Tag: Eugene Victor Debs

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for March 1907: Found in Texas on Behalf of Moyer and Haywood

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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I am as ready to die with you now
as I have been ready to fight
with you in the past.
-Mother Jones

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal, Thursday April 11, 1907
Mother Jones News for March: Found Traveling in Texas

Mother Jones, Mar 11, 1905, AtR

Mother Jones was found in Texas during the month of March. She traveled throughout the state and gave speeches under the auspices of the state committee of the Socialist Party. Mother spoke on the the subject of Socialism and also voiced support for Charles Moyer, Bill Haywood, and George Pettibone of Western Federation of Miners, now imprisoned in Ada County Jail of Boise through the machinations of the Mine Owners of Colorado and Idaho.

From The Oasis of Nogales, Arizona,
of March 2, 1907:

MOTHER JONES, “the labor union Joan of Arc,” has come to Arizona to bear a hand in the attempted unionization of Bisbee.

From the Appeal to Reason of March 2, 1907:

Mother Jones.

“Mother: Jones will fill the following dates in Texas: San Antonio, February 26th; Center Point, February 27th; Kerrville, February 28th; San Antonio, March 1st; Lytle, March 2d; Corpus Christi, March 4th, 5th, 6th; Hallettsville, March 7th; Columbus, March 9th; El Campo, March 11th; Alvin, March 13th, 14th; Galveston, March 15th; Raywood, March 16th; Sour Lake, March 18th, 19th, 20th; Batson, March 21st, 22d, 23d.

———-

ARMY COLUMN.
[Appeal Army]
—–

[…..]

“You will find enclosed money order for $5 to pay for the enclosed yearly subscriptions. You can tell by the names that we are invading the mighty plutes domain. “Mother” Jones will be here the 4th, 5th, 6th of March and we hope to boost up the local.”-W. S. Pittillo, Corpus Christi, Tex.

[…..]

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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: As he faces the gallows, President Declares Haywood to be “UNDESIRABLE CITIZEN”

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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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, Friday April 5, 1907
From the Montana News: Haywood Trial to Begin May 9th

HMP, Date Set Haywood Trial, Montana News, Apr 4, 1907

UNDESIRABLE CITIZENS

A letter, recently released by the President of the United States, was published in the Washington Evening Star April 2nd, wherein the President declares that Eugene Debs, Charles Moyer, and Bill Haywood are “undesirable citizens.” This follows by only one day the news that Fellow Worker William D. Haywood will go on trial for his life in Boise, Idaho, on May 9th.

The following is the relevant part of the letter written by President Roosevelt to Congressman J. S. Sherman on October 8, 1906 regarding the President’s feud with E. H. Harriman. The last paragraph of the President’s letter reads:

So much for what Mr. Harriman said about me personally. Far more important are the additional remarks he made to you as you inform me, when you asked him if he thought it was well to see Hearstism and the like triumphant over the republican party. You inform me that he told you that he did not care in the least, because those people were crooks and he could buy them; that whenever he wants legislation from a state legislature he could buy it; that he “could buy Congress,” and that if necessary he “could buy the judiciary.” This was doubtless said partly in boastful cynicism and partly in a mere burst of bad temper because of his objection to the interstate commerce law and to my actions as President. But it shows a cynicism and deep-seated corruption which make the man uttering such sentiments, and boasting, no matter how falsely, of this power to perform such crimes, at least as undesirable a citizen as Debs, or Moyer, or Haywood. It is because we have capitalists capable of uttering such sentiments and capable of acting on them that there is strength behind sinister agitators of the Hearst type. The wealthy corruptionist and the demagog who excites, in the press or on the stump, in office or out of office, class against class and appeals to the basest passions of the human soul are fundamentally alike and the are equally enemies of the republic. I was horrified, as was [Elihu] Root, when you told us today what Harriman had said to you. As I say,if you meet him you are entirely welcome to show him this letter, although, of course it must not be made public unless required by some reason of public policy, and then only after my consent has first been obtained.

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Hellraisers Journal: “Hold Your Nerve” by Eugene Debs & Update on Haywood-Moyer Case from Appeal to Reason

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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The issue is Socialism versus Capitalism.
I am for Socialism because I am for humanity.
We have been cursed with
the reign of gold long enough.
-Eugene Victor Debs

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

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday March 24, 1907
Appeal to Reason: Comrade Debs Exhorts Socialists to Stand Strong

HMP, Hold Yr Nerve by EVD, AtR Mar 23, 1907

Socialist Party of America Button

To join the Socialist movement implies a declaration of war. War on the capitalist system and all its profit-fed institutions!

