Tag: Socialist Party of Massachusetts

Hellraisers Journal: “A Comrade’s Tribute! Eugene V. Debs on the Tribune of the Proletaire: Frederic O. MacCartney.”

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD Capitalist Press re Socialism, ISR p181, Sept 1900—————

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday June 11, 1903
Eugene Debs Pays Tribute to Frederic O. MacCartney, Gone Too Soon

From the Social Democratic Herald of June 6, 1903:

—–

A COMRADE’S TRIBUTE!
Eugene V. Debs on the Tribune of the Proletaire:
Frederic O. MacCartney.

It is hard to write of the death of Frederic O. MacCartney. He belongs to the living, not the dead, and it will be long before we can realize that his eloquent voice is hushed and his great heart stilled forever. In the very spring of life-the ripening glory of his powers-he was cut down, and with such swiftness did the fatal blow descend that we who now stand over his prostrate flesh are so shocked and stunned that we cannot realize that death has come so near and snatched from us in all the flush of youth a comrade so loved and honored of us all.

Frederic MacCartney was an interesting, unique, and towering figure in the socialist movement. He had brain and heart, soul and conscience in large measure and fine proportion. He was a clear, clever, and versatile writer, a ready and resourceful debater, and as an orator had few equals in the movement.

MacCartney was born in Wisconsin, educated in Iowa, and received his theological training at Andover. It is fortunate that in his youth he came under the influence of George D. Herron, who then held the chair of Applied Christianity at Iowa College. The bright, honest, warm-hearted youth was soon impregnated with the new social philosophy and progressive spirit which at that time permeated the institution.

With such qualities of head and heart and such environment and training it is not strange that soon after he entered the ministry he concluded that creeds were cold and pulpits narrow. The more he thought about it the less theology satisfied the hunger of his soul. He sorrowed with the poor and wept with the oppressed and heavy laden. Something was surely wrong that this fair earth should be so scarred with misery. He investigated social conditions and studied economic science, gradually the darkness in which he groped was dispelled. The scales fell from his eyes and his vision was now clear. A new sun had risen for him. Henceforth his duty was plain and he would apply himself to his task with all the strength he could summon to his command.

Too honest to profess what he was not, he made without fear the full avowal of his convictions and as a sequence cleared the pulpit that was too narrow and dogmatic to hold him.

From the beginning he became a factor in the movement. He was filled to the brim with the spirit of international socialism. He felt himself aroused as if by Jehovah’s own command. He burned with the social passion for freedom, equality, and brother-love, and from his own intensity scattered the sacred fire among his fellow men.

At Rockland, his home, MacCartney was the idol of the working class; they loved and laureled him as their own hero, and even those opposed to him were moved to pay to him the tribute of respect.

The legislative labors of our comrade need no notice here, the General Assembly of Massachusetts will be poorer far without him and the people may well feel that they have lost a friend. With his two Socialist colleagues, MacCartney was a tower of strength in the legislative halls of the old Bay State. From the day they entered a new and distinctive power has been felt-a power with portent for the reign of capitalist corruption-the beginning of the end.

What pity, what pathos that such a brilliant career should be snuffed out at its very sunrise!

Ah, nature is forever the same-neither merciful nor vindictive-always inexorable.

Our dear comrade’s zeal exceeded his discretion. He had no thought that powers of endurance have limitations. Early and late, in legislative debate and committee room, on the rostrum, the street corner, anywhere, everywhere, all the time at work, pleading protesting, appealing, with tongue and pen in the name of oppressed and suffering humanity, his drafts upon nature were too deep and frequent and the inevitable protest followed, the protest sealed by death.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for October 1902, Part V: Found Speaking in Holyoke and Celebrating Mitchell Day in Wilkes-Barre

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Coming of the Lord, Cnc Pst p6, July 23, 1902—————

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday November 19, 1902
Mother Jones News Round-Up for October 1902, Part V
Found Speaking in Holyoke and Celebrating John Mitchell Day in Wilkes-Barre

From the Holyoke Daily Transcript of October 27, 1902:

MOTHER JONES SPEAKS.
———-

LARGE AUDIENCE LISTENS
———-
The Most Successful Socialist Rally
Held Here For Many Years.
———-

Mother Jones , Phl Inq p24, June 22, 1902

“Mother Jones, the miners’ friend” who has become well known all over the country for her fierce defence of the miners in the coal strike, and who has been arrested in the mining regions several times for her utterances, lectured in this city at the city hail last evening. That she was one of the persons who gained in popularity for her course was shown by the enthusiastic reception she received here. She was welcomed by the largest audience of any campaign speaker this fall, and the largest which attended a socialist rally for years, in Holyoke. It was attributed to her cause in which she appears to be in sympathy body and soul, and to the active part she has taken in it. “Mother” Jones is a pleasant-faced woman who speaks clearly and convincingly, and at times with the most bitting sarcasm. She made a big hit with the large audience. She has force and eloquence. She has been speaking a week in New England.

