This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
Hellraisers Journal, Thursday September 12, 1907
Mother Jones News for August, Part I: Arrives on Mesabi Range
During the month of August 1907, we found Mother Jones in Arizona continuing her work on behalf of the Western Federation of Miners. After a brief visit to Denver to congratulate William D. Haywood on his recent acquittal, Mother turned up briefly in Chicago and from there she traveled to Minnesota’s Mesabi Range to support the W. F. of M. and the ongoing strike of the iron-ore miners of that region.
Today we present Part I of our Mother Jones News round-up for the month of August 1907. We will continue tomorrow with Part II.
From The Clifton Copper Era of August 1, 1907:
Mother Jones in Clifton.
The well known labor champion. Mother Jones, arrived in Clifton last Sunday evening and commenced on Monday with a series of open air meetings, which will be continued throughout the week. She is a white-haired lady of seventy years and has spent the most of her life in the interest of the laboring classes. She is the best feminine speaker that has ever appeared in Clifton and outside of a few strong remarks about companies her talks so far have been very mild, and not what was expected of her.
In some of her talks she drifted back into ancient history among the laboring classes and brought it out to the present time. The main object of her visit here is to give advice to the Mexican laborers, some of whom have taken part in the recent strike at the A. C. smelter. She is a rugged old lady and her voice is exceedingly well suited for the position which she occupies. She has had vast experiences with the laboring classes, having taken active part in almost every strike that has occurred in the United States.
There is one thing about Mother Jones and that is the fact that in her talks so far she has conducted a much cleaner campaign than other labor speakers who have spoken in Clifton. Of course now and then she throws missiles that are not well received by the parties to whom they are aimed, but she does it in a well defined way. She is full of logic and her Irish wit Keeps her audience interested.
Her meetings are being reasonably-well attended, and she is exercising every effort to impress the laboring classes that they should think for themselves, however, she appears to be willing to think a little for them herself. Probably the reason why the most of the Clifton people have not tumbled over each other to fall in on her side, for the most of them do think for themselves. Whether or not her work will do her cause any good is not known, but she is a hard worker and is making a vigorous fight.
———-
From The Worker of August 3, 1907:
STRIKERS ENJOINED AGAINST USING MAILS.
The miners’ union of Bisbee, Ariz., has been so successful in keeping strike breakers away or inducing them, after arrival, to leave, that the El Paso & Southern Railroad got its court into action and its judge, Fletcher M. Dean of Tombstone, to issue an injunction against the miners’ union No. 106, Ales Ferreus, M. C. Fisher, Jos. D. Cannon, Mother Jones, and included about all the working class of Bisbee under the names of “Doe and Roe”.
The injunction is drawn on the usual broad lines restraining the defendants from meeting, talking, riding, walking, etc. however, denying the use of the United States mails is a new feature, as follows: “This is to command you to absolutely desist from [mailing?] or sending thru the mails any written or printed card, circular, letter, or other communication conveying to any patron or prospective patron of the plaintiff any information of the miners’ strike.”
———–
From The Rocky Mountain News of August 6, 1907:
MOTHER JONES SEES HAYWOOD
—–
Makes Trip to Denver to Congratulate
Federation Leader.Mother Jones, the famous woman labor leader, made a trip to Denver especially to see and congratulate William D. Haywood on his return home. She paid the secretary of the Western Federation of Miners a call at his office in the Pioneer building yesterday, and they enjoyed a short talk. During the Trinidad strike, and other Colorado labor difficulties, Mother Jones was in Colorado and was an active worker for the union cause.
———-
From the Clifton Copper Era of August 8, 1907:
Mother Jones, the great labor speaker, left Clifton Saturday after having spent a week in Clifton and Morenci.
From The Duluth News Tribune of August 12, 1907:
WOMAN LABOR AGITATOR VISITING IN HIBBING
—–(Range Bureau of the News Tribune.)
HIBBING, Aug. 11.-“Mother Jones,” the patron saint of workingmen, is at present in this city, where she will endeavor to help those who need it in any way in her power.
