Mother Mary Harris Jones

Hellraisers Journal: Ban on Mother Jones in Forsyth County Aimed at "Women Agitators For Anything!"

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

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Thursday February 8, 1906
Winston-Salem, North Carolina: Forsyth County Puts the Ban on Mother Jones

The Charlotte Daily Observer of February 6th reported the news:

Mother Jones, Miners Angel .jpg

Forsyth Commissioners Put Ban on
"Mother Jones."

Special to The Observer.

Winston-Salem, Feb. 5.-The county commissioners, in session to-day, declined to grant an application for "Mother Jones" to speak in the court house Friday and Saturday, on the ground that the board is "opposed to the court house being used for continual agitation of socialism."

[Photograph added.]

Hellraisers Journal: God Almighty wants me to live long enough to raise hell with you. -Mother Jones

“God Almighty wants me to live long enough to raise hell with
you and make a man out of you instead of a thief.”
-Mother Jones to a West Virginia mine owner.

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Tuesday February 1, 1916
Indianapolis, Indiana - Mother Jones Addresses Convention of United Mine Workers, Part II

Yesterday's Hellraisers presented part one of the speech delivered by Mother Jones during Saturday's afternoon session of the United Mine Workers Convention, now coming to a close in the city of Indianapolis. Today we are pleased to present part two of her speech wherein we hear her response to a mine owner who longs for her death.

Mother Jones Speaks to United Mine Workers Convention, Part II
January 29, 1916, in Indianapolis, Indiana
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Mother Jones UMWJ, Jan 21, 1915.png

You have made more progress in government, boys, in the last three years than you had made in 125 years prior to that. We have got more recognition in the last three years than in all that time. The Secretary of Labor, who is a member of the President's cabinet, was in Pennsylvania when the strike at Arnot took place. That was before the anthracite strike. I was sent for and went there. The men were going to work next morning. I addressed a meeting that afternoon. Nobody went to work next morning, but I was thrown out of the hotel at eleven o'clock at night—I was an undesirable citizen. I went up the mountain. I saw a light and kept crawling up until I got there. When I got to the house a man there said, “Did they put you out of the hotel?” I said, “Yes, but I will put them out before I get through with them.”

The president of District No. 2 worked day and night and gave ail he had to that strike. One night I sat in W. B. Wilson's house. He was there with his feet bare. About eleven o'clock at night we were talking about a move I was going to make when a knock came on the door. Wilson opened it. I left the room. Three men came in, sat down and discussed the strike. One of them said, “Say, Wilson, we can make it twenty or twenty-five thousand dollars if you go away and let this fight fall to pieces. You can take the old woman with you.”

Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Speaks: "Thank God I have lived to be a grandmother in agitation."

Thank God I have lived to be a grandmother in agitation!
I hope I will live to be
a great-grand mother in agitation!
-Mother Jones

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Monday January 31, 1916
Indianapolis, Indiana - Mother Jones Addresses Convention of United Mine Workers, Part I

Yesterday Hellraisers reported on the speech delivered by Mother Jones during Saturday's afternoon session of the United Mine Workers Convention, now in session in Indianapolis. Today we are pleased to present part one of her speech; we will offer part two in tomorrow's edition of Hellraisers.

Mother Jones Speaks to United Mine Workers Convention, Part I
January 29, 1916, in Indianapolis, Indiana
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Mother Jones UMWJ, Jan 21, 1915.png

ELEVENTH DAY-AFTERNOON SESSION The convention was called to order at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, January 29th, Secretary Green in the chair......

Secretary Green—.....President White will not be here for a little while and, with your permission, we will pause for just a few minutes in our regular order to hear from Mother Jones. She is planning to leave soon and wants to say something to the boys before she leaves.

Mother Jones—Boys, I have looked over this convention from the platform, and I want to give expression to the feeling that in this gathering are men of the most highly developed brains this country can produce. You have come from the picks, but you are developing, and I want to say to you to keep on.

Now I want to call your attention to a few things. Away back in the old Roman age, two hundred years after the world’s greatest agitator was murdered by the ruling class, there arose in Carthage a tremendous agitation among the oppressed, the exploited, those who had borne the burden for ages. The Romans began to be disturbed and thought they would go down to Carthage and capture those who were responsible for the agitation. They went down. All they captured in those days they retained as slaves or sold into slavery. Among the group that was captured was one youth. The Roman judge asked, “Who are you?” The youth said, “I am a member of the human family.” “Why do you agitate?” asked the judge. “Because I belong to that class that has been crushed, robbed, murdered and maligned in all the ages, and I want to break the chains of my class.”

