I went West and took part in the strike of the machinists - the Southern Pacific Railroad, the corporation that swung California by its golden tail, that controlled its legislature, its farmers, its preachers, its workers.
Mother JonesRead
Some day the workers will take possession of your city hall, and when we do, no child will be sacrificed on the altar of profit!
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the idea of workers reclaiming power to prioritize child welfare over profit.
Mother Jones' quote reflects a strong call to action for workers to unite and take control of the mechanisms of governance, particularly highlighting the need to protect children from being exploited for financial gain. It advocates for a societal shift where profit is not placed above the well-being of the vulnerable, particularly the next generation, suggesting a hopeful vision of a more just and equitable society.
Themes
WorkersProfitChildrenJusticeActivism
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech advocating for workers' rights during a labor rally.
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All quotes βOut of labor's struggle in Arizona came better conditions for the workers, who must everywhere, at all times, under advantage and disadvantage work out their own salvation
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Injustice boils in men's hearts as does steel in its cauldron, ready to pour forth, white hot, in the fullness of time.
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I believe that movements to suppress wrongs can be carried out under the protection of our flag.
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Your ancestors fought for you to have a share in that institution over there. It's yours. See the school board, and every Friday night hold your meetings there. Have your wives clean it up Saturday morning for the children to enter Monday. Your organization is not a praying institution. It's a fighting institution. It's an educational institution along industrial lines. Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living!
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Little girls and boys, barefooted, walked up and down between the endless rows of spindles, reaching thin little hands into the machinery to repair snapped threads
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