Tag: Missoula MT

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for March 1912, Part II: Found Speaking in Spokane, Washington and in Missoula and Butte, Montana

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Awaken to Power, Spk Chc p6, Mar 28, 1912—————

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday April 16, 1912
Mother Jones News Round-Up for March 1912, Part II
Found in Spokane, Washington and in Missoula and Butte, Montana

From The Daily Missoulian of March 28, 1912:

Mother Jones Ad, Dly Missoulian p2, Mar 28, 1912

From the Spokane Daily Chronicle of March 28, 1912:

WOMAN SUFFRAGE, BAH! SAYS MOTHER
———-
“Mother Jones” Has No Use
for Equal Rights Issue.
———-

“Woman suffrage-bah! The mere thought of the movement makes me tired.”-“Mother” Jones.

“Mother” Jones, who has championed the interests of working men, women and children for over a quarter century and who has promoted strikes in various sections of the nations is a socialist but by no means a suffragist.

[She asserted at Machinists’ union headquarters this afternoon:]

The woman’s place is in the home, molding the character of her children, if she has any, and preparing them to meet the issues that will confront them later in life-educating them to the economic problems that affect them,” she asserted at Machinists’ union headquarters this afternoon.

Why, the men haven’t learned yet to vote intelligently and just the same as men are now selling out their votes for a schooner of beer to cunning politicians, the woman’s vote will be influenced with a bouquet or a box of candy.

Calls It Worthless Cause.

Women are simply wasting their time upon a worthless cause in their struggle for the ballot, for as soon as the economic system has become straightened out the way it ought to be, woman will be the equal of man anyway.

That time will come when the great army of working people have become awakened to their power and have taken possession of the machinery of production and the greedy capitalistic class that is now grinding out the lives of the little children of the poor for profit have been made to step down and out.

The employing class is scared almost to death of the working men and women of the nation right now, and if the workers only knew it, they would not be in want over night.

While the working people of the world are no more than a day or two from the poorhouse the year round, as a rule, the poodle doge of the rich are having banquets given in their honor and are treated better than children of the poor.

Prohibitionists say that the prevalence of the drinking habit among the working people is the cause of so much poverty, yet government statistics show that the average workingman has but $12 a year to spend for such luxuries as an occasional drink of liquor.

She 80 Years Old.

All over the nation the working people are gradually waking up and though I will be 80 years old on the first of May, I hope to see the time that the economic system has changed completely and that the working class is in power.

“Mother” Jones spoke in behalf of the striking shopmen on the Harriman railway system Wednesday night at the armory building and will leave tonight over the Great Northern for the east, expecting to be in Minneapolis in a short time.

Despite her advanced age, “Mother Jones is a splendid specimen of vigor and health and her voice is still steady and strong.

—————

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Hellraisers Journal: W. F. Little Learns His Brother Is Doing 30 Days in Spokane for Reading Declaration of Independence

Janet RayeFrank Little
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Quote re Frank Little Ready for IWW Spk FSF, Wenatchee Dly Wld p2, Nov 2, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday November 22, 1909
Fresno, California – Telegram from Spokane Tells of Free Speech Fight

From The Fresno Morning Republican of November 16, 1909:

TELLS OF SPOKANE INDUSTRIAL FIGHT
—–
W. F. Little Learns That His Brother Is
Doing 30 Days for Reading
Declaration of Independence.

Spk FSF, IWW Notices, Spk Prs p2, Nov 3, 1909

W. F. [“Fred”] Little, of the local union of Industrial Workers of the World, received an official communication from the Spokane local yesterday reciting the treatment of members of the order in Spokane in their fight with the city authorities. The letter gives this bit of personal news.

I understand that you are a brother of F. H. [“Frank”] Little, the hobo agitator, in jail in Spokane with 200 more as a result of the free speech fight. He was reading the Declaration of Independence on the street corner. He was sentenced to thirty days for this terrible crime.

The letter describes some of the Third Degree methods pursued by the police and jailors. It is related that the men are crowded into stuffy cells, without creature conveniences and the steam temperature was kept on one occasion at 100 degrees for a period of thirty-six hours in an effort to “break” the men.

Mr. Little yesterday took up a private collection among the local “Industrial Workers” to aid their brothers in their Spokane fight.