“Mother Jones” is as well known as any labor agitator in the country and she is always on the side of laborer. Her husband and one son were killed by Pinkerton men during Homestead strike of a few years ago [*]. That occurrence has given the old woman a reason for condemning all officers sworn in during labor troubles.
It is expected that she will remain here for the next two weeks and during her stay will address the strikers in their halls.
After she has finished here she expects to go to Wisconsin on the other ranges, where she will try to familiarize herself with the conditions under which all iron miners work.
—–
* Not true. Mother lost her husband and four little children to the Memphis Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1867. Her husband was a member of the Iron Molders’ Union.
From The Duluth News Tribune of August 16, 1907:
MAHONEY ROASTS PRESS OF RANGE
—–
Federation Leader Makes Impassioned Address-
Strikers Much Enthused.
—–(Range Bureau of the News Tribune.)
EVELETH, Aug. 15.-A vicious attack on the press of this country and on the Duluth and range papers in particular was the meat of the address delivered by Acting Secretary [Acting President] Mahoney of the Western Federation of Miners at Vail’s hall this evening. “Mother” Jones also made some remarks intended to encourage the strikers and to keep them from giving up the struggle, whose end she prophesied would be a glorious victory.
The strikers were present in force and were very generous in their applause of the most rabid periods of the addresses. There was also a fair sprinkling of Eveleth business and professional men in the audience.
Mr. Mahoney paid his respects to the United States Steel corporation in no uncertain terms, upbraiding its officials and its policies for the “spirit of commercialism,” which he called its only guiding star.
———-
From the Duluth Labor World of August 17, 1907:
MOTHER JONES WILL SPEAK IN THIS CITY
—–
Great Mass Meeting of Protest to Be Held
at Armory Sunday Evening.
—–
Story of the Miners’ Strike on the Mesaba
Range Will Be Honestly Recited.
—–The outrages against justice which have taken place on the Mesaba Range during the past three weeks have caused the union men in Duluth to arise to the occasion, and as citizens of the state of Minnesota they intend to voice their protest at a mass meeting to be held at the armory next Sunday evening.
Mother Jones, the Florence Nightingale of the laborer, has agreed to attend the meeting, and Acting President C. E. Mahoney will probably deliver a speech.
W. E. McEwen has kindly consented to preside. There will be other local speakers.
It is expected that a good crowd will be in attendance. Every person at the head of the lakes is cordially invited to participate in the protest, It should not make any difference whether or not one agrees with the miners, the fact that the law is being violated, and the peace officers are being used to defeat the miners, and in the interest of the Steel Trust, ought to be enough to induce every liberty loving person to attend.
———-
SOURCES
The Copper Era
Clifton, Graham County, Arizona
-Aug 1, 1907
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn89053851/1907-08-01/ed-1/seq-3/
-Aug 8, 1907
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn89053851/1907-08-08/ed-1/seq-3/
The Worker
(Socialist Party of America)
(New York, New York)
-Aug 3, 1907, page 1
https://www.genealogybank.com/
The Rocky Mountain News
(Denver, Colorado)
-Aug 6, 1907, page 3
https://www.genealogybank.com/
The Duluth News Tribune
(Duluth, Minnesota)
-Aug 12, 1907, page 2
-Aug 16, 1907, page 3
https://www.genealogybank.com/
The Labor World
(Duluth, Minnesota)
-Aug 17, 1907
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn78000395/1907-08-17/ed-1/seq-6/
IMAGE
Mother Jones by Bertha Howell (Mrs Mailly), ab/ 1902
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2004672082/
See also:
For Mother’s involvement in the Colorado Strikes of 1903-1904:
A Report on Labor Disturbances in the State of Colorado:
From 1880 to 1904, Inclusive,
with Correspondence Relating Thereto
-Prepared by Carroll Davidson Wright
–Commissioner of Labor
U.S. Government Printing Office, 1905
(Search: “Mother Jones”.)
https://books.google.com/books?id=txQZAAAAYAAJ
For more the deaths of the husband and children of Mother Jones:
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/jones/autobiography/autobiography.html#I