You ought to be out raising hell. This is the fighting age. Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
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Monday August 8, 1904
New York, New York - Mother Jones Praises Italian Miners, Sells Book by Eugene Debs
Mother Jones was in New York City last night and gave an address before the Central Federated Union in which she praised the Italian miners of Colorado as "the best strikers when it came to a fight." Readers of
Hellraisers will
recall that Mother Jones voiced strong objections last November to the separate settlement between the coal operators and the striking miners of the northern Colorado. Much to the displeasure of John Mitchell, president of the United Mine Workers of America, Mother plead with the mostly English-speaking miners of the northern field not to desert their brothers in the southern field who are mostly Italian.
John Mitchell eventually prevailed in that disagreement and the separate settlement was made. The Italian miners of the southern field have continued their strike as best they could, but defeat seems certain, and the U. M. W. of A. has cut off financial support for the strike.
John Mitchell ordered Mother Jones to Indianapolis, headquarters of the U. M. W. of A., last spring but she went to California instead claiming she needed rest and recuperation. She has since been in Chicago, Denver, and is now found in New York City. To our knowledge, she has not met with John Mitchell as instructed, and it appears that she is no longer an employee of the United Mine Workers. At the meeting last night of the Central Federated Union, she sold 250 volumes of the new book by Eugene Debs, Unionism and Socialism, a Plea for Both.
From today's New York Times:
"MOTHER" JONES, BOOK AGENT.
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Talks to Central Federated Union and Sells Debs's Volume.
The Central Federated Union had a visit from "Mother" Jones yesterday. She was accompanied by ex-Mayor Chase of Haverhill, Mass., but he was not noticed, and disappeared soon after "Mother" Jones began to speak.
"Mother" Jones talked for the most part of the miners in Colorado.
[She said:]
I know something of the conflict in the West....for I happened to be one of those in the midst of the fight, and I am always happiest when I am in the midst of the gang that is hurting the other fellow. The President of the United States was called on twice to interfere, but the poor fellow said in a helpless way that he could do nothing. But I tell you that when the mine operators began to disobey the law and got into a conflict with the miners he soon sent troops against the miners. If any of you ever see the President you can tell him I said so.
I found that the Italians were always the best strikers when it came to a fight, in spite of the low opinion some people have of the Italians. They stood their ground when the National Guard, which I call the Monkey Brigade, was ordered out to shoot the people. It took six of Peabody's lap dogs to take me, a woman of sixty-five, and put me on a train to get out of the country. Imagine six of the Monkey Brigade people being necessary to watch for an old Mary Ann like me. When you are casting your ballot you ought to think of thes things. If a mule had a vote, he would exercise more sense in voting than you do. A lot of you dogs yell and hurrah for freedom every year on the Fourth of July. This is the thing that makes me tired. There is a danger line, and when they pass it the French Revolution will be repeated.
The real mission of "Mother" Jones was then introduced. It was to sell books by Eugene V. Debs, on "Unionism [and] Socialism." It was decided that 250 should be bought, and a vote of thanks was passed to "Mother" Jones for her address.
[book-cover added]
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SOURCE
The New York Times
(New York, New York)
-of Aug 8, 1904
http://query.nytimes.com/...
See also:
Hellraisers+Unionism and Socialism, A Plea for Both
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Unionism and Socialism: A Plea for Both
-by Eugene Victor Debs
Standard Publishing Company, 1904
http://books.google.com/...
IMAGES
1). Mother Jones, Miners Angel
http://www.greatthoughtstreasury.com/...
2). Cover: Unionism and Socialism
(click on cover, then scroll down a few pages)
http://books.google.com/...
3). "This Is Socialism"
http://www.newspapers.com/...
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The Workers' Song-Dropkick Murphys
We're the first ones to starve the first ones to die
The first ones in line for that pie-in-the-sky
And always the last when the cream is shared out
For the worker is working when the fat cat's about
-Ed Pickford
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