———-

[Insert added from Spokane Press of November 3, 1909.]

Fellow Worker Frank Little was also jailed during the Missoula Free Speech Fight, and described that experience for Industrial Worker of October 27th:

THE BEATING OF JONES BY
THE MISSOULA SHERIFF.

[-by F. H. Little]

On September 30th Fellow Workers Jones, Appleby [George Applebee], Tuchs [Herman Tucker] and myself were sentenced to 15 days each in the county jail. That night five more of the boys were arrested. The morning of October 1st, after breakfast, the prisoners called for a speech. We moved the table to the southwest corner of the jail. Jones got up and made a talk on Industrial Union. The sheriff sent in word not to talk so loud. So Jones lowered his voice. He talked for about five minutes, then we started to sing the “Red Flag.”

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Hellraisers Journal: “Francisco Ferrer Spanish Martyr” -Miners Magazine on Execution of Gentle Professor

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Ferrer, Aim Well, per Avrich Modern School Mv p32———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday November 9, 1909
Western Federation of Miners Reports Execution of Prof. Ferrer

From The Miners Magazine of October 21, 1909:

Francisco Ferrer Spanish Martyr.

Francisco Ferrer, Cronaca Sovversiva p1, Oct 23, 1909

America gave a gasp of horror this morning when it read that Spain had condemned Francisco Ferrer to be shot for the crime of spreading intelligence in that country, says the Chicago Socialist.

“That would be going back ten centuries in the progress of civilization,” declared Dean Albion W. Small of the Chicago University graduate school and head of its department of sociology, when told of the death sentence that had been passed on Ferrer. “To execute a man of Ferrer‘s character and position would be a reversion to the dark ages,” he continued. “It would be a blot on the page of progress of today. I certainly do protest against it. I will join in any general protest that is made.”

“I also wish to join in any protest that is being made to save Ferrer from the sentence of execution that has been passed upon him. It is the duty of every man to protest,” said Dr. Herbert F. Fisk, head of the department of education at Northwestern University.

Numerous other educators of Chicago were equally emphatic in their denunciation of the tactics pursued by the Spanish government in seeking the death of one who is doing so much for the enlightenment of the human race. They were unanimous in their protest against a government so backward as to desire the destruction of one of its greatest intellectual leaders.

The feeling with which the death sentence that had been passed on Ferrer was received was akin to horror. It was known that Ferrer was in prison, the climax of several years of persecution by the church and government officials of Spain. It was known that his death was desired by many. It was not believed, however, that they would go so far as to make Ferrer a martyr in the face of the combined protest of civilized Europe.

Ferrer is looked upon in this country as the John Dewey of Spain. As Prof. Dewey of Columbia University urged his ideas in education in this country, so Ferrer has introduced modern education into Spain. It is considered that Spain is now in a position where the United States would be if it sought Dewey’s life because of his ideas on the education of children.

Since the execution of Ferrer there has been rioting in many cities in Spain, France, Italy, Belgium and other continental countries; Spaniards have had to bear the brunt of assaults by the enraged populace, and soldiers have with difficulty dispersed angry multitudes. It is feared that the martyrdom will result in further violence, loss of life and destruction of property.

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Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn for Missoula Citizens’ Committe: Protests Execution of Francisco Ferrer

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote Ferrer, Aim Well, per Avrich Modern School Mv p32———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday November 8, 1909
Missoula, Montana – Committee Protests Execution of Prof. Ferrer

From The Daily Missoulian of November 4, 1909:

SPAIN IS DENOUNCED BY RESOLUTION
—–

OPEN-AIR MEETING IN MISSOULA PROTESTS
AGAINST FERRER’S EXECUTION.
—–

[-by Elizabeth Gurley Flynn.]

