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Hellraisers Journal, Sunday February 25, 1917
From The Northwest Worker: Henry Dubb Takes a Stroll
Tag: Child Labor
Hellraisers Journal: Death in the Mines, “The Disgrace of West Virginia,” where “Catastrophe Follows Catastrophe.”
“Dagos are cheaper than props.”
-Mother Jone Quoting a Mine Manager
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Hellraisers Journal, Thursday February 21, 1907
West Virginia Coal Mines: “Catastrophe Follows Catastrophe”
From Indiana’s Evansville Press:
Amazing Death List in West Virginia Coal
Mines Forces Sensational Inquiry
—–
Astounding revelations of the cheapness with which human life is held in the coal mining regions of the little state of West Virginia are here given to the world for the first time.
Catastrophe follows catastrophe, lives by the hundreds are snuffed out from year to year, man’s greed overshadows his sense of the value of his brother’s life and the frightful, pitiful conditions continue to exist unchanged. Here is the situation in West Virginia:
One hundred and twenty four dead in three accidents in the last seven weeks. Thirty more killed in single accidents.
In 1906 more than 250 men killed in mine accidents.
In the last six years 2563 killed or injured. In the last 10 years 1275 killed.
WHY WEST VIRGINIA IS A
STATE OF HORROR.Unenforced laws, corporation disregard of the sacredness of human life, official indifference, inspection which does not inspect, inefficient laws.
There are 740 mines, and only one third of them are inspected every year. There are 55,000 miners. To safeguard them only $15,000 is spent every year by the state.
GRINDING EXISTENCE OF A
WEST VIRGINIA MINER.Low wages, long hours and prohibition against even discussing unionism and better conditions.
Children compelled to work at an early age.
Compelled to live in company houses, rent company furniture and buy groceries from the mine company.
Then death-sudden, terrible-a prospect.
Shabby, forgotten-maybe unknown graves-on the hillside.
Hundreds of widows and orphans mourning in the midst of privation.
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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Expects to Die Fighting “in the trenches, with my boys, facing the machine guns.”
My whole life has been spent
on the economic field
fighting the battles of the workers,
and it will close there.
-Mother Jones
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Hellraisers Journal, Monday January 22, 1917
From The New York Call: Letter to the Editor of the Forum
The following letter from Mother Jones was published yesterday in the Forum section of The New York Call:
Indianapolis, Indiana
Editor of the Forum:
My attention was called to an article that appeared on December 9 [17th] in the New York Call, written by one Edward Meyer. It seems that he had a spasm and called for house cleaning in the Socialist party. His criticism was entirely misleading. He said that while languishing in the prison cells I had asked the Socialists to secure my liberty. I have never in my life asked the Socialists for any personal favor, and I have never received any that I know of.
He further said that I solicited votes for Woodrow Wilson. That is not true. I made some speeches in Indiana coal camps for Senator Kern. I would do it again, if every one in the United States stood against me. In my opinion he is one of the truest and noblest of men within the walls of the nation. I did incidentally pay my respects to President Wilson for leaving the White House and going down to the Senate and notifying the committee that they could not adjourn until the clild labor bill was passed. I would do that again and apologize to no man.
The child of today is the future citizen of tomorrow; and any man, whether he be president or otherwise, who considers the welfare of the child against dollars will receive my indorsement to the end.
Hellraisers Journal: From the Duluth Labor World: Mother Jones on the Iniquities of Child Labor in the South
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Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday December 19, 1906
From The Labor World: Young Lives Ground Up for Profit
Mother Jones has never forgotten the cruelty of Child Labor since the summer of 1903 when she led the mill children of Philadelphia on a march to Oyster Bay. They made the long trek in the summer heat in order that they might tell President Roosevelt about the hardships of their lives spent at work instead of in school. The President refused to meet with the children and Mother takes a few jabs at the “Great Prosperity” President in the following article on the subject of Child Labor in the American South.
BABY WAGE-EARNERS IN
SOUTHERN MILLS
—–“Mother” Jones Writes Stirring
Article on Iniquities of
Child Labor in South.
—–
Cotton Mills Produce a Type of
Children Easily Recognized
As Most Puny.
—–(By “Mother” Jones.)
After thirteen years of absence I returned to see what improvements had been made in the industrial conditions of the mill workers of the sunny south.
I found that there had been marvelous progress made as far as the mills and machinery were concerned. Looking at the advancement in that line, one would think that the day of rest for the workers must be near. Instead of bringing rest and leisure to the workers, however, this perfected machinery brings only a more merciless exploitation than was ever practiced before. With the advancement in machinery has come a corresponding advance in the methods of exploitation. That is all the difference the improvements have made upon the workers.
I stood one morning in the early dawn and I watched the slaves as they entered the pen of capitalism. I could see the shadows of the slaves passing along in the brush to the mill at twenty minutes to six in the morning. Children, roused from the heavy sleep of youth, left their beds reluctantly and entered the institution of capitalism to create wealth for others to enjoy.
Hellraisers Journal: Biography of William D. Haywood, Socialist Candidate for Governor of Colorado
Gabbertized capital must die that
a free people may live!
