Tag: Mother Mary Harris Jones

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1917, Part I: Found in Illinois

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, Friday August 17, 1917
Mother Jones News for July, Part I: Blamed for Riot

During the evening of Thursday, July 5th, Mother Jones spoke on behalf of striking street carmen in Bloomington, Illinois. She was blamed for the riot which broke out following her speech.

From The Daily (Bloomington) Pantagraph of July 6, 1917:

MJ, Bloomington IL Riot, Pgr, July 6, 1917
MJ, Bloomington IL Riot 2, Pgr, July 6, 1917

Bloomington this morning is practically under martial law following one of the wildest nights of rioting in its history. Troop G, First Illinois cavalry from Peoria reached the city at 7:30 a. m. over the Big Four under the command of Captain Thomas J. Simpson. There were 58 men and three officers. They proceeded immediately to the B. & N. power house at the intersection of Roosevelt avenue and the Big Four tracks, where they pitched camp.

Several more companies of troops are on their way to Bloomington from Chicago and will reach here about noon……

The “Mother Jones” Meeting.

“Mother” Jones, it is said, closed her address by telling the men “to do something.” With this incentive hundreds of men and women gathered in front of the Eagles hall apparently waiting for a leader….

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1907, Part II: Found in Speaking in Arizona

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, Friday August 16, 1907
Mother Jones News for July, Part II: Found in Arizona

From the Bisbee Daily Review of July 17, 1907:

SHERIFF WHITE ROASTED BY “MOTHER”
—–
Gets a Hot Tongue Lashing In Tucson
Before an Audience of Fifty-
Strike Notices Are Posted There.
—–

(Special to Review.)

Mother Jones, Tacoma Times, Sept 19, 1904

TUCSON, Ariz., July 16.-“Mother Jones” spoke here last night [July 15] in front of the Cabinet saloon on Congress street. Fifty people by actual count listened to her discourse on the subject of “Relation of Capital to Labor.”

She stated that Sheriff Jack White of Cochise County had made the remark that she should be run out of the country, and proceeded to give the big sheriff at Tombstone a vitriolic tongue lashing the equal of which has never been heard on the streets of Tucson before.

She paid her respects to the Copper Queen and Calumet & Arizona companies, and proceeded to give her own version of the strike situation there.

Strike notices were posted about Tucson today warning working men to stay away from Bisbee. They are the same notices printed shortly after the strike was inaugurated and are signed by Rawlins, Cannon, Mitanovich et al.

———-

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1907, Part I: Found in Speaking in Arizona

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 August 15, 1907
Mother Jones News for July, Part I: Found in Arizona

Mother Jones, Tacoma Times, Sept 19, 1904

During the month of July, Mother Jones was found continuing her work in Arizona on behalf of the Western Federation of Miners. She toured the mining districts and spoke to the miners, their families, and supporters. One such speech was described by The Tucson Citizen of July 16th:

Mother Jones, known as the miners’ Joan of Arc, arrived in Tucson yesterday afternoon and last night addressed an open air meeting at the corner of Church and Congress streets. Tremendous magnetism and a certain amount of crude eloquence are the attributes with which Mother Jones has endeared herself to tens of thousands of working people all over the United States. Last night she gave a characteristic address….

Mother Jones went throughly into the Colorado and Idaho situation and lambasted the crowd that is prosecuting Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone. Getting nearer home she paid her stinging compliments to the Copper Queen Mining Company and gave her own version of the strike situation there. She has been at Bisbee since May 15 of this year lending encouragement to the strikers in the interest of the Western Federation of Miners. Her voice rose almost to a shriek as she told the Federation side of the troubles in the Warren district. Frequently during the address the old woman was cheered and exclamation of “God bless you” and “Good for you, Mother,” were heard from among her auditors. Before she finished the speaker was surrounded by a crowd in thorough sympathy with her, and the wonderful power she exerts over large bodies of men was made manifest in the way she swayed her Tucson audience….