Ferrer, Execution Results 1 Crpd, Canton SD Frmr Ldr p3, Nov 5, 1909

A protest has been made in Missoula against the execution of Francisco Ferrer, a set of resolutions having been passed at an open-air meeting at the corner of Higgins avenue and Main street. The protest is expressed in the following words:

Whereas, On October 13, 1909, in the fortress of Montjuic, at Barcelona, Spain, Francisco Ferrer was murdered by the Spanish government, and

Whereas, He died bravely, this gentle scholar and brilliant educator of workingmen’s children, with the cry, “Long live the modern schools” on his lips, and

Whereas, His only “crime” was his unswerving devotion to the ideals of freedom and his belief that workingmen’s children should not be given over to a clerical institution to have faith and dogmas moulded into their young minds, but should be taught to think and reason, and

Whereas, He was accused of stirring up anti-war riots in Barcelona and of advocating the establishment of a republic in Spain, both of which are deeds to be proud of and applauded by Americans, and

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Hellraisers Journal: Miss Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and the Missoula Free Speech Fight of the Industrial Workers of the World

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote EGF, Western IWW Aggressive Spirit, IW p3, Aug 12, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday November 3, 1909
Missoula, Montana – Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and the Victory for Free Speech

From the International Socialist Review of November 1909:

EGF, ISR p466, Nov 1909

FREE SPEECH FIGHT. Missoula, Mont., Oct. 3.—Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, organizer of the Industrial Workers of the World, was arrested here tonight for persistently attempting to hold an advertised open-air meeting in the business section.

The plan of action outlined by Elizabeth Gurley Flynn was to select leaders of small squads and distribute them about town, giving each a chance to gather a crowd before the police might become cognizant of the movements of the I. W. W.

At the police station Mrs. Flynn said the I. W. W. could not be suppressed and that the work would be carried on as outlined if 10 men are jailed every day.

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Hellraisers Journal: “Missoula Police Relinquish Attempt Against Free Speech; IWW Defeats City Council”

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote EGF, My Aim in Life, Spk Rv p7, July 8, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday October 22, 1909
Missoula, Montana – City Council Defeated by I. W. W Free Speech Fighters

From the Socialist Montana News of October 21, 1909:

Missoula FSF, Victory, EGF Held, MT Ns p1, Oct 21, 1909

EGF, IW p1, Oct 7, 1909

The city council of Missoula has proved another exemplification of the proverb that “discretion is the better part of valor”, and completely retreated from the fight against the I. W. W. speakers, and the constitutional right of Free Speech. In the midst of the clubbing arresting beating and ether police outrages against the union workers the council held a meeting. They found themselves confronted by jury trials by the score, immense sums of court expense, an enraged populace, and fresh speakers coming in on every train as candidates for free berths at the city expense. In fact they saw no end to the “radau” [racket] that the Industrial Workers were precipitating upon their heads, and wisely concluded that they would stop bucking the United States constitution.

The council had previously made a conciliating concession that the workers might speak on a by-street. But the Workers were standing upon their legal rights to speak where they please so long as they were injuring no one, and continued their work with fresh recruits after thirty-five had been arrested in one evening.

When the telegram went into New York telling of the attempt to suppress Free Speech in Missoula a meeting of the Free Speech League was called, sad Leonard D. Abbott and others went to preparing plans to preserve the American right of Free Speech. Abbott said, “Free Speech must be maintained no matter what the cost may be. We are prepared to carry the fight to a finish.”

Principal Derby of the Morris High school, where Miss Flynn attended was also much interested in the progress on the fight.

The latest word is that Miss Flynn is held for trial, the council expecting to make a test case out of her arrest.

[Emphasis added. Photograph added from Spokane Industrial Worker of October 7th.]

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Industrial Worker: “Free Speech Is Won in Missoula” by Fellow Workers Flynn & Jones

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote JA Jones, Victory Missoula FSF, IW p1, Oct 20, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday October 21, 1909
Missoula, Montana – FWs Flynn and Jones on Victory for Free Speech

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of October 20, 1909:

Banner, IWW Victory Msl FSF, IW p1, Oct 20, 1909

[From page 1:]

FREE SPEECH IS WON IN MISSOULA, MONT.
—–
[-by Elizabeth Gurley Flynn.]

IWW, Dont Buy Jobs ed, Industrial Worker p1, Oct 20, 1909

The I. W. W. in Missoula, Mont., has practically won its fight for free speech, as we are now speaking on the streets without being molested. We didn’t appeal to justice, but the taxpayers felt the pressure on their pocket-books and capitulated.

