Hellraisers Journal – Monday April 17, 1911 Mother Jones News Round-Up for March 1911: –Found in Denver Fighting for Sixteen Miners Jailed by Judge Whitford
From the Black Hills Daily Register of March 6, 1911:
Accuses Judge of Bribery
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(By Pan-American Press.)
Sixteen miners freed from jail with assistance of Mother Jones. —–
Denver, March 6.-The impeachment investigation against Judge Greeley W. Whitford, which is being conducted by a committee of the Colorado house of representatives, took a most sensational turn when the committee was told by Mrs. Margaret Miller that prior to his sentencing sixteen union men to jail a few mouths ago, she had delivered a package to Whitford which, she alleged, contained $3,000.
Mrs. Miller said she had been on terms of close relationship with Whitford for eight years. She testified that during the Cripple Creek mining troubles she was in the employ of the Mine Owners’ Association. She alleges a man associated with her in those troubles, gave her the money to give to Judge Whitford.
The sixteen miner were released from jail recently by Judge Whitford after serving two months of their sentence.
Union labor organizations all over the state of Colorado united in petitioning for Judge Whitford’s removal from the bench, declaring that the court in sentencing the miners, had found them guilty of a criminal charge without giving them the right of trial by jury. “Mother Jones” played an important part in the freeing of the men by holding immense meetings in all the large cities of the state.
Hellraisers Journal – Thursday April 11, 1901 Mother Jones News Round-Up for March 1901, Part II Found Arriving in Hazleton, Pa., for Mine Worker’s Convention
From the Philadelphia Times of March 13, 1901:
National Organizer Chris Evans Makes an Impassioned Appeal to the Delegates at Hazleton. ———- LEGISLATION IS DISCUSSED ———- Bills Now Pending at Harrisburg Come Up for Debate in the Convention and Evoke Heated Discussion. ———- [Mother Jones Arrives]
From a Staff Correspondent.
Hazleton, March 12.
National Organizer Chris Evans, in a speech before the convention of the miners here this afternoon, struck the keynote of the situation when he made an impassioned appeal for uniformity…..
…It is sure that a resolution will be introduced in the convention, making a demand for uniformity in the day wage scale for each of the three districts.
The convention was called to order by President Mitchell in the Grand Opera House at 10 o’clock. The house was filled, and it is believed that 700 delegates are in attendance.
In his opening address President Mitchell referred to the great growth in this region since the strike of last fall, which, he said, had proven that there is a community of interest between the anthracite and bituminous miners which makes needless the argument that they should stand together in one union.
[…..]
[…..]
Mitchell Refuses a House.
President Mitchell created somewhat of a sensation this afternoon by positively refusing to accept the offer of a house which the anthracite miners have decided to give him. In a touching speech he thanked the men very kindly for their appreciation of his efforts, and strongly urged them to devote the money to erecting a monument to those members of the union who gave up their lives in the cause of unionism at Latimer in 1897……
“Mother” Jones arrived here to-night from Scranton and immediately went to MacAdoo, where she and District President Duffy and National Organizer Chris Evans addressed a big meeting. “Mother” Jones will remain here several days and will likely address the convention to-morrow.
Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday April 10, 1901 Mother Jones News Round-Up for March 1901, Part I Found Writing for The Review and Marching with Striking Silk Workers
From the International Socialist Review of March 1901:
Civilization in Southern Mills ———-
The miners and railroad boys of Birmingham, Ala., entertained me one evening some months ago with a graphic description of the conditions among the slaves of the Southern cotton mills. While I imagined that these must be something of a modern Siberia, I concluded that the boys were overdrawing the picture and made up my mind to see for myself the conditions described. Accordingly I got a job and mingled with the workers in the mill and in their homes. I found that children of six and seven years of age were dragged out of bed at half-past 4 in the morning when the task-master’s whistle blew. They eat their scanty meal of black coffee and corn bread mixed with cottonseed oil in place of butter, and then off trots the whole army of serfs, big and little. By 5:30 they are all behind the factory walls, where amid the whir of machinery they grind their young lives out for fourteen long hours each day. As one looks on this brood of helpless human souls one could almost hear their voices cry out, “Be still a moment, O you iron wheels or capitalistic greed, and let us hear each other’s voices, and let us feel for a moment that this is not all of life.”