To issue such a declaration requires some measure of moral courage; to make it good requires a vast deal more.

Many a convert joins with enthusiasm to be extinguished a few months later in ignominy.

He lacks the nerve to stand his ground.

Many another joins the movement and grows stronger from the hour the battle begins; the more he is resisted the stauncher he stands; the more he is persecuted the more resolute he becomes, and in the storm of battle all the heroic fibre within him becomes steel and he rises to the stature of a full-grown man who has the strength to stand alone though all the world turn against him.

He has the nerve!

This is the secret of real heroism.

In writing this brief article on the subject of nerve, we have in mind a large number of Socialists and semi-Socialists who are more or less anxious to serve the movement, but who are so easily deflected from their purpose. They happen to hear of an uncomplimentary remark directed against them, and it strikes at the very heart of their allegiance to the cause. They hear of some temporary defeat of the party, or of some friction within the ranks, and they are at once discouraged.

The trouble is with their nerve. It is this that should have their immediate attention. The comrade lacking nerve, or having but a weak support of himself, will be kept in very hot water in the Socialist movement.

As previously stated, the man who joins the Socialist movement declares war against the capitalist system and capitalist society, and war of this kind is not a May festival. Ferdinand Lassalle, the brilliant social revolutionist, once said that the war against capitalism was not a rosewater affair. He was right. It is rather of the storm and tempest order. All kinds of attacks must be expected, and all kinds of wounds will be inflicted. The new comrade of tender sensibilities will soon get used to having his feelings torn and lacerated if he remains in the movement.

Many honest and well-meaning persons have been completely driven out of the movement because they could not stand the metaphorical shot and shell that were crashing about their heads.

Their hearts were right, but they lacked the nerve.

A fatal defect!

No matter what other good qualities a convert to Socialism may have, he must have the nerve to stick, the nerve to stay, if he is to be of any value to the movement. He must make up his mind that all the trials to which mortal man is subject will fall to his lot one after the other, and that if he lacks the nerve the weak spot in him will sooner or later be put to the test and he will go down and out, never to rise again.

But it is this very trial that serves a most beneficent purpose for both the individual and the movement; it eliminates the weak and unfit, and tempers those qualified for the higher service to which they are sure to be called, because they have the nerve and can stand the test.

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs for the Appeal to Reason: Kidnapping Case Brought Before Congress

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Their only crime is
Loyalty to the Working Class.
-Eugene V. Debs

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

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday March 12, 1907
Girard, Kansas – Eugene V. Debs Fights for Our Idaho Comrades

From the Appeal to Reason of March 9, 1907:

KIDNAPING CASE IN CONGRESS
—–

Appeal Succeeds in Placing Facts of the
Moyer-Haywood Case on Record
in Washington.
—–

BY EUGENE V. DEBS.
Staff Correspondent Appeal to Reason.
—–

HMP, Pettibone Moyer Haywood, AtR, Feb 16, 1907

Washington, D. C., March 2.-At the opening of congress this morning, the Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone case was introduced, together with petitions for investigation and the dissenting opinion of Justice McKenna, of the supreme court. Senator Carmack, of Tennessee, presented the case on the floor of the United States senate, with the request that it be admitted to the records, and this was consented to.

The introduction of the conspiracy was a great surprise to most of the senators, but when the statement was made that the demand for an investigation was backed by two millions of organized workers, the unanimous consent which was necessary, and without which it would have failed, was given by the senate, excepting that Heyburn, of Idaho, requested that the decision of the supreme court be included with the dissenting opinion of Justice McKenna, to which no objection was made on our side.

The foundation is now laid for a congressional investigation and both senators and congressmen agree that, in obedience to the demands of organized labor, this will certainly to be authorized by the next session of congress. Senator Carmack has been particularly helpful in this matter and Senator Lafollette, of Wisconsin, has also treated me with great courtesy.

With this impending congressional investigation, which will develop all the facts in the conspiracy and reveal the whole horrible truth to the people, it is now perfectly safe to predict that Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone will soon have been rescued from the clutches of their kidnapers and would-be murderers and walk forth free men without a blemish upon their honor.