———-

Part I: Mother Jones News for July 1907

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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Comes to Denver to Congratulate Haywood; Big Bill Back at Work at His Desk

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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A year ago, when I was kidnaped,
some of my friends told me
I would never leave Idaho alive.
But I am here,
and I did not come back in a box,
as they told me I would.
-Big Bill Haywood

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

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday August 7, 1907
Denver, Colorado – Mother Jones Visits Big Bill Haywood

From The Rocky Mountain News of August 6, 1907:

Mother Jones, Mar 11, 1905, AtR

MOTHER JONES SEES HAYWOOD
—–
Makes Trip to Denver to Congratulate
Federation Leader.

Mother Jones, the famous woman labor leader, made a trip to Denver especially to see and congratulate William D. Haywood on his return home. She paid the secretary of the Western Federation of Miners a call at his office in the Pioneer building yesterday, and they enjoyed a short talk. During the Trinidad strike, and other Colorado labor difficulties, Mother Jones was in Colorado and was as active worker for the union cause.

———-

[Photograph added.]

Haywood Found Back at Work

HAYWOOD, WITH HIS COAT OFF,
BACK AT WORK
—–
Visits Headquarters, Greets Friends
and Attacks Pile of Telegrams.
—–

HMP, BBH back at desk, DP p2, August 5, 1907

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for June 1917: Found in West Virginia

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 July 19, 1917
Mother Jones News for June: Organizing in West Virginia

Mother Jones, UMWJ, Feb 10, 1916

Mother Jones was found in West Virginia during the month of June 1917 continuing on the mission to organize the coal miners of that state into the ranks of the United Mine Workers of America.

The United Miner Workers Journal of June 7th had this to say about the organizing campaign in the New River and Winding Gulf field:

Mother Jones, ably assisted by organizers in whom the West Virginia miners have learned to repose the fullest confidence, are active in the field and are making a record of successful organization.

New River and the Winding Gulf field, where but a short time ago a union man could not confess his faith except at the imminent risk of his life, is fairly on the road to solid organization.

A letter from West Virginia printed in the June 28th edition of the Journal describes the miners lining up with the union en masse:

Possibly a few words from this part of West Virginia would not be amiss. Of course, as you know, there has been a local here of several years’ standing, but not until now, of recent date, has there been any united action on the part of the miners themselves, and to cinch it all Mother Jones and Brother L. Dwyer clinch it. All Layland, believe me, turned out en masse, even the county officials, to attend, and general good feeling exists all around. The boys are joining their union and the quickest way seems too slow now since they begin to see the light.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for June 1907: Found in Arizona

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 July 18, 1907
Mother Jones News for June: Organizing Miners in Arizona

Mother Jones, Mar 11, 1905, AtR

During the month of June 1907, Mother Jones was found working with the Western Federation of Miners, organizing the metal miners of Arizona. During that month she also made a trip to New York City, and, on her way back to Arizona, stopped off in Girard, Kansas, to visit with J. A. Wayland of the Appeal to Reason.

The Tombstone Epitaph of June 2, 1907 stated that she should seek a less taxing lifestyle than that of preaching “socialistic doctrines,” while the Albuquerque Evening Citizen of June 24, 1907 honored her efforts on behalf of the working class:

Like Joan of Arc, Mother Jones is alone in her class, and is one of the few labor leaders in this country who have the ear of the entire people, and the respect of the different factions that so often clash in the material world.

From the Nogales Border Vidette of June 1, 1907:

“Mother” Jones, prominent in the labor field of the United State, will arrive in Tombstone this afternoon and is billed to lecture both this and tomorrow evening. “Mother” Jones is a lady 60 years of age or more, the major portion of which time has been devoted to the welfare of the working-man. The lady is not a disturbing element nor an agitator, but on the contrary endeavors to still the troubled waters by pointing out how amicable relations may be brought about and prosperity take the place of chaos. “Mother” Jones speaks from a socialistic standpoint, is well versed in political economy, highly educated and has oratorical ability. Her prominence throughout the country will doubtless call out large audiences on both occasions of her lectures.-Prospector.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for May 1917: Found in West Virginia and Indiana

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 June 14, 1917
Mother Jones News for May: Organizing in West Virginia

Mother Jones, Garment Strike, Chg Dly Tb, Feb 26, 1917, crpd 2

During the month of May 1917 Mother Jones was found in West Virginia on a mission for the United Mine Workers of America organizing the mining camps of the Winding Gulf District where she is beloved by the miners and considered a treasonous old-hag by the mine owners.