-Big Bill Haywood
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Hellraisers Journal, Saturday September 22, 1906
From the Appeal to Reason: Bill Haywood, A Man of the Masses
From today’s edition of the Appeal to Reason, we find the story of the life of William D. Haywood, candidate of the Socialist Party of Colorado for the office of governor of that state. Comrade Haywood, Secretary-Treasure of the Western Federation of Miners, received his party’s nomination for governor despite being a prisoner in the Ada County Jail of Boise, Idaho.
Written for the APPEAL TO REASON
BY WALTER HURT.
—–
WILLIAM D. HAYWOOD,
Candidate for Governor.
William D. Haywood, Socialist candidate for governor of Colorado, comes rightfully by his revolutionary spirit; for it is a fact, although one to which, being a modest man, he seldom and reluctantly refers, that he is directly descended from a gallant Continental rebel. But the pride of such ancestry, instead of making of him an arrogant snobocrat, as is the case in too many instances, imbues him with the idea that he can best honor his liberty-loving forbear by being an uncompromising democrat in the fundamental meaning of the term.
Comrade Haywood was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Feb. 4, 1869, and to him belongs the unique distinction of being the first Gentile male child born within the borders of Zion.
From his earliest days Haywood was dedicated to the mining craft. His first job, when he was nine years old, was with his step-father on the Russian (!) Mine, Ophir, Utah, as tool-nipper and roustabout.
Hellraisers Journal: “Educate and Agitate!” Mother Jones Speaks at Labor Day Picnic in Evansville, Indiana
The miners need no angel.
They are living in hell
and they want to raise hell.
-Mother Jones
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Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday September 6, 1916
Evansville, Indiana – Labor Day Speech of Mother Jones
From the Evansville Courier of September 5, 1916:
WILSON AND KERN LABOR’S FRIENDS
—–
Mother Jones Tells 10,000, Gathered for Labor Day,
Their Duty to Re-elect Them
—–
HAVE PROVED THEIR WORTH
—–
“Educate and Agitate” Is Her Remedy to Bring About
Further Social Reforms
—–
Tells of Her Work in West Virginia and Colorado
in Behalf of Miners
—–
Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: “Educate and Agitate!” Mother Jones Speaks at Labor Day Picnic in Evansville, Indiana”
Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones in Evansville, Indiana, for Labor Day Celebration, Comes Out for Wilson
When there’s a fight on, I go.
-Mother Jones
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Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday September 5, 1916
Evansville, Indiana – Two Interviews with Mother Jones
The people of Evansville were fortunate enough to enjoy the presence of Mother Jones at their Labor Day celebration yesterday. While in Evansville, Mother was interviewed by two of the town’s newspapers-which interviews we are pleased to offer in full.
From the Evansville Press of September 4, 1916:
MOTHER JONES DEMANDS 6-HOUR DAY;
WANTS WILSON
—–Eight-hour day! Huh!
Mother Jones, in Evansville Monday to speak at the Labor day picnic, thinks that six hours a day is enough.
(White-haired, she has, at 86, a complexion 16 might envy-rose and snow she is!)
Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones in Evansville, Indiana, for Labor Day Celebration, Comes Out for Wilson”
Hellraisers Journal: From the International Socialist Review: George E Winkler Asks, “How Much Longer”
“Of such is the kingdom of Heaven,”
said the great teacher.
Well, if Heaven is full of undersized,
round shouldered, hollow-eyed,
listless, sleepy little angel children,
I want to go to the other place
with the bad little boys and girls.
-Mother Jones
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Hellraisers Journal, Saturday August 11,1906
From the International Socialist Review: “How Much Longer?”
From this month’s edition of the Review:
Hellraisers Journal: From Solidarity: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn on “Problems Organizing Women,” Part II
No matter what your fight, don’t be ladylike!
God Almighty made women and
the Rockefeller gang of thieves made the ladies.
-Mother Jones
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Saturday July 22, 1916
From Solidarity: Women Can Fight, Says Miss Flynn
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, organizer for the Industrial Workers of the World who recently arrived in northern Minnesota to assist with the strike of the iron miners of the Mesabi Range, on July 15th had published in that organization’s weekly journal, Solidarity, an article on the problems of organizing women. Miss Flynn encourages working women to rebel against the limits enforced against them by the prevailing attitudes which dictate that women should be “lady-like” and stick to tending home and children. Yesterday Hellraisers Journal offered part one of the article; today we conclude with part two.
Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From Solidarity: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn on “Problems Organizing Women,” Part II”
Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones in Atlanta, Georgia, Where Legislation on Child Labor Is Pending, Gives Interview
You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
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Tuesday July 18, 1916
Atlanta, Georgia – Mother Jones in City for Short Stay
From The Atlanta Constitution of July 12, 1916:
Mother Jones, Laborers’ Friend,
Confers With Local Leaders
—–
Picturesque Character Here on
Flying Visit-
Is Her Visit Inspired by Pending
Legislation Before General Assembly?
-She Will Not Answer.
—–Mother Jones, known internationally for her defense of organized labor and for agitation for improved labor conditions generally, arrived in Atlanta early yesterday afternoon, direct from Washington, D. C., on a mission, the precise nature of which she declines to reveal. She is scheduled to leave the city this afternoon.
At the train Mother Jones was met by a delegation of union labor friends, headed by Jerome Jones, editor of The Atlanta Journal of Labor, and was taken at once to the Ansley hotel, where she is a guest. During the afternoon she visited the federal penitentiary.