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Hellraisers Journal: Remembering Brother Maki of Telluride, Chained to Pole, Miners Still Wonder: “Is Colorado in America?”

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, Monday March 4, 1907
Telluride, Colorado – The Strike of 1903-1904 Remembered

Yesterday’s Hellraisers Journal featured an article by Comrade Debs from the Appeal to Reason in which was recounted the reign of terror perpetrated upon the members and supporters of the Western Federation of Miners by the Mine Owners, through the powers acting on their behalf, during the bitter strike of three years ago. Today we remember the striking miner who was chained to a telegraph pole on a cold winter day, which incident, along with many like it, left the miners wondering: “Is Colorado in America?”

From the Albuquerque Morning Journal of March 3, 1904:


FRESH TROUBLE BREAKS OUT IN
TELLURIDE STRIKE
—–
Striker Chained to a Telegraph Pole
—–
BY VINDICTIVE DEPUTY
—–
The Thermometer Was Near Zero and
the Western Federation of Miners
Is on Its Ear.
—–

WFM Telluride, Maki chained to pole, Cook Co Hld, Jun 3, 1904

Denver, Colo., March 2.-The headquarters of the Western Federation of Miners in this city was thrown into a fever of excitement late this afternoon by a report of ill-treatment of a striking member of the Miners’ union under arrest on a charge of vagrancy at Telluride, by the civil authorities there. The information came in a telegram from Secretary Forbes of the Telluride union to Secretary Haywood of the Western Federation of Miners, as follows:

See Peabody. One of our men shackled to a telegraph pole. Are we going to stand this any longer? All arrests by civil authorities.

Secretary Haywood immediately replied he had instructed E. E. Richardson, attorney of the Western Federation of Miners to go to Telluride at once and institute legal proceedings in the name of the union for the protection of the strikers under arrest. He also advised the officials of the Telluride union to insist upon their rights and use every means at their command to protect themselves.

He said he would make no appeal to Governor Peabody. Mr. Richardson left for Telluride tonight. The local papers have been unable to get any news of conditions in Telluride tonight because of the rigorous censorship prevailing. However, the following version of the affair today was sent out by Captain Bulkeley Wells who is in charge of the local military.

“Five of the men convicted under a vagrancy charge by the civil authorities yesterday, were put to work this morning by order of the sheriff, filling in an excavation. One of the men, Harry Maki, refused to work and was handcuffed to a telegraph pole by the deputy sheriff in charge. This action on the part of the civil authorities has caused great indignation among the strikers.”

[Note: Many of the miners were convicted as vagrants because they had committed the crime of going out on strike.]

Both Captain Wells and Sheriff Rutan disclaimed any responsibility for the action of the deputy sheriff in his treatment of Maki. As the weather at Telluride just now is very cold, the barometer being in the neighborhood of zero, the officials of the Western Federation of Miners in this city feel certain the chaining of Maki to a telegraph pole was an unnecessary hardship. It is understood that Maki was finally released from his uncomfortable position and returned to prison.

[Drawing of Brother Maki added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Calls for Nation-Wide Protests on Behalf of Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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I am as ready to die with you now
as I have been ready to fight
with you in the past.
-Mother Jones

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

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday February 26, 1907
From the Appeal to Reason: Mother Jones on Idaho Injustice

While Eugene V. Debs continues his campaign to save Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone on the front page of this week’s edition of the Appeal to Reason, a stirring article from Mother Jones appears on page three:

THE DAWNING OF A NEW ERA

(BY MOTHER JONES.)
—–

HMP, Mother Jones Ready to Die, AtR Feb 23, 1907

Mother Jones, Mar 11, 1905, AtR

IN the history of the country-I go farther, in the history of the world-there is nothing more criminal and heartless than the kidnaping of Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone and walling them in alive without the shadow of a charge against them. Two governors, in league with the money power, are guilty of this crime. We who know these men know them to be innocent and we also know that they are worthy to receive our loyal support and that they shall have it to the end.

This diabolical deed, accomplished at night, upon honest workingmen is enough to set one’s brain in a whirl and stir one’s soul to revolt.

King Ruzvlt entered no word of protest, but indirectly approved and backed up this attack upon organized labor.