We stopped at 12 for a scanty lunch and a half-hour’s rest. At 12:30 we were at it again with never a stop until 7. Then a dreary march home, where we swallowed our scanty supper, talked for a few minutes of our misery and then dropped down upon a pallet of straw, to lie until the whistle should once more awaken us, summoning babes and all alike to another round of toil and misery.
I have seen mothers take their babes and slap cold water in their face to wake the poor little things. I have watched them all day long tending the dangerous machinery. I have seen their helpless limbs torn off, and then when they were disabled and of no more use to their master, thrown out to die. I must give the company credit for having hired a Sunday school teacher to tell the little things that “Jesus put it into the heart of Mr. – to build that factory so they would have work with which to earn a little money to enable them to put a nickel in the box for the poor little heathen Chinese babies.”
Hellraisers Journal – Saturday April 2, 1921 Secretary-Treasure Fred Mooney Reports on Trip to Mexico City
From the United Mine Workers Journal of April 1, 1921:
Circular Sent Out by Secretary-Treasurer Mooney
Fred Mooney, secretary-treasurer of District 17, has sent a circular letter to all local unions of that district entitled, “An Open Declaration of War,” in which he tells of the great attack that is being made on organized labor by that element of employers opposed to labor unions. He shows that the declaration of these employers in favor of the open shop is a declaration of war against labor. He calls upon organized labor everywhere to stand together in this crisis. He urges more thorough organization of workers into unions, so that they may be in position to meet the attack and defeat the effort that is being made to destroy labor unions.
Another circular which Secretary Mooney has sent out deals with his recent trip to Mexico City as representative of District 17 to the Pan-American Labor Congress. Among the interesting passages in this circular is the following:
Progress was reported from every quarter of Mexico and for many independent countries of South America. Four states of Mexico reported the election of Socialist or Labor Party Governors; in four different states of Mexico it constitutes a violation of law for an employer to hire non-union labor when union men are on strike to better their conditions. The federal constitution of Mexico provides that any employer who discharges an employe for union activities shall pay the employe three months’ wages in advance.
Mexico today has one of the most liberal and friendly governments towards the workers that is in existence on the Western Hemisphere, and the workers are building up a strong labor movement, their chief desire is to be let alone to work out their own destiny. The Mexican Regional Confederation of Labor has a membership of 450,000, among which are 82,000 railroad men, 7,000 munition workers, 18,000 carpenters, 3,000 miners, the remainder is composed of different trades. Luis N. Morones, president of the Confederation of Labor, is also chief of Military Commissariat, and one of the reservations made by him when accepting government appointment was that his service to his government should not interfere with his activities in the Federation of Labor, and that every employe under him must be permitted to join the Federation of Labor if they so desired; this was granted. Every member of the Federation of Labor who is elected or appointed to any government position must pay one-sixth of his salary each month into the treasury of the Federation of Labor. Morones is well educated, a born leader, knows no fear when fighting for his class—he was sentenced to be shot four different times during the revolution.
Hellraisers Journal – Friday March 17, 1911 Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1911, Part I: –Found in Denver Speaking Out Against Government by Injunction
From The Rocky Mountain News of February 3, 1911:
1,000 WOMEN, SOME WITH BABIES, JOIN PROTEST ———- Twelve Thousand, Including Legislators, Parade as Rebuke to Judge Whitford for Recent Injunctions. ———-
OUST HIM, SAY RESOLUTIONS ———- Auditorium Packed Until Dark; Thomas Urges Change in Laws; Asks Recall. —–
The biggest trades union demonstration ever seen in Denver was that which took place yesterday in the form of a parade of the downtown streets and a mass meeting at the Auditorium as a protest against the decisions of Judge Greeley W. Whitford in the injunction cases against the union coal miners of the northern Colorado district and the striking machinists of the Denver Rock Drill and Machinery company.
The actual number in the parade was estimated at 12,000. The Auditorium was packed to its capacity and 2,000 were unable to get in…..
