Tag: Colorado Justice

Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs for the Appeal to Reason: “Roosevelt’s Labor Letters”

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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If Moyer and Haywood die!
If Moyer and Haywood die!
Twenty million working men
Will know the reason why!
-Protest Chant

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday May 19, 1907
From the Appeal to Reason: Debs Questions President Roosevelt

Roosevelt’s Labor Letters
—–

Eugene V. Debs
—–

Kidnappers Special by BBH, detail, AtR, May 19, 1906

The letter of President Roosevelt to the Moyer and Haywood conference of New York is in strange contrast with the one previously addressed by him to the Chicago conference on the same subject. The two letters are so entirely dissimilar in spirit and temper that they seem to have been written by different persons. In the first the President bristles with defiance, in the last he is the pink of politeness. The first letter utterly failed of its purpose. Organized labor did not lie down and be still at the command of the President. On the contrary, it growled more fiercely than before in fact, showed its teeth to the President, who has become so used to exhibiting his own. And lo-what a change! The President receives a labor committee, talks over matters for an hour and then addresses a letter to the conference through the chairman, beginning “My Dear Mr. Henry,” explaining that he is ready to perform his duty if only the conference will point it out to him, and putting the whole blame on “Debs and the Socialists,” whom he charges with using “treasonable and murderous language,” but not a word of explanation does he vouchsafe in regard to his denunciation of Moyer and Haywood, the real, and in fact the only, point at issue.

Again has the President vindicated his reputation as one of the smoothest of politicians and one of the most artful and designing of demagogues.

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Hellraisers Journal: The Industrial Union Bulletin on Roosevelt’s Square Dealings with Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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The labor giant has slept long,
but is now awakening.
-Eugene Victor Debs

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday April 14, 1907
From The Industrial Union Bulletin: Roosevelt’s “Square Deal”

IUB, Official Publication, IWW, April 13, 1907

The official publication of the Industrial Workers of the World yesterday discussed the remarks of President Roosevelt regarding the citizenship qualities of Comrades Debs, Moyer and Haywood, and included the statement of Bill Haywood, made in response to being termed an “undesirable citizen” by the President of the United States on the eve of his trial.

IS THIS A “SQUARE DEAL”?

HMP, Def Fund, IUB Apr 13, 1907

Nothing has happened in Theodore Roosevelt’s career as president of the United States that so entirely discredits his fitness for that position as the recent reference by him to Debs, Moyer and Haywood, as being “undesirable citizens.” The two latter are soon to appear in court and stand trial for their lives, yet the “chief magistrate” of the nation, oblivious to the ordinary rule that anyone charged with crime is presumed to be innocent until his guilt is proven, has made public an opinion that must be prejudicial to their interests. It is an outrage that ranks with the unlawful acts of the mine owners and McParlands of Colorado. Neither of these men has ever been convicted of any crime, yet their case is prejudged in advance of their appearance in court. It is a shameful and brutal spectacle.

IWW, Gen Sec Trautmann, Ex Brd St J, IUB, Apr 13,1907

The facts are these: The president addressed a letter to Congressman James S. Sherman in which certain matters in dispute between himself and the railway magnate, E. H. Harriman; entirely without warrant and apparently with the sole purpose of creating prejudice against Moyer and Haywood, he denounced the conduct of Harriman in the following terms:

It shows a cynicism and deep-seated corruption which make the man uttering such statements, and boasting, no matter how falsely, of his power to perform such crime, at least as undesirable a citizen as Debs, or Moyer or Haywood.

Fellow-worker Haywood, awaiting his trial in Idaho, gave out the following statement:

 

I do not desire to make an extended statement with regard to President Roosevelt’s reference to me in his letter to Congressman Sherman.

The president says that I am an “undesirable citizen,” the inference being that, as such, I should be put out of the way. His influence is all-powerful, and his statement, coming as it does, on the eve of my trial for my life, will work me irreparable injury, and do more to prevent a fair trial than everything that has been said and done against me in the past.

President Roosevelt is the leading exponent of the doctrine of “fair play and a square deal,” but his reference to me in his letter to Sherman demonstrates that he does not practice what he preaches.

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Hellraisers Journal: Big Bill Haywood Responds to Roosevelt: “His statement ..will work me irreparable injury..”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday April 10, 1907
From Ada County Jail, Idaho: Big Bill Haywood Makes a Statement

Haywood, Wilshire's Magazine, 1906

The following statement by Big Bill Haywood is being widely published and republished by newspapers large and small across the nation:

The President says that I am an “undesirable citizen,” the inference being that, as such, I should be put out of the way. His influence is all-powerful, and his statement, coming as it does on the eve of my trial for life, will work me irreparable injury and do more to prevent a fair trial than everything that has been said and done against me in the past.

