Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for May 1912: Speaks in Anaconda, Montana, on Behalf of the Harriman Lines Shopmen’s Strike

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Quote Mother Jones re Wealth Power Government, Anaconda Standard p5, May 4, 1912—————

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday June 16, 1912
Mother Jones News Round-Up for May 1912
Found Speaking in Anaconda, Montana, on Behalf of the Shopmen’s Strike

From The Anaconda Standard of May 4, 1912:

URGES WORKERS TO JOIN THEIR FORCES
———-

MOTHER JONES ADDRESSES MEMBERS OF LOCAL UNION.
———-
IN INTEREST OF STRIKERS
———-
Speaker is well known as strike aider and
advocate of labor unions in general
-Speaks on behalf of Southern Pacific men.

Mother Jones, Tacoma Tx p3, Feb 14, 1912

Mother Jones, the strike worker and speaker for labor unions, was in the city yesterday in the interest of the strikers on the Harriman lines. She addressed the members of the Mill and Smelter Men’s union at last night’s session. Mother Jones is known the world over. Last night she made a plea for the strikers on the Southern Pacific, stating that if this strike was lost it would be much harder to win the next. She said, in part:

I am here tonight in the interest of the strikers on the Harriman lines. From time immemorial all our wars were based on economic principles. It is a conflict between classes, and always has been. It is not a struggle between parties, it is class war. The great system you are grappling with the world has never known before. We are in the midst of a great industrial war such as the world has never seen before. Everything is changing; our newspapers, ideas, ways of living, ways of thinking and everything that is connected with us. What are our newspapers? Organs in the control of the ruling class.

We are producing more wealth today than ever before. We produce more wealth than ever did Rome or Greece. There is something wrong with the people when they let this wealth get in the hands of a few. Wealth is power, power rules, consequently we have a despotic government. The power is not in the government, but in Wall Street. The president who is elected is named two years before election by the banks on Wall street. The press is controlled by that power and it molds public opinion. The magazines are the same. Religion fits in with this system of the capitalists. You did not see any Salvation Army 60 years ago. It was not needed. The Salvation Army came with the controlling class. The same is true of the temperance movements. The controlling class needs these devices to keep the working class hypnotized so they cannot think. Everything is in conflict. We are all after the dollar. We betray ourselves for the dollar, as well as for a smile from the boss.

Mother Jones continued in a similar strain at some length. 

—————

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for April 1912, Part II: Speaks in Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota on Behalf of Harriman Strikers

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Quote re Mother Jones, LW p3, Apr 20, 1912—————

Hellraisers Journal – Monday May 20, 1912
Mother Jones News Round-Up for April 1912, Part II
Found Traveling Through Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota

From The Butte Miner of April 1, 1912:

HdLn Mother Jones Spks, Btt Mnr p5, Apr 1, 1912

 “Mother” Jones, a national figure in labor circles, a woman who has done a life’s work in the furtherment of the cause of humanity, regardless of position or circumstance, last night, with a vigor at her 89 years that would put to shame the lassitude of her sisters with less milestones to account for, made a stirring address before the Silver Bow Trades and Labor council that, in lasting an hour or more, was considered too short.

She spoke first as an accredited representative of the federated employes of the Harriman system of railroads, now on strike. But she went further and covered details of the labor situation generally that appealed with telling force to her audience. Her talk was frequently interrupted by applause and was given with a spirit of conviction that carried weight…..

—————

From The Fargo Forum of April 9, 1912:

MOTHER JONES SCORED TEDDY
———-

NOTED INDUSTRIAL WORKER’S LECTURER WHO APPEARED AT ASSEMBLY
HALL LAST NIGHT, SCORED ROOSEVELT AND J. P. MORGAN.
———-

“Mother” Jones, 80 years of age and well known the country over as the industrial worker’s lecturer, appeared at the Assembly hall last night in a lecture on Social Conditions, which was heard by a large number of laboring men and others. “Mother” Jones is the official organizer of the United Mine Workers of America, and has traveled the world over in her efforts in this movement. Last night she was introduced “from God Knows where.”

“Mother” Jones took a fling at Col. Theodore Roosevelt in her address last night. She accused him of selling out the coal miners in the strike of 1912 [1902] soon after he came into the White House.

Then she also rapped the Men and Religion Forward movement, which she said was but another scheme of J. Pierpont Morgan to get money from the laboring men and classes he could not otherwise reach. Her speech was a firey one and she electrified her audience with her denunciations of different nation-wide movements.

She was accompanied here to Fargo by Rev. C. H. Doolittle of Chicago, called the workingman’s friend, who opened the meeting last night with prayer which he followed with a short address on the present situation of the strike on the Harriman lines.

Another speaker at the meeting was C. M. Fielder, organizer of the journeymen barbers, who has been here for several weeks, who also talked about the Harriman strikers.

—————

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

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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: The Western Tour of Elizabeth Gurley Flynn: “The trip has been an unqualified success.”