Former Governor Charles S. Thomas was the first speaker and from the time he began his address until “Mother” Jones closed at 6 o’clock the meeting was almost a continual demonstration of enthusiasm, with bursts of stormy applause whenever any especially strong denunciation of the decisions of Judge Whitford or or what the speakers designated “government by injunction” was uttered…..
Big Garment Workers’ Force.
The greatest number of women was in the first division. The Garment Workers’ union, the largest union of working girls in the city, marched in this division. So also did the woman’s auxiliary to the machinists…..
[Former Governor Thomas] urged the enactment of a recall law as one of the most effective means of putting an end to existing conditions, and the unanimity of the sentiment in favor of such a law was evidenced by vigorous applause.
E. E. [E. S.] McCullough, former vice-president of the United Mine Workers of America; John M. O’Neill, editor of the Western Federation of Miners’ magazine, and “Mother” Jones were the other speakers. O’Neill termed Whitford the Pontius Pilate of Colorado.
Hellraisers Journal – Thursday March 16, 1911 Denver, Colorado – “A Living Protest” by William D. Haywood
From the International Socialist Review of March 1911:
This picture was taken in Denver County Jail where Pettibone, Moyer, and Haywood were confined previous to being taken to the penitentiary in Idaho. The men occupy the same corridor where Haywood’s cell was located.
FEBRUARY the second was a memorable day in Denver, Colorado. Government by injunction received a jolt in the solar plexus that if followed up by a united working class will put the courts out of business.
Ten thousand men and women unionists and Socialists paraded the streets of the Queen City of the Plains, demanding that government by injunction be abolished. They marched in fours and sixes to the capital building. When the Socialist section arrived at the law factory, their band started up the Marseillaise, every red, big and little, singing the battle song of all nations.
From the capital building the parade marched to the city auditorium, where a monster protest meeting was held. Judge Greeley W. Whitford was damned, and denounced for sending sixteen coal miners, members of the U. M. W. A., to jail for a term of one year for the alleged violation of an injunction issued by him. The injunction was one of the blanket style that covers everything and everybody. Prohibited one from breathing in the vicinity of the coal company’s property or looking at one of their strike-breaking pets that they have imported from West Virginia.
Hellraisers Journal – Sunday March 10, 1901 Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1901, Part II Found Speaking to Striking Silk Mill Workers in Scranton, Pennsylvania
From The Philadelphia Inquirer of February 16, 1901:
Special to The Inquirer.
SCRANTON, Pa., Feb. 15–The hard silk workers held a meeting this afternoon at Carpenter’s Hall, at which announcement was made of the coming of “Mother” Jones, of the United Mine Workers, on Monday evening next, when she has agreed to address a mass meeting of silk workers at St. Thomas’ Hall. She comes here at the request of the United Mine Workers. It has been twice announced and twice officially denied that she was coming, the leaders of the silk workers not being aware of the wires being pulled by Secretary Dempsey, of the United Mine Workers…..
Hellraisers Journal – Saturday March 9, 1901 Mother Jones News Round-Up for February 1901, Part I Found Speaking in Cleveland, Ohio, at Labor Lyceum Meeting
From The Cleveland Leader of February 11, 1901:
SOCIALISTS AND SINGLE-TAXERS CLASH ———- They Talk Sharply at the Labor Lyceum Meeting. —–
“MOTHER” JONES PRESENT. —– She Starts the Ball Rolling by a Talk Favoring Socialism… —–
The Socialists and the Single Taxers crossed swords yesterday afternoon at the meeting of the Labor Lyceum. Mrs. Jones, of Chicago, who took a hand in the coal miners’ strike last summer and became known a “Mother” Jones, was at the meeting and told how she helped settle the great strike and incidentally espoused the cause of Socialism. This did not suit the Single Taxers. They did not propose to see their pet theory trampled in the dust, just on the eve of a campaign in which an apostle of the single tax idea is to play a leading part.