E. A. Buckland, the congressional candidate of the Socialist party, in this district, presided and introduced L. F. Fuller of Springfield, as the first speaker.

It was 8.30 o’clock before the speaking began.

Mr. Fuller said that a great case was on trial, a case of dollars against men. “The statement is sometimes made that money always did rule and always will rule. This is not true; as in the case of primeval man, money did not rule, and it is my firm belief that it will not long rule. In this country we do not recognize a governmental despotism, but an industrial despotism has already taken place. Abraham Lincoln placed labor above capital. Even in this country the hardest work is done by those who have the least. Labor is the creator of all values. We notice that the home-owners are disappearing. In the last few years the percentage of home-owners has dropped from 69 to 34 per cent. Socialism demands justice for humanity. The socialist objects to dividing up. If the laboring man was not continually dividing up the profits of his labor, there would be no millionaires in this country.

“Mother” Jones, at her introduction, was received with hearty applause.

One of the most important statements made by Mrs. Jones was that the strike is not at an end. She said the commission appointed by the president was organized because an election was approaching. Mrs. Jones wanted to know why the president took the insults of the coal barons so mildly sometime ago and then consulted with Morgan last Sunday on a yacht. She said the miners went back because of public opinion and public opinion did not care for them until the matter was brought home to the people by empty coal bins.

In speaking for organized labor co-operating with the socialists she said that during her 30 years’ acquaintance with the coal regions not a single clergyman protested against the oppression of the miners until the United Mine Workers entered the district. She said that if there is any Christian religion today it is in organized labor.

In speaking of the operators of Pennsylvania and the manner in which they treat the miners she said the operators can violate the law any time they please and 10 times a day if they desire. They seem to own the world, and all the people thrown in. She pictured the manner in which the coal barons live in contrast with the bare existence of the miners, who are compelled to bring their young children into the mines to help get a living. She made much of the journey of Morgan and some others across the continent when wine costing $35 a bottle was opened.

[…..]

She said the strike will not be settled in the coal regions until the miners get what belongs to them. They did not want charity, they wanted justice. Solidarity of labor, she said, was still in its incipiency. Mention was made of the probability of a strike of engineers and firemen that would overshadow the one now in existence. She said much was being urged against the militia and other weapons of the capitalists, but the greatest danger to the miners is the injunction.

In conclusion she urged the working people to emancipate themselves [by] the power of organized labor and by voting the socialist ticket at the polls.

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for October 1902, Part IV: Found Speaking on Behalf of Striking Miners at Boston’s Apollo Garden

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Coming of the Lord, Cnc Pst p6, July 23, 1902—————

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday November 18, 1902
Mother Jones News Round-Up for October 1902, Part IV
Boston, Massachusetts – Found Speaking on Behalf of Striking Coal Miners

From The Boston Globe of October 20, 1902:

HdLn Mother Jones Speaks Boston Glb p8, Oct 20, 1902

Mother Jones , Phl Inq p24, June 22, 1902

“Mother” Jones, who has become famous all over the country as a result of her work in behalf of the coal miners, addressed a gathering of more than 7000 yesterday afternoon at the open-air meeting at Apollo garden, Roxbury. The meeting was in behalf of the striking miners, and was under the auspices of the general committee of the socialist party.

It is said that more than 8000 tickets were sold and a good sum was realized, which will be forwarded for the assistance of the strikers. The meeting was also addressed by Representative James F. Carey and Ex-Mayor Chase of Haverhill, the latter socialist candidate for governor.

The meeting was an enthusiastic one and every telling point scored by the speakers brought forth ready approval. In the gathering was a fair sprinkling of women. The speakers stood on the balcony of the old house, which had been decorated free of charge, and the grove was given free of charge also.

The principal interest centered about the appearance of “Mother” Jones. She sat on the balcony while the other speakers were talking. She was dressed in a plain gown of black cloth and wore no hat. She looks to be more than 50 years old, and her hair is almost snow white. Her keen, small eyes look out from under rather heavy brows, and she has a voice of remarkable power, her address easily being heard at the other side of the grove.

She is a fighter for her “boys,” as she terms the men who work in the mines, and it was easy for those in the audience to see how she has come by the loving term of “mother.”

