Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for February 1909, Part II; Found in Chicago and in Denver

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Quote Mother Jones, Great Church upon Bodies of Girls, Dnv Rck Mt Ns p2, Feb 28, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday March 8, 1909
Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1909, Part II:
-Found in Denver, Colorado; Scheduled to Speak at Protest Meeting

At the end of February, Mother Jones arrived in Denver, Colorado, where she was scheduled to speak at a “Gompers Protest Meeting” on March 1st. According to the Rocky Mountain News of February 28th, Mother made the following statements:

Mother Jones w edit, Dnv Rck Mt Ns p2, Feb 28, 1909

There is an industrial panic in the United States today, and it is not confined to any particular locality. The steel trust is now engaged in stamping out the independent steel concerns, and God have pity on the iron and steel workers when this happens and the rest of the people, too. In Illinois the coal miners are having their trouble, some working only one day a week, and some three days a week. The shoemakers all over the country are struggling against similiar conditions, and everywhere you turn you find this industrial stagnation…..

How can you expect labor to make very much headway with 10,000 judges ruled by the capitalists? Where can they get justice? Where can justice be had with Wall Street dictating the policies of the president, congress and the governors of the states?

Even religion is mixed up in the conditions. I saw in an Eastern city a $2,000,000 church built with the subscriptions of men whose daughters work in factories and stores for $3 and $4 per week. Oh, the farce of it all! Dare you tell me that a girl can work for $3 a week and be respectable? The idea of building a great church upon the sold bodies of girls!…..

I tell you that there is a limit to all things-and the limit will come in the present economic conditions of this country, and people will arise and take the industries into their own hands and right the wrongs that are making of this nation the most grasping in the world today.

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Hellraisers Journal: Save Our Mexican Comrades is Message from Mother Jones & Big Bill Haywood in Appeal to Reason

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[The Mexican Patriots] appeal to us
from their prison cells.
We hear their cry and, by the eternal,
we are with them and the dogs of Diaz
shall not tear their flesh.
-J. A. Wayland

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

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday January 10, 1909
Big Bill Haywood & Mother Jones Rally Support for Mexican Patriots

From the Appeal to Reason of January 9, 1909:

Mex Rev, BBH Wants Action to Save, AtR p1, Jan 9, 1909

———-

CHAPTER OF HORRORS

THE Appeal is in the fight to thwart the conspiracy of the United States and Mexican governments to have the Mexican patriots now lying in jail at Los Angeles surrendered to the cannibal Diaz to be shot for treason. It is a burning disgrace that they are in jail at all. They are men and that is their crime in Mexico. The bloody butcheries of Diaz shocked and horrified them and they took up the cause of their mutilated and agonizing countrymen and hurled their defiance at the monster who posed as president. From that time to this they have been hunted like beasts. They have suffered everything and sacrificed every thing in the cause of freedom.

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Hellraisers Journal: Charles Moyer at Laredo Labor Conference: Half-Truths & Untruths re IWW & Big Bill Haywood

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BBH Quote re May Day, AtR p2, Apr 27, 1907
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday November 20, 1918
Laredo, Texas – Charles Moyer Spews Bitter Venom at Bill Haywood

With great sadness we report and correct the half-truths and untruths spewed by Charles Moyer at Big Bill Haywood during the recent Pan American Labor Conference held at Laredo, Texas. Charles Moyer knows what it is to face the persecutions of the ruling class. He nearly lost his life in the 1913 Michigan Copper Miners strike when he was kidnapped, shot, and deported from the strike zone by company gunthugs.

From the Chicago Day Book of December 29, 1913:

M13, Moyer in Hospital, Day Book p29, Dec 29, 1913

He nevertheless returned to the strike zone after his release from the hospital, and was greeted by thousands of cheering strikers and their families. That this hero would now turn on his fellow workers brings deep disappointment and sadness.

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Hellraisers Journal: Gene Debs Welcomed Home; Tour of Red Special Ends in Big Demonstration at Terre Haute

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Quote EVD re Political Scabbing, AtR p2, Oct 3, 1908
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday November 8, 1908
Tour of Red Special Ends in Home Town of Eugene Debs

From The Indianapolis News of November 3, 1908:

TERRE HAUTE WELCOMES
“GENE” DEBS BACK HOME
—–

BIG DEMONSTRATION FOR THE SOCIALIST CANDIDATE.
—–

REGARDS TO BRYAN AND TAFT
—–

(Special to The Indianpolis News.)

EVD Red Special detail, Zanesville OH Tx Rcdr p1, Oct 20, 1908

TERRE HAUTE, Ind., November 3.-“Gene” Debs came home last evening in his “Red Special,” and had a welcome surpassing in enthusiasm any political demonstration seen in Terre Haute in many years. His train was three hours late, owing to a breakdown at Cayuga, but the crowd waited for him, cheering for “Gene.” when he appeared on the stage at the Colosseum 3,000 persons, who had each paid 10 cents admission, packed the place, and as great a crowd outside listened to other speakers. At the Armory another big audience waited for him until after 10 o’clock. Besides paying the admission at the Colosseum there was a liberal contribution when collectors, some of whom were women, wearing red sashes, went down the aisles.

