Quotes From "Hellraiser-Mother Jones: An Historical Novel" By Jerry Ash

Democracy is supposed to be ‘of the people, by the people and for the people’. Capitalism is ‘of the capitalist, for the capitalist’. Period. Jerry Ash

What the hell’s the matter with you men? Are you cowards as well as stupid? You boys make me sick. I’m done with you. You hear me? I want you to go back to your places now and stay with your children until I say you’re needed.“ Tell your wives and your older children to bring with them dish pans and cooking pots. Tell them to bring their stirring spoons and ladles. Tell them to carry a mop over their shoulders. We’re goin’ to march on that mine and we’re going to stand guard to see that no scabs are allowed in. Do you hear me?” – Mother Jones. Jerry Ash

Go home now, ” says I. “Keep away from the saloons. Save your money. You are going to need it.”“ What are we going to need it for?” asks a voice from the crowd.“ For guns and ammunition, ” says I. Jerry Ash

To the RKO motion picture camera at her 100th birthday party: “I pray for the day when working men and women are able to earn a fair share of the wealth they produce in a capitalist system, a day when all Americans are able to enjoy the freedom, rights and opportunities guaranteed them by the Constitution of the United States of America.” – Mother Jones Jerry Ash

Turning back to the crowd I say, “I am duty bound to make this plea, but I want to say, with all due respect to the governor here, that I doubt seriously that he will do – cannot do – anything. And for the reason that he is owned, lock, stock and barrel, by the capitalists who placed him here in this building.” – Mother Jones Jerry Ash

That’s got to stop, ” says I. “The idea of any blood-thirsty pirate (Mexican President Diaz) sitting on a throne and reaching across the border to tromp on our Constitution makes my blood boil.” – Mother Jones Jerry Ash

I go back to the union man and say, “Sir, this is a house of God, not a proper place for a union meeting. I have some things to say today that God would not want to hear in His own house. Boys, I want you to get up, every one of you, and go across the road. I want you to sit down on the hillside over there and wait for me to speak to you. Jerry Ash

What do you see out there?” I ask. “Pittsburgh, ” he replies. Now I laugh. “No, young man. What you see is hell with the lid taken off.” – Mother Jones Jerry Ash

Well, honey, it’s capitalism that brings out the meanness and greed, ” says I. “Our founding fathers did a decent job of framing our democracy. They wrote the Constitution and added a Bill of Rights that intended for people of all classes to enjoy the freedoms the Constitution offers. But capitalism came along without a constitution or a bill of rights and the industrialists grabbed unrestricted power. The capitalists wrote their own ‘Declaration of Capitalism’.” – Mother Jones . Jerry Ash