The time the strike took place I went to Ludlow, and they had got the tents, and I went out to see that the women and children were properly cared for. and in going out-I think it is fourteen or fifteen miles- the mud there is very slippery, and they had twenty-eight wagons coming in, and it was pathetic to look at them. It was a rainy day, and the mothers had their babes in their arms. The horses did not seem able to carry all. And they were walking with their babes in their arms...
I went back to Trinidad, and there was not any more trouble there for some time; but one morning-I think it was somewhere about the 20th of October-I was sitting in my room writing a letter, and the door opened without knocking, and a man said-he came in; he had his overalls on; he was a railroad man-he said, "My God, mother," said he-his arms were up, all excited-"they are going to clean up the miners," said he, "and the tents." I said, "Who is," He said, "Oh, the gunmen, the gunmen, the gunmen," said he; "they are going to murder them all."
I ran out to the head of the stairs, and he got out on the street before I could get to him again. I did not want to go after him in the street, because it would attract attention, and maybe the man would lose his job, so I went back, dressed myself, and went down and got some of the boys.
I said, "I want to go to Ludlow and Aguilar, and I guess if we have time," I said, "I will go to Segundo to-day." So I did not tell them what I was going for, because circulating the news irritates and gets the people worked up unnecessarily. So I went out and saw one or two of the level-headed boys, and I said: "Boys, you had better dig some trenches and put your women into it, and children. There may be trouble," said I. "I don't know that there will be, but there may be. Now, be careful and cool; sit up nights and watch; don't let your women get out and get excited."
Then I went down to Aguilar. I held a meeting at Aguilar. In the box to my right was a lot of little boys-about, oh, perhaps twelve of them-and I turned from the audience to the little boys, and said: "Boys, you see my old white head?" and they nodded. First they were embarrassed. They thought I was going to make them get out of the box and let the women get in, and they nodded. I said, "Well, I want to tell you something. Every hair there has grown white," said I, "while I have been taking the thorns out of the pathway so that you may have a chance to be a man and live a man. Will you keep away from the saloon?" said I, and they said "Yes." I said, "This fight I am making is for you." And they jumped out of that box and just threw their arms about me, and the whole audience roared at the acts of the children. They caught my head, and one pulled the other way to kiss me...
I had already made arrangements to bring the little children in from these tents, because they have not much pleasure in life, and I thought I would throw one day's joy into their lives anyhow. I had got a little money, and I thought-I thought I would give them a little refreshments, and I got a band of music engaged, and I thought I would parade them through the city of Trinidad, to show the people as much as anything else, these are the future citizens of our state and nation when we pass away. They will take our places, and we must make life as bright as possible...
I paraded them through the town, the band ahead of them, and when I came down by the Columbia Hotel I was going to take them where they where going to have something to eat, and the band. I said, "Now, boys, you needn't stay and longer." Because they were all workingmen.
And just as I was going down, somebody said: "The Governor is in town," and I said, "Where is he?" And they said, "Why, he is down at Santa Fe, that hotel-the Cardenas." And I said, "Now, there is a chance to come out and address them and get these people with him." So I started down. I went after the band, and I said: "Say, I want you to come back and go on down to the Santa Fe depot and by that hotel and you play there, and then we will go around it." So we went, but he didn't show up at all.
Even for the Colorado militia, Mother Jones had a good word. "There was some very nice young men in the militia. There is no question about that at all." Though they arrested her twice, Mother Jones used to give those young fellows "a little change" so that they could go to the show of nights.
When asked by the committee what should be done in Colorado, Mother Jones had a ready answer.