From The Brooklyn Daily Eagle of April 8, 1907:

The Roosevelt-Harriman Controversy
and Organized Labor.

Joseph R Buchanan, Labor Agitator, ab/ 1903

Replying to the letter of Edward H. Harriman, which probably the whole world has read by this time, the President said, if correctly reported:

It shows the cynicism and deep-seated corruption which make the man uttering such sentiments, and boasting, no matter how falsely, of his power to perform such crimes, at least as undesirable a citizen as Eugene V. Debs or Moyer or Haywood.

This sentiment furnished the topic of conversation among labor men generally throughout the city during the past few days. In fact, it has been condemned by organized labor in every section of the country. Joseph R. Buchanan, of Big Six, thus expressed himself:

Of course, every one understood that the President’s words were intended as a reflection upon the citizenship qualities of Moyer and Haywood, as well as upon those of Mr. Harriman, and as he has the reputation of always hitting as hard as he can, it is assumed that he could think of none who were such “bad citizens” as the officials of the Western Federation of Miners.

Organized labor of New York has held many meetings of protest against the unjust and unlawful treatment of Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone by the officials of Colorado and Idaho, and has contributed thousands of dollars to the fund raised by union labor all over the United States to defray the expenses of their defense. That they have committed any crime or broken any law of the land has still to be proven.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for January 1907: Found Touring on Behalf of Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday February 14, 1907
Mother Jones News for January: Campaigns for Idaho Prisoners

Mother Jones, Mar 11, 1905, AtR

Mother Jones began the month of January in the city of Chicago where she spoke on behalf of the leaders of the Western Federation of Miners imprisoned in Idaho.

From The Public of January 12, 1907:

NEWS NOTES

— Mother Jones addressed a large meeting in Chicago on the 4th in behalf of the labor leaders of Colorado who are about to be tried in Idaho for the murder of ex-Governor Steunenberg.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for January 1907: Found Touring on Behalf of Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone” →

Hellraisers Journal: Tories, Then & Now, Denounce “Incendiary” Speeches of Patrick Henry and Vincent St John

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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If the plutocrats begin the program,
we will end it.
-Eugene V. Debs

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday February 3, 1907
Goldfield, Nevada – Red Flags, Red Banners, Red Ribbons Rule!

WFM button

The kept press finds itself in a state of supreme outrage in view of the fact that the rabble of the nation are not conducting themselves in a calm and reasonable manner as the authorities of the states of Colorado and Idaho, acting in the interests of the Mine Owners Association, attempt a frame-up on Big Bill Haywood and Charles Moyer, officers of the Western Federation of Miners.

From the Appeal to Reason of February 2, 1907:

KING GEORGE AND CAPITAL
—–
The Words of Vincent St. John Have the
Same Effect on American Tories as
Those of Patrick Henry Had
Upon the British Tories.
—–

Vincent St John, New Castle (PA) Herald, Aug 11, 1906

TO illustrate the attitude invariably assumed by the conservators of the dominant order at various times in the world’s history, I herewith reprint two articles taken from papers published more than a hundred years apart. One refers to the demonstration of the Goldfield miners last Sunday, in behalf of Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone, and is clipped from the Denver Republican; the other describes the scenes in the Virginia House of Burgesses, when Patrick Henry delivered his famous philippie against King George, and is selected from a history in which was copied the article as it was taken from an old English paper. The Denver Republican typically represents the cause of capitalism today; the old english paper typically represented the cause of toryism a century ago.

Read and observe the parallel:

HMP, St John Speech at Goldfield, AtR, Feb 2, 1907

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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Expects to Die Fighting “in the trenches, with my boys, facing the machine guns.”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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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:

Mother Jones, Colorado Military Bastile, March 1914

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.

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Hellraisers Journal: Luella Twining Reports From New York on “Frenzy” of Central Federated Union to Save WFM Officials

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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If that is frenzy, I plead guilty
and I notify the Globe
I shall not soon recover.
-Luella Twining

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday January 13, 1907
From the Appeal to Reason: New York Workers Aroused!

Luella Twining of Denver can now be found in New York City assisting in the organization of the defense movement for Comrades Haywood, Moyer and Pettibone by the working men and women of that city.

