforts to be an Executive representative of all the people rather than the privileged few. You and my other friends may rest assured that, notwithstanding the repeated onslaughts of a certain corporation coterie in Arizona, my purposes will remain unaltered and my intention to work for the best interest of the great majority will be steadfast.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOURCE
The Copper Era And Morenci Leader
(Clifton, Arizona)
-June 2, 1916
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn94050892/1916-06-02/ed-1/seq-6/
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn94050892/1916-06-02/ed-1/seq-8/
Mother Jones, The Miners’ Angel
-by Dale Fetherling
So IL U Press, 1974
The Correspondence of Mother Jones
-ed by Edward M. Steel
University of Pittsburgh Press, 1985
https://books.google.com/books?id=EZ2xAAAAIAAJ
IMAGE
Mother Jones, UMWJ, Feb 10, 1916
https://books.google.com/books/reader?id=NQpQAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&source=gbs_atb&pg=GBS.RA11-PA1
See also:
See Fetherling for more on the 1904 attack by Polly Pry-
https://books.google.com/books?id=Sf7uyRYxePIC&pg=PA135&dq=polly+pry+published+a+two-page+article&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi5rar4rOrNAhXGTCYKHbiTDcMQ6AEIJzAA#v=onepage&q=polly%20pry%20published%20a%20two-page%20article&f=false
For the reading of the Polly Pry attack into the Congressional Record of June 13, 1914 (less than two months after the Ludlow Massacre) by Rep. Kindel of Colorado, see:
https://books.google.com/books/reader?id=Tjo4AQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&source=gbs_atb&pg=GBS.PA638
Note: Charles Moyer was indeed re-elected as President of the WFM at the Convention which took place in Great Falls, Montana from July 17-29, 1916.
https://books.google.com/books/reader?id=AdRJAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&source=gbs_atb&pg=GBS.RA2-PA73