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Hellraisers Journal – Sunday December 8, 1901
Mother Jones News Round-Up for November 1901, Part II
Found at Work Organizing the Miners of West Virginia
From the Shullsburg (Wisconsin) Southwestern Local of November 22, 1901:
Tag: Paterson Silk Strike of 1900
Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for February 1901, Part III: Found Standing Firm with Striking Silk Mill Workers of Pennsylvania
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Hellraisers Journal – Monday March 11, 1901
Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1901, Part III
Found Standing with Striking Silk Mill Workers of Pennsylvania
From the Wilkes-Barre Record of February 20, 1901:
“MOTHER’ JONES IN TOWN.
———-ADDRESSES A LARGE AUDIENCE AT THE B. I. A. HALL.
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“Mother” Jones arrived in town yesterday and addressed the striking silk mill girls at B. I. A. Hall. There was a large attendance and her address created much enthusiasm. P. J. Boyle, president of the Central Labor Union, presided and a number of other labor leaders were on the platform, among them president Duke of the Pittston C. L. U.
“Mother” Jones was introduced by Mr. Boyle and she said in part:
This presents on one side a deplorable picture of greed and avarice and on the other side a new chapter in progress and civilization. In labor’s dark and dismal days past she has had her heavy burden. Labor, and labor alone, has made the American nation great, has built State houses and mansions, has raised civilization, but all the while has overlooked her own best interests. The greatness of the nation she showed-that the Mississippi Valley alone is capable of supporting six hundred millions of people. Then why is it necessary to suffer so much and work so hard for a crust of bread.
Babies are taken from the cradle to the mill. The great commercial American nation cannot be built on the bleaching bones of American children. School is the proper place for children, and those who try to place them there are called anarchists. There are millions of helpless slaves held in the hollow of the hands of a few and we propose to set them free. No longer the lash of the black slave is heard, for his wail touched the heart of the nation. The wail of the factory girls will yet touch the heart of the nation. We have wondered why the pulse of the nation has not long since throbbed. It is an appalling picture, but the spirit of greed has been so well implanted in the commercial world that the picture does not appeal to the factory owner.
She illustrated the pains that are taken to care for animals, but the deplorable condition of children is never noticed.
Here in Wilkes-Barre you have a lot of little children who ought to be in the school room. These children are paid low wages and even then do not know how much they will receive until they receive their envelopes. If they are docked and ask the reason they are discharged. If they form a union to protest the leaders are told to seek work elsewhere. The silk manufacturers unite to keep up the price of silk and why then should not the girls who produce the article unite to keep up the price of labor?…..
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[Photograph added.]
Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for December 1900: Found Leaving Pennsylvania on Her Way to Organize Miners of West Virginia
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Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday January 8, 1901
Mother Jones News Round-Up for December 1900
Found in Leaving Pennsylvania, Headed for Coal Fields of West Virginia
From the Hazleton Plain Speaker of December 1, 1900:
WITH THE MINE WORKERS.
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“Mother” Jones Leaves For Virginia
–Dilcher, Here Next Week.
Fred Dilcher, who is at present doing missionary work in the Lackawanna region will arrive in this city on Monday. Mr. Dilcher’s visit is for the purpose of organizing the brewery employees and clerks in Hazleton. The latter have been organized but very little interest has been taken in the local and not a meeting has been held since the union was formed. Benjamin James was present at the meeting and it was decided by a unanimous vote that a charter be applied for.
Through the Lackawanna, upper Luzerne and the greater part of Schuylkill all tradesmen have been organized and every craft is represented in the great Federation of Labor.
“Mother” Jones who has been among the miners hereabouts for some time is organizing them, leaves tomorrow morning for Montgomery, Virginia, where she will do missionary work.
[She said today:]
Conditions are worse in Virginia than anywhere, and the days of chattel slavery are nothing compared to the methods employed by the mine owners there in forcing their employees into subjugation.
Mrs. Jones informed a reporter today that she would not return to this region for several months, but she leaves Hazleton glad in the knowledge that the miners are happy and contented and that better conditions exist in the anthracite region than for many years…..
[Photograph added.]