After “Mother” Jones had spoken for nearly an hour, James Vining took the floor and said that while he did not think that the Socialists were on the right track, he
SYMPATHIZED WITH THEM
for the reason that they were working for the cause of humanity……
“Mother” Jones spoke at length about the coal strike, and among other things declared that men were not brave and had acted the part of cowards during that struggle.
[She said;]
It takes courage to win a fight like that and I was disgusted at the cowardice of the men. I never knew what fear was. Why, I remember one time when I said I would conduct a meeting, some of the leaders of the strike warned me that violence would be used against me. I said I wasn’t afraid and proceeded. The afternoon preceding the meeting I was told that the mine bosses were intending to
SET DOGS ON ME.
That proved to be true, but I was prepared. I bought a pound of meat and cut it into small chunks. Every time I saw a dog approaching I threw a piece of meat at him, and he picked up the meat and ran away. By the time I commenced to speak the only dog present was one mining boss.
After the meeting, in an interview with a Leader reporter, Mrs. Jones said:
The miners are much better off than they were before the strike. They are earning more money, and don’t have to pay so much for powder.
They, moreover, have the privilege of buying their provisions where they choose. What is of more value than all this, however, is the fact that those unfortunates have been awakened to the fact that their souls are their own, and that they are not slaves.
They have learned that it lies in their power to better their conditions if they will only do so. Their condition is still pitiable, but I think that from now on their course will be upwards instead of sinking into deeper degradation.
Mrs. Jones left last evening for Scranton, Pa., where she has been taking a hand in the strike of the factory girls.
Hellraisers Journal – Monday February 28, 1921 Mother Jones News Round-Up for January 1921, Part II: -Found Speaking in Mexico City at Pan-American Labor Congress
Translated from Mexico City’s El Universal of January 10, 1921:
Mother Jones Arrives in Mexico City
Upon arriving at Buena Vista station in Mexico City [on the morning of January 9th], Mother Jones was met by 2,000 workers among whom were a large feminine contingent from the factories: El Recuerdo, El Buen Tono, Tabacelera, Cigarrera, La Estrella, Departmentos Fabules, and from the Trade Union of Waitresses, etc., all of whom carried, as did the male element, the banners of their respective groups…..
Mother Jones was the object of singular interest. With ninety years on her shoulders, she is one of the most indefatigable fighters for working-class organization in the United States.
Amidst a veritable shower of flowers, Mother Jones was brought in an auto from the platform of the station to the Glorieta Cuauhtémoc, where another contingent of trade union workers were awaiting her. They applauded her and threw fragrant sprays of roses. In the Glorieta, a demonstration was organized to honor Mother Jones, and was followed by a parade to the Hotel St. Francis where several Mexican workers spoke, and the guest of honor answered. She did so in virile and intrepid language, saying , in short, that when she first visited Mexico [in 1911], she never believed the workers’ movement in this country would have reached its present numbers and effectiveness; that she had been struggling in the field of ideas and action for years and years, a a struggle which would end only with her death; that she had dedicated her existence to seeking the economic, moral, and cultural development of the working class. She ended with a tribute to the Mexican workers affirming that only on the day when a single language and a single nation would exist on earth, would human happiness have been achieved.
Mother Jones is an elderly lady whose appearance is as modest as it its admirable, a woman with a very friendly behavior.
Hellraisers Journal – Sunday February 27, 1921 Mother Jones News Round-Up for January 1921, Part I: –Found Traveling from West Virginia to Mexico City with Fred Mooney
From The Sacramento Bee of January 4, 1921:
LEAVES FOR MEXICO.
CHARLESTON (W. Va.), January 4.-Fred Mooney, Secretary of District No. 17, United Mine workers of America, left to-day for Mexico City to attend the Pan-American Labor Conference next week. Mooney was accompanied by “Mother Jones.”
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National Organizer Chris Evans 
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Upon arriving at Buena Vista station in Mexico City [on the morning of January 9th], Mother Jones was met by 2,000 workers among whom were a large feminine contingent from the factories: El Recuerdo, El Buen Tono, Tabacelera, Cigarrera, La Estrella, Departmentos Fabules, and from the Trade Union of Waitresses, etc., all of whom carried, as did the male element, the banners of their respective groups…..
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