She told in a quiet, easy manner of her work among the miners, of their toil in the bowels of the earth, their attempts to keep their little families from starving, and of their grinding down by the coal barons. “Mother” Jones evidently knows whereof she speaks, for she told of her visits to the mines underground, and her control over the miners was illustrated by a story she told of a recent occurrence in the present strike, when she led a gathering of 7000 strikers and many women over the mountains in the coal region and their meeting with the armed militia.

———-

Respects the Law.

The keynote of her address was that the people had made the government, and must obey the law and abide by its decisions. When she was being introduced by the presiding officer, Patrick Mahoney, a man on the balcony interpolated the remark that “She also defied Judge Jackson.” She was hardly on her feet before she made a denial of the statement, saying that Judge Jackson represented the law, and she never defied the law.

Representative James F. Carey of Haverhill was the first speaker. He said the coal strike would have been a failure but for the fact that it has taught the miners a lesson. It has opened the eyes of the people. The class in economic power, he continued, always controls the government, and socialists, knowing that, have tried to bring to the attention of the voters the absurdity of voting for the representatives of capital…..

John C. Chase, socialist candidate for governor, was received with cheers. He said that if the strikers had to go back without gaining a single thing it would show one thing, and that is that the working class must stand together in industrial matters and politics…..

“Mother” Jones was the next speaker, and there was a wave of applause as she came forward. She spoke clearly and distinctly and rather slowly. At no time till she grow heated, but the pathos of her voice showed clearly that the interests of the striking miners were her interests.

She said she largely was responsible for the miners’ organization.

[She said:]
For ages men had been struggling to right the wrongs of the world. In this country we first had the civil struggle, and we settled that. Now at the beginning of the 20th century we have the industrial struggle.

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Hellraisers Journal: “Red Flags, Red Language and Red Enthusiasm” Greet Eugene Debs at Faneuil Hall, Boston

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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We’re not here to reform
the capitalist class,
but to wipe it out.
-Eugene Victor Debs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday October 24, 1908
Boston, Massachusetts – Socialist Greet Debs with Wild Enthusiasm

From the Montana News of October 15, 1908:

BOSTON SOCIALISTS WELCOME LEADER
—–
Thousands Great Debs With the
Greatest Enthusiasm.
—–

EVD Red Special Crew, Cover ISR Oct 1908

—–

Red flags, red language and red enthusiasm swept everything before them at Faneuil hall on the night of October 5 when the socialists of Boston waited patiently until nearly 10 o’clock to welcome their standard bearer, Eugene V. Debs of Illinois [Terre Haute, Indiana], locomotive fireman, grocer, legislator, labor agitator, strike director, convert to socialism and, like Bryan, three times a candidate for president.

The Cradle of Liberty got the wildest rocking both inside and out it has had in many years. As early as 6 o’clock the reds began to gather and by 7:30 o’clock the doors had to be closed, as everything was filled to the limit. Crowds surged to and fro all around the building, waving the red tri-cornered flags and shouting “Hurrah for Debs and Hanford.”

Enthusiasm to Spare.

Talk about enthusiasm. Why, the reds have both the big parties rolled into one and then beaten by fourteen miles. One of the speakers said the republicans or the democrats would have hard work to get out such a crowd. He might just as well have said it would have been impossible. First a wave of applause would surge out of the hall, and it would be met by an answering billow from the mob outside.

Inside the hall the crowd seated was only a small part of the real audience present. They hung off the balcony, up over the portraits of Sam Adams and John Hancock. They filled the space in front of the platform so that the reporters had to fight for their places. They forced their way up on the platform and pressed their way forward to the very chairs occupied by the speakers.

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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Thanks Massachusetts Socialist for Her Care During Illness While in Arkansas

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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While life remains I shall always
be with you in the conflict.
-Mother Jones

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

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday August 19, 1906
From the Appeal to Reason: Mother Jones to Massachusetts Socialists

From this week’s Appeal:

Mother Jones, Mar 11, 1905, AtR

FROM MOTHER JONES.
—–

Through the columns of the APPEAL I desire to give expression to my deep appreciation of the thoughtful and kind consideration of the Massachusetts comrades during my recent illness. Your letter to Comrade Hogan, instructing him to spare no expense and that you would foot the bills, bears within itself a deep sense of comradeship which is worth much to us in the movement. I have never yet had to call on the comrades, having always felt that the Socialist movement had no right to pay my bills. My life work is consecrated to the oppressed and suffering ones of the human race; nevertheless, I feel a deep sense of gratitude to our Massachusetts comrades who so promptly and generously offered such substantial assistance.

While life remains I shall always be with you in the conflict.

MOTHER JONES.
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