The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-28
MOTHER JONES
LIKES ID, JR.,
NOW,SHESAYS
He's a Gentleman" and She
won't Call Him a Bur
glar' Again.
"ON MANY THINGS I'M
RIGHT. SAYS HE TO ME-

Despite her frizzy, snow white hair
Mother Jones might have been very
young miss just arriving home again
after attending her first party when the
reporter called upon the labor agitator
at The Union square Hotel last night to
hear Mother Joness version Of the two
hour chat she had had few hours ear
ncr with Young MIR. Rockefeller right In
the velvet carpeted sanctum of the stand
ard oil Building.
She caught her rgeath excitedly as she
won't over the glory Of 1t all again. Her
eyes snapped behind her rimless spec
tacles. And quite natty she was. too
with her back silk trimmed about the
neck. with mothcrly looking corrugated
white ruchine. only when she assumed
nor fiyorite attitude-feet firmly planted
wide apart, elbows resting solidly on
widespread knees md leaning far FOR
ward, with her hands clasped-did one
notisc a detail that suggested the Mother
Jones Of strikes and strike breaking.
The detail, or details, were her shoes.
rxccpt for the shoe, Mother Jones might
be mistaken In a street car, say, Tor any
domestic notherly lady. But the unpol-
ishcd shoes. built broadly for business
brought back thoughts OF rough going
over wild hills where men curse and rihe
DULLES sing.
and when are you and young Mr..
Rockefeller going to start for Colorado
10 study labor conditions there together
a. YOU ssad to-day you would" Mother
Jones was asked facetiously.
God Of heaven. man. she laughed, and
h,r round pink face flushed happily
no moro go to Colorado with him
than The whole nation would be
follying us there. That was only joke.
Come with me to Colorado says l. Mr..
Rockefeller and well look into the things
together. says I. but just as joke
Not once could one forget, as Mother
Jones. often dropping her voice to an al
most inaudible excited whisper and lean
ing out in an especially confidential man
ncr. that Mother Jones had gone through
q day TO he marked with a white stone.
Her Opinion of John H., Jr.
Yes. yes. yes" she went on happily
with that touch OF brogue she learned
IN her native north of Ireland. "the young
man means the best he knows how. But
him raised in luxury. how could he know
anything about real things? II isn't his
fault. though--the raising he got is the
cause Of IT,
"'Often and often says I to his face
IN his office to-day--t talk with the likes
Of him az do with any one else. and why
not?-'often and often. Mr.. Rockefeller
says |. I've called you high class
burglar"
What did he say TO that. Mother
Jones?"
'Oh, he Just laughed and laughed like
the gentleman he's been raised to be.
I'VE been as severe against you as any
one says l. and burglar and worse was
none TOO gv.ii fOT yoU, once ! Sc: IT,
stride In a talk to the men. When we
take up a bow and arrow to aim says /.
there must be a target. and you we're
tho target
But rs told the reporters before
to-day. see now the young man has been
nllsrepresented. He's frank and he's open
and he wants to do right, think. For
one, I'm going TO reverse what I've been
saying about him
you'll speak highly OF Mr.. Rockefeller
In your future speeches Mother Jones'
We'll" she said doubtfully. and her
brow knitted thougbtfully for a moment.
We'll as I says TO himself to-day I'll
never call him high class burglar again.
Frank and open Is what he is. and he
agreed with pretty near everything l told
him In our long talk"
And which of you was chief speaker
Mother Jones was asked.
81 was" she answered exploSively
"Sometimes he'd say something, but not
was some kind OF freak. That's what
he thought TIL he heard me talk. You
can't blame him, because he has to asso-
ciate only with educated people, as they're
called---they'rc uneducated in human thing,
and so I suppose he thought I'd rant
about dynamite and broken heads and
things like that
The Colorado miners should be al
lowed to organize, Mr. Rockefeller say,
l. and not be organized by the com
panes.' He agreed with me there. And,
says |. they should have their own checl
weigher.' And they should. says he
i understand that we've always favored
the men having their own check weighers'
He agreed with me. And We should
have our own teachers in the schools 10
the children says l. lie agreed with m,
there too. Then he began starting to tel
me about figures and interest and things
trying TO explain something to me
You've n Fine Head Says He.'
"'Stop, stop, Stop says with a laugh
J never had dollar in a bank In my life
MIR. Rockefeller says I, and all this com
pound interest and figures your talkinj
about is just like a lot of Dutch Language
to me lie laughed out loud at that. AM
says he. Mrs. Jones, ] don't think your
80 ignorant about business as you max
out to be- ] think you have a very I'm
head on your shoulders That's the exac
words John ID. Rockefeller. Jr., said TO m
this very afternoon.
And more - I want to tell you
says he, how much | appreciate your com
Ing here to tell me all you have, Mrs
Jones, says he as a gentleman talking l.
a lady IT'S the other way around, Mi
Rockefeller says l. It's me that's in
debted TO you for asking me right int
your own office and giving me so much o
your time, But your act to-day mean
much | told him. because IL shows YOU
class and my class rs at last getting 10
gother and good will come OF IT, View
crossed the bridge to-day Mr.. Rookie
fcller,' says l.
1T was me that started the strike I,
Colorado In 1903 says to him 4 wen
right out there and got tho men togethe
and started the whole thing And By tn,
Same token I'd do II again when nee
essary.'"
what did Mr. Rockefeller say to that
Mother jones'"
Not a word, not word lie Jus
sat silent, thinking. And | told him th,
OF the cellar they put me In when | wa
arrested In Colorado, and how for week
they Kept me In dark hole, and neye
face did | see except one lawyer Am
At nights, Mr.. Rockefeller | saws to him
AS there's a God, | did not dane sleer
but stood up In the dirty cellar the
kept me In so | could fight Off the rat
that came out And for long time h
Was silent"
Did ne nroulae 10 roaLa ch,.,a. A.