When Gooding said: “These men shall never leave Idaho alive” he said more than he intended. That is what he meant, but he has since realized that it was unfortunate for him to blurt it out.

General Miles says he can bring 250 honest citizens into court to swear that the beef trust murdered three thousand American soldiers by feeding them poisoned beef.

The mine owners, with the aid of United States deputy marshals, murdered seven miners in the dead of night on Stanford Mountain, W. Va., February 23, 1903.

These are two typical incidents which show the murderous march of King Capital. Life counts for less than nothing. But let it be noted that it is always the life of labor.

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Hellraisers Journal: Kidnaping Anniversary Edition of Appeal to Reason, Edited by Eugene Debs & Consecrated to “Holy Cause of Emancipation.”

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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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, Tuesday February 19, 1907
From the Appeal to Reason: Kidnaping Anniversary Edition

This week’s edition of the Appeal to Reason commemorates February 17, 1906, the one-year anniversary of the state-sponsored kidnaping of the valiant leaders of the Western Federation of Miners, under the banner:

Labor Is Forging The Thunderbolt
for the Conspiracy!

Eugene V. Debs is the special editor of the first page of this edition, and raises his voice on behalf of our imprisoned comrades:

HMP, AtR Kidnap Anniversary Edition, Feb 16, 1907

THESE are the three comrades whose kidnaping under the most extraordinary circumstances ever recorded we are celebrating with a special edition of three million copies and with fresh consecration to the holy cause of emancipation for which they have offered up their liberty and jeopardized their lives.

Verily, “it is an ill wind that blows no good,” and “God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform.”

At first glance the kidnaping of our comrades by the chief magistrate of a state sworn to execute the law against kidnapers, and who, if not a perjurer is a felon, and if not a felon a perjurer would seem to be a monstrous crime without a feature to redeem it from execration. But not so. What else, or what less than this would have served to arouse the working class of the whole nation like an alarm blast from the trumpet of an avenging deity?

What else could have lashed the stagnant waters of organized labor into foaming billows, tossing high their spray of life and discontent?

In all the history of labor there is no event to equal it. A year ago the names of Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone were known to but a few thousands in the Western states; today they are hailed and honored by millions, who applaud their fidelity and honor their fortitude.

And thus are heroes snatched from the common multitude.

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs Now in Girard Assisting Appeal to Reason in Effort to Save Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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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, Sunday February 10, 1907
Girard, Kansas – Debs Rallies Readers of Appeal to Reason

From The Girard Press of February 7, 1907:

Eugene Debs, Wilshire's Magazine, Nov 1905

Eugene V. Debs, twice the candidate of the Socialist party for President, has been in Girard during the past week, and is assisting in preparing matter for a special edition of the Appeal to Reason.

“The Kidnaping Edition” of the Appeal to Reason is now one week away from publication, and orders for Number 585 have already surpassed the one million mark. On the front page of this week’s edition, we find Comrade Eugene Debs rallying the troops of the Appeal Army to:

Turn on the Light! Spread the Truth!! Every labor and every Socialist paper is engaged in this righteous and supremely important work.

Now is the time to widen the circulation of these heralds of light and truth.

Let the workers everywhere bestir themselves as never before in this crucial hour, so fraught with possibilities for weal or woe to the American people.

Let every atom of latent energy and determination be aroused and the cloud that now threatens will be dispelled and the cause of Justice triumphantly vindicated.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for January 1917: Found Visiting “Her Boys” in Denver

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday February 8, 1917
Mother Jones Found in Denver During Month of January

From The Denver Post of January 1, 1917:

‘MOTHER’ JONES HERE TO SEE ‘HER BOYS’
OF THE MINERS’ UNION
—–

Mother Jones, John P White, UMWJ, Feb 10, 1916

“Mother” Jones, leader of labor, is in Denver. She states that she came here to spend New Year with her “boys,” meaning the members of the United Mine Workers of America. She is fresh from active participation in the strike of garment workers and street car employes in New York, she stated that the returns of the recent national election showed that John P. White had been re-elected president of the miners over John H. Walker of Illinois.

“Mother” Jones says that she is not here to take any part in the factional differences of the officers of the Colorado district. She is of the opinion that there will be a satisfactory adjustment before long and that “everything will come out all right.” She is stopping at the Oxford hotel. She will leave Denver tomorrow night.

———-

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