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: "Let this country prepare happy homes before they talk of defending them."

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

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Tuesday January 25, 1916
From the Chicago Day Book: Report on an Interview with Mother Jones

Mother Jones was recently in the city of Chicago and was interviewed by a reporter on various topics. Monday's Day Book gave the following account of what Mother had to say:


"MOTHER" JONES CALLS FOR HAPPY HOMES
IN AMERICA
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Mother Jones, Wilmington (OH) Daily News, Jan 24, 1916, alignd.png

There will be no strike in the soft coal fields if the present demand for soft coal keeps up, Mother Jones told a Day Book reporter Sunday. She says operators are expected to give in to the demands of the unions this spring. "Mother" left Chicago Sunday for Indianapolis, where last week she brought the two warring factions of United Mine Workers of America together.

[She says:]

The outlook is not so promising in anthracite fields...Operators are not expected to give in to demands of miners. Strike is likely.

Thousands of tons of coal have been stored away by railroads. Some industries have contracted for delivery for months in advance, fearing an industrial struggle.

Mother Jones is hopeful in general. She sees better wages and better working conditions for American workingman. She thinks the "little revolt" in Youngstown taught money kings a lesson. She expects more voluntary increases like 10 per cent raise in steel industry.

Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Speaks on Struggle & Socialism: The Day of the People Is Dawning.

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

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Wednesday January 24, 1906
From the Reading Times: Mother Jones Speaks to Large Gathering on Socialism

A large crowd gathered in Reading, Pennsylvania, Monday evening to hear Mother Jones speak. Tuesday's Reading Times reported the event:


LABORS' STRUGGLE FOR AN EXISTENCE
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THEME OF EARNEST APPEAL MADE BY "MOTHER" JONES,
BEFORE LARGE AUDIENCE IN THE COURT HOUSE.
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Mother Jones, Mar 11, 1905, AtR.png

The main room of the Court House was scarce large enough to accommodate the crowd of citizens who gathered there last evening to hear "Mother" Jones expound her theories of socialism. The meeting was held under the auspices of Local Reading, of the Socialist party, and, although the meeting was announced for 8 o'clock, half an hour before that time men and women began to gather and before the hour of opening, every seat in the auditorium was taken and as many were standing as could crowd into the aisles. The space within the bar was also filled with men and women.

As the clock struck the hour of 8, T. J. Netheary, who presided during the session, called the gathering to order and briefly stated the purpose of the meeting. He felt highly honored by so large and intelligent an audience having gathered to hear live issues discussed. The meeting, he said, was being held under the auspices of Socialists, who had met to give vent to the opinions held by millions of people today. Socialism is the same the world over, and represents the only philosophy which, if put into practice, will bring relief to down-trodden mankind. To attain liberty and freedom is the goal of all well thinking people. The only difference is in the method to reach this end. The Socialist is not a pessimist, but verily believes the dawn is coming and is striving heartily to hasten that day.

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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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Will Lead Miners to Bullpen or Coal Mine, with Arms or Armless

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 7, 1906
From The Miners Magazine: Letter to William Johnson, Mine Superintendent

The following letter was published in the January 4th edition of The Miners Magazine, official organ of the Western Federation of Miners.

Mother Jones, Miners Angel .jpg

New York
December 15, 1905

William Johnson,
Supt. Vivian Coal and Mining Co.,
Jacksonville, Ind.
Dear Sir:

I have a letter from you under date of December 15th, asking for terms for furnishing men to coal mines. Allow me to say that the terms depend entirely upon how many men you want and what you want them for. We have a great number of able bodied men here who are more than willing to go anywhere and men who are not afraid of the police, militia, court injunctions, or government interference in any form. In fact each and every one of them can and will be vouched for by "Mother Jones" whose guarantee should satisfy any coal company in Indiana or elsewhere. If you will state how many you want and just when you want them, also whether they are destined for the bull pens or coal mines, we will be pleased to give your needs our prompt attention. In fact we will be willing to work overtime.

Truly yours,
Secretary Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Superintendents.

P. S. Fortunately, "Mother Jones" has just come into the office and she gives me her personal word that if you want her to head the procession she will gladly come. She would like to know whether the men are to come with arms or armless.

[Photograph added.]

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