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Quote EGF, Western IWW Aggressive Spirit, IW p3, Aug 12, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday August 18, 1909
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Describes Her Western Tour

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of August 12, 1909:

SUCCESSFUL TRIP WORK OF E. G. FLYNN
—–

EGF, Restored, Spk Rv p7, July 9, 1909

My western trip has convinced me of at least two things, that the sun doesn’t rise in the Long Island sound and set in the Hudson river, and that I couldn’t possibly blarney myself into the idea that I am a hard-worked sort of martyr for the cause of labor, and give due consideration to the splendid treatment I have received from the organization and audiences in the west. The trip has been an unqualified success from all points of view, yet I have enjoyed every step of the way. Nowhere have I felt like a stranger, everywhere I could say regretfully of the cast, “Home was nothing like this!” I would recommend a like trip to any New Yorker who believes that their town is the world, and then some. Even if they travel the box car route they can feel at home after their 6×12 hall bedrooms on the air shaft, and they will feel, as I have, that New York is a very small part of the revolutionary movement, at least.

No. 64 at Minneapolis.

My trip started in Minneapolis, where Local No. 64 is forging ahead. We held a series of open air meetings in the employment agency district and every night before we opened up crowds 500 or 600 strong gathered. They listened attentively, sang revolutionary songs and judging by the enthusiasm the time is more than ripe to open up a hall and reading room in that city. We have certainly “started something” in the Flour City.

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Hellraisers Journal: “Military Stop A Paper At Mullan and Arrest Editor” – Wilbur H. Stewart Taken to Bullpen

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Quote Ed Boyce re Manly Blood per Gaboury 1967———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday May 29, 1899
Mullan, Idaho – Editor Wilbur H. Stewart Arrested

From The Seattle Post-Intelligencer of May 26, 1899:

ALL THE SALOONS CLOSED
—–

MILITARY STOP A PAPER AT MULLAN AND ARREST EDITOR.
—–
Before the Coroner’s Jury at Wardner the Books of
the Miners’ Union Were Produced,
Showing Lists of Men to Be Run Out
—–

New Bull Pen of 1899, Class War in ID by Harriman, 1900

—–

WARDNER, Idaho, May 25.-All saloons in Mullan, Gem and Burke were closed today, the publication of the Mullan Mirror stopped and its editor, W. H. Stewart [Wilbur H. Stewart], arrested on a charge of publishing seditious matter. Four hundred and seventy-seven permits for employment have been issued in Wardner. The Last Chance mine started up with a small force this morning. None of the mines above Wallace have started, but many men are coming in and they win soon start.

Gen. Merriam left today for Denver, leaving Maj. Smith in command of the United States forces in the Coeur d’ Alenes.

There are now 225 men accused of rioting, confined in the new prison [bullpen] just completed here.

The coroner’s investigation into the cause of the death of two men during the riot of May 9 [April 29-The Battle of Bunker Hill, near Wardner] is still in session, and will probably last a week longer. Three hundred witnesses have been examined, and some very damaging evidence is said to have been secured against the alleged rioters. Examination of the records of the miners’ unions which were seised by the military authorities, show lists of the men who were to be run out of the country.

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Hellraisers Journal: National Labor Convention for Mooney: Debs Invited, W. F. Dunn of Butte Speaks for Radicals

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Quote EVD re General Strike, Journal Paper Mill Workers p7, Mar 1919

———-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday January 18, 1919
Chicago, Illinois – National Labor Convention for Mooney Hears from Radicals

From The Butte Daily Bulletin of January 16, 1919:

National Labor Mooney Conference, HdLn, Btt Dly Bltn p1, Jan 16, 1919 National Labor Mooney Conference, Radicals, Btt Dly Bltn p1, Jan 16, 1919

—–

(Special Dispatch to The Bulletin.)

Chicago, Jan. 16.-At this morning’s session of the Mooney Labor Congress Ed Nolan scored the capitalist press on its criticism of the invitation of Debs and its attempt to give a sense of dissension among the delegates. Debs’ name was again greeted with tumultuous applause. It was moved that the Nonpartisan league be given the floor. The motion was defeated. Dunn of Butte moved to give the Detroit delegate the floor. The Detroit leader clearly outlined the program before the convention as follows:

No political begging, a general strike to free Tom Mooney and also to take a stand to free political prisoners and recognize Russia; reorganize the American Federation of Labor on an industrial basis.

The radicals are satisfied with the moves so far.

—–

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Hellraisers Journal: Butte Metal Miners Form New Union & Issue Demands; Spontaneous Walk-Out at Elm Orlu Mine

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“Dagos are cheaper than props.”
-Mother Jone quoting a Mine Manager

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

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday June 20, 1917
Butte, Montana – Metal Miners Organize and Strike

From the Phoenix Arizona Republican of June 17, 1917:

NEW UNION CLAIMS 1600 MEMBERS
—–

(Republican A. P. Leased Wire)

Butte Copper Mine, Drawing, ISR, Aug 1914

BUTTE, Mont., June 16.-Sixteen hundred miners it was announced today, are members of the Metal Mine Workers’ Union which is about a week old. The union’s speakers, at an open air meeting attended by more than 3000 miners, appealed to the miners to continue to keep away from the mines. The union’s officials said more than 3000 miners are on strike for an increase in wages and improved working conditions.

No disturbances were reported to the police today, but several arrests were made for distributing without a license, circulars issued by the union attacking the local newspapers and urging all miners to join the union.

The mining companies reported all the mines working but with reduced forces.

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