—————
Hellraisers Journal – Saturday June 7, 1902
Mother Jones News Round-Up for May 1902, Part I
Found Organizing Coal Miners of West Virginia and Advocating General Strike
From the Morgantown (W. V.) Daily New Dominion of May 3, 1902:
STRIKING DEMONSTRATION.
———-
All Union Men of the Country to Cease Work.
———-
Nothing will be Done by a Member of a Union on That Day
-Object Lesson of the Strength of the Unions
-Plans are all Perfected for the Movement.
CHARLESTON. May 3—On May 17th every union workingman in the country, no matter of what trade, will lay down his tools and refuse to work for one day. So exclaimed “Mother” Jones today on her return from an extended “missionary” trip up the Kanawha and New river valleys where she has been working in behalf of the labor organizations in order to perfect a union among the miners who so far have failed to join the ranks of the many who use the pick in the bituminous coal fields of West Virginia.
“Mother” Jones tells that it is no secret. She says that at a meeting of all the labor organizations all over the entire country this question has been presented and discussed and that so far all reports received have been favorable.
The purpose is merely to give an object lesson of the power of labor if it sees fit to assert itself.
The assertions of the great labor agitator coming at this time when it appears on the surface that times are good and labor is receiving wages that are considered the best, has caused a sensation among the capitalists cf the State, especially those who are in line of control among the mines and lumber industries of West Virginia. She makes no bones of telling why labor is dissatisfied with its present condition. Trusts and the consequent advancement of all supplies, materials and articles of food are the causes for the unrest that is manifest and she says the people who live by the use of their hands are becoming so tired of the imposition that they have decided to give capital an object lesson that will be remembered for years to come.
There has been little heralding of the purpose of the labor organizations says “Mother” Jones. In fact it has been kept extremely quiet for a purpose, but there is no question according to her, but that they mean business and the country will see a general strike such as never was recorded before. Every member of all the organizations of labor and their sympathizers will stop work and unless concessions come from the magnates who rule the various trusts of the country without delay, there will be a cessation of activity along all the lines of commerce, both state, national and foreign.
The recent action of the beef trust in placing the product that is most used among the working class beyond the reach of the working man has so infuriated the masses that nothing short of a general strike is thought of by them.
“Mother” Jones stated that she herself had visited hundreds of the various lodges of the country and with one acclaim all are in favor of the measures herein outlined. The railroads have pooled their issues in such a manner and have so discriminated in freights that none except the very wealthy are in a position to receive any benefits from them. So it is with the great iron and steel industries and in the sections formerly benefited by them, there is now nothing for the independent producer to do but to submit to the inevitable.
—————
[Photograph added.]