The following is part of a report from West Virginia published in the United Mine Workers Journal:

Judging from [her listeners’] expressions, I am confident that the results of that grand old lady’s talk and the clean-cut statements of the other representatives as to the opportunity that the United Mine Workers of America are offering the miners of this field, and considering that we now have officials that believe in making contracts above the table, I believe I heard at least fifty or more men this evening say that if the national will keep Mother Jones in this field a while longer we will get a hundred per cent organization.

She also paid visits to Chicago and to Brazil, Indiana.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for May 1907: Found in Texas and Arizona

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Martin Irons sleeps and in
God’s good time his name will be revived,
the contumely will be effaced
and his memory will shine resplendent
in the galaxy of agitators, pioneers and warriors
who died to make man free.
-Mother Jones

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday June 13, 1907
Mother Jones News for May: Visits Grave of Martin Irons

Mother Jones, Mar 11, 1905, AtR

During the month of May 1907, Mother Jones was found active as a speaker for the Socialist Party in Texas, and, in Arizona, she was found in Bisbee, assisting the Western Federations of Miners. While in Texas, Mother paid a visit to the grave of Martin Irons. An account of that visit can be found below, along with a tribute to the Pioneer Labor Hero, Martin Irons.

From The Dallas Morning News of May 1, 1907:

“MOTHER” JONES WILL SPEAK.
—–
Chicago Woman, Speaker on Socialistic
Topics, Is Here.

“Mother” Jones of Chicago, a lecturer whose advocacy of Socialism has made her well known throughout the United States, will speak tonight at 8 o’clock in the Woodman Hall at the corner of Corinth and Wall Streets, near the cotton mills. Tomorrow night she will speak in the City Hall auditorium, and both addresses will constitute part of the campaign for municipal positions of the local Socialist candidates.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for April 1917: Found in West Virginia as Organizer for UMWA

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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What the lawmakers give you
they can take away.
The only thing you are sure of
is what you win for yourself.
-Mother Jones

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday May 10, 1917
Mother Jones News for April: Mother Jones Returns to West Virginia

Mother Jones, WV with children of striking miners, ISR 1913

Who could ever forget the story of Mother Jones in West Virginia during the Paint and Cabin Creek Strike of 1912 and 1913 when she was held prisoner and court-martialed by the military forces of the that state?

Mother Jones has recently returned to the state of West Virginia, along with Peggy Dwyer, as an organizer for the United Mine Workers of America. This is where we find her during most of the month of April 1917.

First, however, we find her mentioned in and article in the New York Tribune of April 1, 1917, written by John J. Leary, Jr., and entitled “How Old Is The Eight-Hour Movement?”

“How old is the eight-hour movement,” asked the city editor, when the attention of the country was focussed on the labor question by the decision of the Supreme Court upholding the Adamson eight-hour act….

As a matter of cold fact, the first law fixing the hours of labor at eight was enacted in New York fifty years ago, in 1857, to be exact. A joker in the law, however, prevented its being much more than a dead letter, for it was also provided that the law should apply only “where there is no contract or agreement to the contrary.” [With the bosses, of course, writing the contracts.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for April 1907: Found on Speaking Tour in Texas

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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President Roosevelt and others class
Moyer, Haywood and other labor leaders
as undesirable citizens.
For my part I am glad to be classed with them.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday May 9, 1907
Mother Jones News for April: Found Touring in Texas

Mother Jones, Tacoma Times, Sept 19, 1904

During the month of April 1907, Mother was found touring Texas and giving speeches on Socialism, on economic conditions, and in support of Charles Moyer and Bill Haywood who remain imprisoned in Idaho.

From The Fort Worth Telegram of April 3, 1907:

SOCIALISTS PLAN AN ACTIVE YEAR
—–

Mother Jones and E. V. Debs
Among Speakers Scheduled
—–

To The Telegram:

The Socialists in this city are making plans for a great propaganda work this summer.

Local Fort Worth meets every Sunday at 3 p. m. in Red Men’s hall, and never fails to have an interesting program.

They recently collected $125 to defray expenses of a representative to the Moyer-Haywood-Pettibone trial in Idaho. W. M. McClain was chosen to go and left last week for the scene of the impending trial.

The next lecturer to visit Fort Worth will be Mother Jones, who will be here some time during this month.

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