From the Appeal to Reason of January 12, 1907:

NEW YORK IS AROUSED
—–
Working Class of City Organizing
Powerful Defense Movement
for W.F.of M. Officials.
—–

By Luella Twining.
—–

Luella Twining

New York, Jan. 4.-New York workingmen and women are demonstrating the solidarity of the working class. The second meeting of the Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone conference, composed of all workers who want to save their brothers in Idaho, irrespective of race, color, creed or politics, was more enthusiastic even than the first. Many new delegates were seated. Among the unions represented were the District Council of the Carpenters and Joiners, Central Federated Union, Brewers, Bill Posters, Typographical Union, Tobacco Workers, Bakers and Confectionary, Cloak and Suit Tailors, Cigar Makers, Butchers, Hat and Cap Makers, Beer Drivers, Beer Bottlers, Painters and Decorators, Steam Fitters, Bricklayers, Machinists, United Hebrew Trades, Sick and Death Benefit and Waiters. All of these trades were represented by more than one local, most of them by three or four.

The financial secretary reported the receipt of $2,760.20 for the “Defense Fund,” and $1,500 for the “Agitation Fund.” While we are laying particular stress on the necessity of money to carry on the trial, still we are setting forth also the necessity for agitation. We shall hold many meetings to warn the workers of the murder that is being planned in Idaho. We shall also distribute tons of literature setting forth the facts. New York City shall be buried in papers and pamphlets. Everybody shall know of this conspiracy, planned in New York, in that magnificent stone building on Broadway, and to be executed in that desolate, isolated region of Idaho. We do not intend to wait till our brothers are in their graves for the working class to say: “We did not know, we thought they would have a fair trial.”

The unions visited show intense interest. Many of them are holding special meetings for the reason that their by-laws do not permit them to give more than a prescribed sum. For instance, the “Sheet and Metal Workers” gave the maximum amount at their regular meeting. They held a special meeting the next week and gave $500. No unions before which speakers have appeared have refused to assist. All have displayed the greatest enthusiasm and expressed their indignation in burning words at the foul conspiracy to break up organized labor, and all resistance to capitalistic encroachment. They realize that Standard Oil, successful in ridding themselves of Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone, would be like wild animals after having a taste of human blood, and thirsting for more. They know they would be the next victims.

The action of the Central Federated Union, in displaying such intense interest in the “Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone Conspiracy” was a hard blow for the prosecution. The Globe commented on it editorially, and said that the C. F. U. should not have allowed such statements to be made on its floor. They called me a “Maenad” (frenzied woman). I suppose that was for portraying the sufferings of Comrade Haywood’s invalid wife, also the agony she has endured during the long year in which her husband has been incarcerated in a cell, denied every right of an American citizen. If that is frenzy, I plead guilty and I notify the Globe I shall not soon recover. I am not alone. The C. F. U. all became “frenzied,” gave all they could and promised all moral support possible.

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Hellraisers Journal: Little Henrietta Haywood asks, “Will They Hang My Papa?”-by Luella Twining

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday December 20, 1906
From the Appeal to Reason: The Cry of Big Bill’s Little Daughter

HMP, Henrietta by Twining, AtR, Dec 15, 1906

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: U. S. Supreme Court Declares Kidnapping Legal (If Perpetrated by the State)

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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If they hang Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone,
they’ve got to hang me.
-Eugene Victor Debs

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday December 9, 1906
U. S. A. – Governors Are Now Empowered to Kidnap Citizens

From the Appeal to Reason of December 8, 1906:

KIDNAPING DECLARED LEGAL
—–

U. S. Supreme Court’s Decision Upholds
“Peabody Civilization.”
—–

HMP, McDonald Gooding, Kidnappers of Feb 18, 1906

Chief Justice Harlan, in behalf of the United States supreme court, Monday, December 3, handed down a decision in the Moyer-Haywood-Pettibone appeal case, in which the court declined to release the officers of the Western Federation of Miners from the custody of the Idaho authorities, in whose keeping they have been since February of the present year. The prisoners asked for a release on the ground that they were illegally arrested in Colorado, kidnaped and carried into Idaho and there detained without due process of law. At the time of their arrest Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone were charged with the assassination of ex-Governor Frank Steunenberg, who was killed on the night of December 30, 1905.

The appeal, taken from the Idaho courts, was argued by Attorneys Darrow and Richardson before the United States supreme court October 9 last. So important were the issues involved that the Washington tribunal sidetracked all other measures and applied itself to an immediate consideration of this Federation appeal.

While the decision, as announced, was not unexpected, the full measure of its meaning does not dawn on the inner consciousness until it is given mature and deliberate thought. Then it is seen that this decision is the culmination of as gigantic a conspiracy against the liberties of the working class as was ever concocted in the annals of time. It is the loud-sounding voice of challenge from the hired mouthpiece of united capitalism, determined to stifle the voice of those who would dare represent those who toil. It is the concrete command of the plutocracy to the radicals of the nation-“Thus far shalt thou go.”

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