Indianapolis

Hellraisers Journal: A Poetical Tribute to Mother Jones as "The Peacemaker" at Miners' Convention

There is only one Mother Jones.
-Frank Hayes, Vice President,
United Mine Workers of America

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Sunday January 30, 1916
Indianapolis, Indiana - U. M. W. of A. Convention Pauses for a Poetical Tribute

Mother_Jones__Boston_Globe__Jan_30__1915.png

Before adjourning for the day on Saturday January 22nd, delegates at the Miners' Convention were entertained with a bit of poetry:

Delegate McAlester, District 12–Delegate Loftus has written a poem upon the occurrence here the other day and we would like to have him read it.
Delegate Loftus—Delegate McDonald's name and Delegate Germer's will appear. I would like to know if they have any objections to having it read. No objection being offered, Delegate Loftus read the following:

THE PEACEMAKER.

It was just a little resolution,
Didn’t amount to very much
Brought on a very wordy war
'Mongst the Irish, Scotch and Dutch.

They used many personalities,
Which I always deemed a curse;
Had Mother not just happened in
It might have been much worse.

We have thirteen hundred delegates
Who represent labor's cause,
And many joined in the chorus
By giving great applause.

When the battle raged the fiercest—
Words shot back and forth like stones—
In stepped a goodly lady,
Our splendid Mother Jones.

Hellraisers Journal: John Mitchell Again Elected President of the United Mine Workers of America

The strikebreaker is the hero of American industry.
-Dr. Charles W. Eliot,
Member of the National Civic Federation

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Monday January 29, 1906
From The Labor World: John Mitchell Again Elected President of U. M. W.

UMW Convention of 1906, Ipls News, Jan 17.png
The Scene in Tomlinson Hall, John Mitchell Presiding.
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The Convention of the United Mine Workers, held recently in Indianapolis, Indiana, has once again elected John Mitchell as President. This was reported by The Labor World on page three which followed a report on page two concerning Mitchell's response to attacks upon his leadership and his involvement in the National Civic Federation.

Hellraisers Journal: John Mitchell Under Attack at UMW Convention, Defends National Civic Federation

The strikebreaker is the hero of American industry.
-Dr. Charles W. Eliot,
Member of the National Civic Federation

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Sunday January 28, 1906
From The Labor World - John Mitchell Attacked at U. M. W. of A. Convention

From the latest edition of the Duluth Labor World:

JOHN MITCHELL IS ANGRY
AT HIS ACCUSERS
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Again Brands As False The Accusation
That He Sold Out the Miners.
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John Mitchell.jpg

INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 22.-There was a sensational scene in convention today which was an echo of the attack made on John Mitchell by Robert Randall, of Dietz, Wyo., in last year's convention. Randall charged Mitchell at that time with having sold out the miners in the Colorado strike and Mitchell made reply, branding the statement as a lie. Randall was expelled from the organization as a result.

Today a delegate named A. F. Germoi [Adolph Germer] of Mount Olive, Ill., made the charge that some of Randall's statements were correct. He presented a letter from Secretary Heywood [Haywood] of the Western Federation of Miners, in which Heywood denied the statement made in Mitchell's address of Saturday that Western Federation members were taking the places of the United Mine workers on strike.

Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones at UMWA Convention; V.P. Hayes, "There is only one Mother Jones."

You ought to be out raising hell. This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones

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Sunday January 23, 1916
Indianapolis, Indiana - Mother Jones Speaks at U. M. W. of A. Convention, Part II

Mother_Jones__Boston_Globe__Jan_30__1915.png

Friday's Hellraisers featured newspaper accounts of "Old Mother Jones" "storming" the stage at the Mine Workers' Convention, now ongoing in Indianapolis. Once on stage, Mother put an end to a bitter dispute between the international officers and Delegates McDonald and Germer of Illinois.

The acrimonious debate was fueled by the union's financial difficulties which no doubt stem from the long and hard fought struggles of the past four years, for example: brutal strikes in West Virginia and Colorado. Expenses continue to mount in Colorado due to legal cases involving more than 400 union men (John R. Lawson included) who are yet entangled in the courts of that state.

Mother called Duncan McDonald and Adolph Germer to the stage and, in the end, handshakes were exchanged all around.

Yesterday we presented part one of the speech given by Mother Jones and we conclude today with part two.

Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones at UMWA Convention; V.P. Hayes, "You can't stop her from talking."

You ought to be out raising hell. This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones

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Saturday January 22, 1916
Indianapolis, Indiana - Mother Jones Speaks at United Mine Workers Convention

UMWJ Cover Detail, Mother Jones, Jan 21, 1915.png

Yesterdays Hellraisers featured reporting on the "storming" of the stage at the Mine Workers' Convention, now ongoing in Indianapolis, by the "Old Mother Jones" whereby she put an end to a bitter dispute between the international officers and Delegates McDonald and Germer of Illinois.

The acrimonious debate was over troubling financial matters which no doubt stem from the difficult struggles of the past four years, for example: long and hard fought strikes in West Virginia and Colorado. Expenses continue to mount in Colorado due to legal cases involving more than 400 union men (John R. Lawson included) who are yet entangled in the courts of that state.

Mother put an end to that debate and, in the end, handshakes were exchanged all around.

Today we are pleased to present the actual speech delivered on January 20th by Mother Jones at the convention. We begin with part one of the speech and will conclude tomorrow with part two.

Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Storms Stage at United Mine Workers Convention, Ends Bitter Debate

My friends, it is solidarity of labor we want...
We must be together; our masters are joined together
and we must do the same thing.
- Mother Jones

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Friday January 21, 1916
Indianapolis, Indiana - Mother Jones Puts an End to Bitter Debate at Miners' Convention

Mother_Jones__Boston_Globe__Jan_30__1915.png

Newspapers across the nation are describing the dramatic confrontation at the United Mine Workers Convention when Mother Jones arrived to find the delegates embroiled in a bitter debate and hurling bricks at one another. The Tacoma Times declared:

OLD MOTHER JONES STORMS CONVENTION

INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 20,-Mother Jones stampeded the convention of the United Mine workers today with an address of unpolished oratory.

She raised 1,500 delegates to a fury of enthusiasm and forced Duncan McDonald to the platform to shake hands with President White, ending a bitter struggle between the two which threatened to disrupt the organization for years.

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