Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for March 1909, Part I: Found Speaking in Denver

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Quote Mother Jones, Dnv Rck Mt Ns p3, Mar 2, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday April 12, 1909
Mother Jones News Round-Up for March 1909, Part I:
-Found in Denver, Colorado, Speaking at Protest Meeting

On the evening of Thursday March 1st, Mother Jones spoke before trade unionists, assembled together at the People’s tabernacle, to protest against the jail sentences imposed upon Samuel Gompers, John Mitchell, and Frank Morrison by District Court Judge Daniel Thew Wright.

From The Denver Post of March 1, 1909:

MOTHER JONES TO ADDRESS DENVER
LABOR MEETING
—–
Protest Against Federal Judge Sending
Labor Leaders to Jail.
—–

3,000 ARE TO TAKE PART
—–
Resolutions to Be Adopted Strongly
Censuring Judge Wright.
—–

Mother Jones w edit crpd, Dnv Rck Mt Ns p2, Feb 28, 1909

Tonight at the People’s Tabernacle, Twentieth and Lawrence, labor will enter its protest against the recent decision of Judge Wright of the district of Columbia, sentencing Samuel Gompers, John Mitchell and Frank Morrison to prison for alleged contempt of court. A monster massmeeting has been arranged for, to commence at 8 o’clock. State senators, representatives and many of the representative labor men of Colorado will take part.

[…..]

“Mother Jones,” one of the famous women advocates of the rights of labor, a woman who saw many of the early conflicts of labor when blood was shed in Easter miners’ strikes, and one of the most interesting orators among the women of the country today will be one of the principal speakers.

“Mother Jones” is known to every laboring men in the country. She attends many labor conventions, and last year delivered one of her characteristic speeches before the annual convention of the Western Federation of Miners. She has been travelling through the West seeking to raise funds for three Western men who are being held in Mexican prisons on the ground that they were seeking to overthrow the Mexican government.

“Mother Jones” is a guest at the home of John M. O’Neill, editor of the official organ of the Western Federation of Miners, 1229 Kalamath street.

———-

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Charles Moyer at Laredo Labor Conference: Half-Truths & Untruths re IWW & Big Bill Haywood

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BBH Quote re May Day, AtR p2, Apr 27, 1907
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday November 20, 1918
Laredo, Texas – Charles Moyer Spews Bitter Venom at Bill Haywood

With great sadness we report and correct the half-truths and untruths spewed by Charles Moyer at Big Bill Haywood during the recent Pan American Labor Conference held at Laredo, Texas. Charles Moyer knows what it is to face the persecutions of the ruling class. He nearly lost his life in the 1913 Michigan Copper Miners strike when he was kidnapped, shot, and deported from the strike zone by company gunthugs.

From the Chicago Day Book of December 29, 1913:

M13, Moyer in Hospital, Day Book p29, Dec 29, 1913

He nevertheless returned to the strike zone after his release from the hospital, and was greeted by thousands of cheering strikers and their families. That this hero would now turn on his fellow workers brings deep disappointment and sadness.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1908, Part II: Found in Denver at Convention of Western Federation of Miners

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The fellows who are now in palaces
ought to be in jail.
The fellows who are in jail
ought to be in the palaces.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday August 21, 1908
-Mother Jones News Round-Up for July 1908, Part II
–Found Speaking at Denver Convention of W. F. of M.

On July 18th, Mother Jones was present in Denver at the Sixteenth Annual Convention of the Western Federation of Miners when she was invited to address the delegates gathered there. She was introduced by John M. O’Neill and spoke at length. The following summary of her remarks is taken from The Denver Post of July 19th (see full article below.)

MOTHER JONES, PEACEMAKER AT MINERS’ CONVENTION

Mother Jones re WFMC Speech, Dnv Pst p2, July 19, 1908

[From Speech by Mother Jones]

Mother Jones Speech Excerpts WFMC, Dnv Pst p2, July 19, 1908

The Western Federation has paved the way for labor to come together. The crucial time is on now with the guns of capital trained against you from Washington. Did not labor of the world stand behind you in your troubles? Take the United Workers of America by the hand and thank God you are getting together. Forget the little worries over the check-off system. When we all get together we will kick the check-off boss overboard.

When you join the United Mine Workers of America you will put some warm blood into them. Don’t forget, too, that they have good members and plenty of them.

We are working in a new century and must abandon the old things for the new. Women should organize as strongly as the men. I lined up 3,000 women in the Eastern mining camps and they took away the guns of the sheriffs and their dude deputies. These dudes carried little guns on their hips and sported miniature mustaches.

Do not wait for a written document from the other side in labor peace pacts. Take Tom Lewis by the hand. They were forced to adopt the check-off system when they were up against it. Feel that the United Mine Workers are still your brothers. The peace that Christ teaches should rule between your organizations.

———-

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Hellraisers Journal: Western Federation of Miners Drops Industrial Workers of the World; Constitution Amended

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Quote Mother Jones, UMWC, Indianapolis, July 19, 1902
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday August 4, 1908
Denver, Colorado – W. F. of M. Makes Break Official

The reporting by Luella Twining from the recent convention of the Western Federation of Miners, as published by the Appeal to Reason of August 1st, failed to mention that the convention, on July 22nd, officially severed all ties between the Federation and the Industrial Workers of the World. Other newspaper accounts did not ignore the rupture.

From the Illinois Moline Daily Dispatch of July 22, 1908:

WESTERN FEDERATION DROPS INDUSTRIALS
—–
Adopts Amendment to Constitution
Which Strikes Out All Reference to
Industrial Workers of the World.
—–

WFM button

Denver, July 22.-The Western Federation of Miners today officially repudiated the Industrial Workers of the World by adopting an amendment to its constitution striking out the words “mining department of Industrial Workers of the World” where they appear and inserting in lieu thereof Western Federation of Miners.”

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: From Appeal to Reason: Luella Twining Reports on Convention of Western Federation

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Quote Mother Jones, Palaces and Jails, AtR, Feb 29, 1908
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Monday August 3, 1908
Denver, Colorado – Miss Luella Twining Reports on Convention

From the Appeal to Reason of August 1, 1908:

THE WESTERN FEDERATION
—–
The Late Convention Shows the Old-Time
Vigor and Aggressiveness.

Luella Twining ab 1907

Miss Luella Twining, who attended the Sixteenth annual convention of the Western Federation of Miners at Denver, reports to the Appeal that no discouragement is observable because of severe trials through which the organization has passed during the Colorado war. Addresses were made by Moyer, Haywood, Lewis and Mother Jones that breathed the militant and aggressive spirit. The late meeting brought about much better feeling between the Western Federation and the United Mine Workers, and it is evident the two organizations will hereafter co-operate. News of the acquittal of Steve Adams was received with demonstrations of joy. Reports from Douglas Island, Alaska, show a bitter fight in progress there. Stockades are built around the mines, and citizens cannot appear on the public highways without being molested by the militia, sent to break the strike. A system of peonage prevails there.

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