Debs began with a feeling acknowledgment of the personal note in his welcome, referring to the fact that he was born in and always had lived in Terre Haute, where, if any one had ever said an unkind word about him, he never heard of it.

Refers to Rockefeller.

[He said:]

All great movements in their incipiency are unpopular and are led by “undesirable citizens.”

[T]he reference to the designation of him by President Roosevelt causing laughter and applause. He said the two old parties stand for the same system, which has reached the climax of its existence. He declared that Rockefeller “was not born yesterday”; that he knew better than any one else how unpopular he is and the effect of his interview for Taft. The interview, he said, was the shrewdest move in the campaign. He knew that he had exhausted the usefulness of the Republican party to him, and desires Bryan.

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Hellraisers Journal: Red Special in Evansville and Cincinnati, Thousands March, Wave Red Flags, Sing Marseillaise

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Quote EVD Movements of Undesirables, AtR p4, Oct 31, 1908~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal Sunday November 1, 1908
Cincinnati and Evansville Socialist Give Red Special a Red Welcome

From the Appeal to Reason of October 31, 1908:

FROM THE RED SPECIAL.
—–
Debs and Taft in Evansville Same Day, But Latter
Ignores Proposal of the Socialists
to Exchange Audiences.
—–

Special Telegram to the Appeal.

St. Louis, Oct. 23.-At Evansville last night there were rival political demonstrations between the republicans and the Socialists. Taft and Debs both arrived at about the same time, and the old town was hot with excitement.

EVD Red Special Evansville IN, EvPrs p1, Oct 22, 1908
From the Evansville Press
October 22, 1908

The local committee of the Socialists proposed to the republican committee an exchange of audiences for twenty minutes by the republican and Socialist orators for educational purposes, thus giving each orator the opportunity to address both audiences. The invitation was respectfully or otherwise ignored. Thus is there another bluff called. The republicans and the democrats both put up the claim that their campaigns are educational, but when they are called by the Socialists, and given a chance to make good, they expose their dishonesty and false pretense by refusing to address Socialists meetings or allowing Socialists to address their meetings.

Taft did but little at Evansville other than to explain his labor record. It surely needs explaining, and he has been working on the job ever since his nomination. The Socialist candidate, in his speeches at Evansville, put Taft on the rack and showed what his true attitude toward labor is by recalling the trip he made to Idaho to support the infamous Gooding in the conspiracy to murder Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone.

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Hellraisers Journal: “Red Flags, Red Language and Red Enthusiasm” Greet Eugene Debs at Faneuil Hall, Boston

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We’re not here to reform
the capitalist class,
but to wipe it out.
-Eugene Victor Debs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday October 24, 1908
Boston, Massachusetts – Socialist Greet Debs with Wild Enthusiasm

From the Montana News of October 15, 1908:

BOSTON SOCIALISTS WELCOME LEADER
—–
Thousands Great Debs With the
Greatest Enthusiasm.
—–

EVD Red Special Crew, Cover ISR Oct 1908

—–

Red flags, red language and red enthusiasm swept everything before them at Faneuil hall on the night of October 5 when the socialists of Boston waited patiently until nearly 10 o’clock to welcome their standard bearer, Eugene V. Debs of Illinois [Terre Haute, Indiana], locomotive fireman, grocer, legislator, labor agitator, strike director, convert to socialism and, like Bryan, three times a candidate for president.

The Cradle of Liberty got the wildest rocking both inside and out it has had in many years. As early as 6 o’clock the reds began to gather and by 7:30 o’clock the doors had to be closed, as everything was filled to the limit. Crowds surged to and fro all around the building, waving the red tri-cornered flags and shouting “Hurrah for Debs and Hanford.”

Enthusiasm to Spare.

Talk about enthusiasm. Why, the reds have both the big parties rolled into one and then beaten by fourteen miles. One of the speakers said the republicans or the democrats would have hard work to get out such a crowd. He might just as well have said it would have been impossible. First a wave of applause would surge out of the hall, and it would be met by an answering billow from the mob outside.

Inside the hall the crowd seated was only a small part of the real audience present. They hung off the balcony, up over the portraits of Sam Adams and John Hancock. They filled the space in front of the platform so that the reporters had to fight for their places. They forced their way up on the platform and pressed their way forward to the very chairs occupied by the speakers.

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs: “Plot Must Be Foiled..Conspiracy to Murder Mexican Comrades..by Order of Diaz”

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Quote EVD Mex Revolutionairies, AtR p2, Oct 10, 1908
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday October 10, 1908
Eugene V. Debs Urges Working Men and Women to Save Mexican Comrades

From the Appeal to Reason:

THIS PLOT MUST BE FOILED
—–
Conspiracy to Murder Mexican Comrades
Now Imprisoned in This Country
by Order of Díaz
—–

by EUGENE V. DEBS.