About 40 members have seen the inside of the Missoula jails during the last two weeks, giving this town a forcible example of the motto, “An injury to one is an injury to all.” Eight men served time; two women, Mrs. Frenette and myself, have each inhabited a cell in the county jail over night; the rest of the boys are all “enthusiastic defenders” of the city jail. At first the police were very full of fight, “blue moldin’ for a baitin’,” and every man was arrested and tried who attempted to speak. But when the night and day force had to get cut night after night and the number of arrests increased by leaps and bounds, they began to lose interest in the fun.

The last night there were 30 men in jail and the next night we had a list of 50 volunteers, when the police lay down and let our speakers continue. The 30 arrested demanded a jury trial each, and the judge said to me, “A little town like Missoula can not stand the expense.” The mayor got out of town to let the acting mayor settle the thing for the taxpayers, who have a steel bridge and a new court house a-building, and they began to howl about the expense. One breakfast for the I. W. W. boys alone cost the city $6.

The populace were very much in sympathy with the I. W. W. Our membership is growing steadily in spite of the A. F. of L. carpenters ordering their membership not to attend the I. W. W. meetings. One little newsboy stopped me on the street and gave me half a dozen papers “for the boys.” When we found that eating in restaurants was too expensive for the boys we put up Knust’s tent, appointed a cook and steward, and started co-operative “Mulligan stews. Bread was given freely by some socialist bakers, and even though the city government refused to feed its visitors we could have held out for a year, feeding them ourselves.

The chief of police himself arrested me on the charge of causing trouble, inciting a riot, etc. I was taken to the county jail and given an individual cell, designed for witnesses, I understand. It had a pile of old papers in one corner, an old slop-pail in another, some dirty food left from several days before, and during the time I was there, from 8 o’clock Sunday until 5 o’clock Monday, the jailer kept promising to clean it out, but the cleaning never materialized. The bonds for all the others were placed at $10 each, but bonds for me were placed at $50, so I must be quiet a dangerous criminal.

When Mrs. Frenette was arrested there was an enormous crowd followed her to the jail, and while not riotous, were certainly indignant. She was arrested for speaking. I was arrested for standing on the street corner asking a man to come to the hall meeting of the I. W. W. The arrest of us two women aroused the town all right.

ELIZABETH G. FLYNN.

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Hellraisers Journal: “Missoula Police Wage Brutal War on Free Speech” Report from Socialist Montana News, Part II

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote EGF, Western IWW Aggressive Spirit, IW p3, Aug 12, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday October 20, 1909
Missoula, Montana – City Wages Brutal War on Free Speech, Part II

From the Montana News of October 14, 1909:

Missoula FSF, Brutal, EGF to Bastile, MT Ns p1, Oct 14, 1909

[Part II of II.]

Sheriff Assaults Speaker.

Davis Graham, the republican sheriff of Missoula county, proved himself a tyrannical brute of the worst description by violently assaulting Organizer Jones when he was incarcerated within the jail. The assault was uncalled for and cowardly, and a stamped Graham as a man of violent and brutal instincts, only waiting a chance to wreak his vengeance on his political enemies. Jones was not only absolutely helpless but a very much smaller man than his assailant, and it is common rumor that Graham used a large iron key to emphasize his physical powers upon Jones.

Friday night the home wagon was run out and connected. The evening paper had announced that there would be at change of tactics, and this was discovered in the determination to turn the water on every speaker.

A nice, civilized method of enforcing th law! A method worthy of the Middle Ages! The violation of every democratic principle of liberty humanity has achieved. An insult and contempt thrown upon law and order by the people that have been put in office to uphold such things. How long will a deluded people vote for such things?

Such defiance of justice on the part of officials put a large portion of the crowd in a very radical maid toward the police. Upon playing the water pretty close to one corner of the street the crowd would not move. The hose play was a move that caused resentment in hundreds of people who were not of the Industrial Workers, or sympathizers.

The Fight Not Over.

The fight is not over. The union men are undaunted. Volunteers are on the way from various points of the west, to attempt free speech, to fill the jails, to work for political and industrial freedom.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: “Missoula Police Wage Brutal War on Free Speech” Report from Socialist Montana News, Part II” →

Hellraisers Journal: “Missoula Police Wage Brutal War on Free Speech” Report from Socialist Montana News, Part I

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote EGF, Western IWW Aggressive Spirit, IW p3, Aug 12, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday October 19, 1909
Missoula, Montana – City Wages Brutal War on Free Speech, Part I

From the Montana News of October 14, 1909:

Missoula FSF, Brutal, EGF to Bastile, MT Ns p1, Oct 14, 1909

[Part I of II.]

