Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for March 1912, Part I: Found Speaking in Illinois, Denver, Colorado and Tacoma, Washington

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Quote Mother Jones Master Class Creates Violence, LA Rec p4, Dec 21, 1911—————

Hellraisers Journal – Monday April 15, 1912
Mother Jones News Round-Up for March 1912, Part I
Found in Illinois, Denver, Colorado and Tacoma, Washington

From The Sibley Journal of March 1, 1912:

Walker to Head Miners.

Mother Jones, Tacoma Tx p3, Feb 14, 1912

The closing day of the Illinois Mine Workers’ state convention was featured by the announcement of election from the vote held December 14, 1911.

It was generally thought at that time that all the officers would be re-elected. There was but one exception in this, Paul Smith defeating Adolph Germer for the vice presidency. President Walker and Secretary Treasurer McDonald were re-elected by large majorities…..

Aside from the announcement of the election results, a two-hour address by ”Mother” Jones, a woman, eighty years old, who is a Socialist lecturer of national prominence and called the “Miners’ Mascot,” in which she denounced woman suffrage, was the feature. She declared that women are not mentally equipped to acquire a proper knowledge of politics, and she attributed the defeat of the recall in Colorado to the women voters. In closing her address, “Mother” Jones detailed the conditions brought about by the railroad strike in Colorado and asked the miners of Illinois to donate a benefit fund of $1,000 to the strikers. A committee was named to investigate the matter…..

[Photograph added.]

From The Illinois State Journal of March 2, 1912:

Mother Jones, IL State Jr p2, Mar 2, 1912

From the Denver Rocky Mountain News of March 5, 1912:

NORTHERN COLORADO COAL
STRIKE ENDS IN 8 MINES
———-

6 KILLED, 10 MAIMED 100 BEATEN,
BLOODY RECORD OF WAR
———-
Strikebreakers’ Refusals to Quit Fields Cause
of Most Serious Outbreaks.
———-

“Six men killed, ten maimed for life and more than 100 waylaid and beaten.” This is the record of bitterness between the opposing forces of the labor war in the Northern coal were from the ranks of both strikers and strike breakers…..

One of the striking features of the struggle occurred a few months ago, when “Mother Jones,” a well known national figure in the labor world, went into the district to organize the wives and sisters of the striking miners. She received an enthusiastic reception, but when the women attempted to carry out their ideas the strikers objected so strenuously that they were forced to abandon their militant plans for a campaign.

———-

No CO Coal Strike Chronc, Rky Mt Ns p2, Mar 5, 1912

From the Denver United Labor Bulletin of March 21, 1912:

“MOTHER” JONES LEAVES DENVER.
———-

“Mother” Jones, who has been in Denver for several days, addressed the Federated Shopmen in their convention in Machinists’ hall this week. She is preparing to tour the northwest in the interests of the shopmen. She will go to Tacoma and then travel East as far as St. Paul. 

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for March 1912, Part I: Found Speaking in Illinois, Denver, Colorado and Tacoma, Washington”

Hellraisers Journal: From the Social Democratic Herald: Eugene Debs on Current Events: So-Called Miners’ Victories & Patriotism at $13 per Month

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Quote EVD, SDP Revolutionary, Sc Dem Hld p1, July 1, 1899———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday September 5, 1899
Eugene V. Debs on Current Events: Miners of Girard, Illinois, Appeal for Aid

From the Social Democratic Herald of September 2, 1899:

CURRENT EVENTS PASSED IN REVIEW
—–

MINERS’ “VICTORIES” SO-CALLED
—–
Thirteen-Dollars-a-Month Patriotism
-“Bull Pens” and Socialism-Justice in France
in Spite of Hell and the French Army
-Cleveland Boycott
—–

By Eugene V. Debs, Terre Haute, Ind.

[Part I of II.]

EVD, Houston Daily Post p6, May 22, 1899

We have heard a great deal about the “glorious victories” won for miners during the last two yeas. It is a ghastly lie. The only victory I know of is the $3,600.00 job snatched from the enemy by Ratchford [Michael D. Ratchford, former President of the United Mine Workers’ Union], the understudy of [U. S. Senator] Mark Hanna.

Here in Indiana hundreds of them are idle and suffering. In Illinois, according to the official report of [U. M. W. District 12] State Secretary Ryan, they are on strike at 14 different points. At Girard [Illinois] the other day they issued an appeal for charity, declaring that they were homeless and hungry. The “glorious victories” have reduced them to common beggars—and they belong to the union to a man.

Oh, miners, will you not open your eyes and will you not use your brains and see and think for yourselves?

You have won no victories worthy the name. You are slaves, every last one of you, the victims of the wage system, and as long as the mines you work in are privately owned you will be robbed while at work and clubbed and shot like dogs when you quit.

Arouse from your slavery, join the Social Democratic Party and vote with us to take possession of the mines of the country and operate them in the interest of the people, as well as the railroads, factories, and all the means of production and distribution, and then, and only then, will “glorious victories” have been achieved and you and your comrades be free and our families happy.

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Hellraisers Journal: Miners to Celebrate Eight-Hour Day Victory, Won for Central Competitive Field in Great Strike of 1897

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Quote Mother Jones, Brave Hearts, UMWC, Jan 29, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday March 18, 1899
United Mine Workers to Celebrate Eight-Hour Day Victory

From The American Federationist of March 1899:

Miners’ Eight-Hour Day.
—–

UMW Ex Brd 1897, Evans II p480

—–

John Mitchell, Pres UMW Jan 1899, Evans II p650

An echo of the great victory of the miners in their strike of 1897, comes to us just now. It will be remembered that as a result of that memorable contest the miners secured, apart from an increase of 33 per cent, in wages, the establishment of the eight-hour day in the competitive field to be inaugurated April 1, 1898. After working under the eight-hour system for nearly a year the officers of the United Mine Workers through President Mitchell and Secretary Pearce have just issued the fallowing call upon the miners of the country:

Inasmuch as Saturday, April 1, 1899, marks the first anniversary of the inauguration of the eight-hour work day in the central competitive coal mining States, we desire that it be fittingly observed by members of our craft.

In commemorating this event, we not only can demonstrate our appreciation of the shorter work day, but also the re-establishment of joint movement methods of adjusting wage differences. When the Chicago agreement was entered into one year ago, which provided for the establishment of an eight-hour day in the States of Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, grave fears were entertained as to the probable outcome. That the influences it would exert over the trade of the States in question would be detrimental was freely argued by many, but we find, at this the close of the first year, that its adoption has not only proven a priceless boon to our craft, but also is looked upon with favor by many of our employers. The reaffirmation of the Chicago agreement by the Pittsburg convention means a continuation of these conditions and is a fitting endorsement of the policy. We therefore desire that Saturday, April 1, be set apart as a holiday to commemorate this important event and that local unions arrange suitable meetings, where appropriate exercises can be held. We further request our membership in States where the agreement is not operative at this time to likewise observe this day and thereby register your approval of this method and encourage its universal adoption.

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