Mex Rev, Juan Sarabia, St L P-D p53, Apr 5, 1908

There is no longer the least doubt, if there ever was any, that the United States government, through its present administration, has entered into a conspiracy with the bloody and barbarous government to foully murder the revolutionary leaders of the Mexican people. The visit of Secretary of State Root to the Mexican capital, the pomp and display with which he was received, and the continuous ovation that was tendered him, are well remembered, as is also the fact, by Socialists at least, that the object of that love feast was to pave the way for the exploitation of this undeveloped country by American and Mexican capitalists. The entente cordiale was established between the House of Roosevelt and the House of Díaz, and since then there has been perfect understanding and harmonious cooperation in carrying out the international program.

When the Mexican revolutionists established their junta at St. Louis and were followed by the bloodhounds of Díaz the latter were reinforced by Furlong’s detectives and the junta was finally destroyed by the joint persecution of the minions of the American and Mexican governments.

The Mexican revolutionists, whose only crime was their opposition to Díaz, the bloody butcher of the so-called Mexican Republic, are men of heart and brain and conscience who could not endure witnessing the atrocities perpetrated upon the ignorant masses; they were animated by the same passion for freedom as were the American revolutionists a century and a half ago and with far greater justification for resisting tyranny and oppression

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Hellraisers Journal: Lincoln Steffens Interviews Eugene Debs, “Labor Agitator” & “The Keeper of the Socialist Heaven”

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Old John Brown set an example of moral courage
and of single-hearted devotion to an ideal
for all men and for all ages.
-Eugene Victor Debs

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

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday October 4, 1908
Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Lincoln Steffens Interviews Eugene Debs

From Everybody’s Magazine of October 1908:

Part I:

EVD, Title Debs by L Steffens, Everybodys p455, Oct 1908
—–

EVD, Debs by L Steffens, Everybodys p460, Oct 1908

EDITOR’S NOTE.-“I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness,” said John the Baptist, when they questioned his mission. And his was the voice of promise of a new order of things. This voice of promise has come down the ages, sometimes almost stilled, again rising into tones of thunder. But always it has been a call to the poor and the unhappy-to the “rabble.” Unworthy mouth-pieces that voice has had, and blatant. But, for weal or for woe, whenever and wherever it has reached its full volume no earthly power has been able to drown its insistent cry. Is that voice to-day rising toward its highest note? Or do we hear merely the droning of false creeds? The voice of established order sounds clear and seemingly strong. But in Europe the cry of Socialism (they say it is applied Christianity) already bids fair to become dominant. In America more than a million thrill at its call. Debs is their voice. Fanatic or prophet? Inspired or insane? Only time will tell. But, for weal or for woe, we must listen. Debs believes that he voices the cry of a people wronged, and he believes he has the remedy for that wrong. For this reason we have asked him to talk to you. If he is a public enemy, you have here the chance to be come forearmed by being forewarned. We present you his gospel.

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Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and Western Overall Brigade Present at Chicago Convention of IWW

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Quote Dolly Walsh re IWW Overall Brigrade, Itr Ocn p3, Sept 30, 1908
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday October 1, 1908
Chicago, Illinois – I. W. W. Convention “Running Full Blast”

From the Chicago Inter Ocean of September 30, 1908:

IWWC, EGF n Dolly Reed Walsh, Chicago Itr Ocn p3, Sept 30, 1908

—–

IWWC, Overall Brigade, Chicago Itr Ocn p3, Sept 30, 1908

—–

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: The Red Special Rolls on from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Salt Lake City

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Quote EVD re Red Special, AtR p2, Sept 19, 1908
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday September 26, 1908
The Socialist Red Special Rolls On Across the Great Plains

Eugene V Debs, EVD, Girard Prs p8, May 21, 1908

The journey of the Red Special across the American Great Plains is well documented in the following article from the Appeal to Reason. An inspiring message from Comrade Debs describes the thousands of cheering supporters who greeted the Socialist Party’s presidential candidate in Colorado. As an added bonus, in this same edition of the Appeal, we find Comrade Haywood speaking in Enid, Oklahoma, and preparing for a tour of the great state of Kansas.

From the Appeal to Reason of September 19, 1908:

EVD Red Special, On To Coast, AtR p2, Sept 19, 1908

—–

From Debs.

DEAR APPEAL: The meeting at Denver last night can’t be described. The great Coliseum was packed and jammed and the surrounding streets filled with cheering, shouting Socialists. The scene can never be forgotten. Thousands could not get near the speakers. Have just left Colorado Springs, where we had a splendid meeting, notwithstanding the crowd, through a misunderstanding, was at the wrong depot. Five minutes after arrival at any station the “Red Special” has a crowd. We are thoroughly organized and take full advantage of every minute. We are ready to drop off at a minute’s notice and make a speech of half a minute to a hundred people, or two hours to twenty thousand people.

We are now up in the mountains and from far up the rock-ribbed sides of the Rockies can be seen the fluttering handkerchiefs of the Socialist miners and prospectors and their wives from the cabin doors and windows. It is great, thrilling, inspiring.

Marvelous transformation! The miracle is working out all around us and before our very eyes, and the Socialists seem to spring from the soil to join in the exultation. These grand old mountains all about us are smiling their benediction upon us and the green-plumed pines along our iron highway seem to sway in gladness and join in the applause.-E. V. DEBS.

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