The city government of Missoula, the police the authorities, are making first-class fools of themselves in their efforts to violate the United States constitution, turn the American government upside down, become censors of public speech and keep the I. W. W. doctrine’s from being proclaimed.

In other words, the capitalist government of Missoula has plunged into the trap of forcibly controlling the protest and activity of the workers, and of upsetting all the guarantees of democracy to do so.

Campaign for Industrialism.

The Industrial Workers of the World brought their speakers into Missoula and began a campaign for the industrial form of unionism, such a as they hate been pushing with much vigor in various parts of the country. Elizabeth Gurley Flynn of New York, a most devoted promoter of this cause, has been touring the northwest all summer, pushing the I. W. W. doctrines with great vigor. Miss Flynn is an able speaker, has good organising ability and an immense amount of determination. Her husband, J. A. Jones, and other organizers and workers are with her.

The Industrial Workers do not mince words. They say what they have to say, and they say it on the street, and they keep on saying it. They talk the language of revolt against capitalism, they urge consolidation of the workers in order to get hold of all the means of industry, push the drones out of the way and have the product of their toll for themselves.

Free Speech Constitutional.

They know that the American constitution gives them the right to talk on the street. Free speech is one of the rocks on which the American government is founded. People have a right to express what opinions they please. If anyone feels injured by the opinions that another expresses he has the right to appeal to a court of adjudication, but he has no right to take the law into his own hands.

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Hellraisers Journal: Fellow Worker J. H. Walsh Completes Tale of the Overall Brigade’s Journey to IWW Convention

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote JH Walsh Overall Brigade, IUB p1, Oct 24, 1908~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Monday November 2, 1908
The Overall Brigade “Abroad the Nation” from Missoula to Chicago

IWW Gen Adm Emblem, IUB, Mar 14, 1908

In the Industrial Union Bulletin of September 19th, J. H. Walsh described the journey of the Overall Brigade, riding the rails from Portland, Oregon, to the I. W. W. Convention in Chicago. He ended his account with the Brigade encamped near Missoula, Montana. The Brigade was bent on making it to Chicago by September 21st, the first day of the Convention. The story of the journey to Chicago is found completed in the latest edition of the Bulletin.

From The Industrial Union Bulletin of October 24, 1908:

ABROAD THE NATION

By J. H. WALSH.

The “Overall Brigade,” en route from Portland, Ore., to Chicago to the Fourth Annual Convention of the Industrial Workers of the World at this point, has finished another successful propaganda meeting at Missoula, Mont. This makes three successful meetings in this city. Literature sales have been the best here of any place so far on our route, while the song sales have doubled, running as high as $10 or $12 per meeting. The collections have been in the same proportion. In fact, it is the first place where the audience has thrown dollars into the crowd at the feet of the singers, as well as many smaller pieces of change that came jingling along at the same time. One collection in the hat was $14.25. This all tells one story in brief-and that is the growing sentiment toward Industrial Unionism.

It is plain to see that the lumbermen’s union, which was generally understood to be a part of the W. F. of M., will soon be a part of the I. W. W. But with all the favorable conditions and enthusiasm, and a thousand invitations for the “bunch” to return, we are off again for the railroad yards to continue our journey to the city of Butte-the noted mining camp.

Our special car is found. It goes in our direction as far as Garrison Junction. It is not a long ride, and we are now spinning along at passenger speed. The long blast of the whistle which sounds and resounds through the mountain tops and valleys on this cold morning, announces that we are approaching the junction. We are there, unloaded and off for the jungles. The cook and a delegate are on their way to the store for supplies, while the rest and the “bunch” is shivering around the camp fire.

Soon the fire is burning bright, the breakfast is cooking and the sun is making its appearance above the horizon, which adds some comfort to our condition on these cold mornings in the Rocky Mountain country. The delicious breakfast is ready and the “bunch” is congregated to partake of the passover.

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