The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-09

|
| sumo before the public. Coxey Is horse
| Jockey and Browne Is mountebank OF
| the worst description. Coxey Is not the
| sort OF man 20 lead IN any movement.
| and. though the good roads proposition,
| so far as the good roads themselves are
| concerned. probably has the good wishes
! OF all the intelligent people in the coun-
| try, the method by which Coxey proposes
! 10 obtain them is childish enough TO win
the ridicule OF any thinking man.
| ANY plan that Coxey would he mixed
| I'D in would mean Coxey first and every
one else afterward. All that Coxey STANDS
| for is Coxey. and all that Browne stahds
| for Is Browne. The men under them stand
| for nothing at all. as rule. though the
| shrewder Of them may have some I'M
| gering hope Ia their clouded minds OF
ultimate fame and fortune In the diihe
museum, like the famous freaks OF Union
town who deserted the army at that point
! TO 20 on the variety stage. II Is aitose'h-
er a hopeless. helpless. pitiable crew
| with the chief OF fakirs ana DohDds'S
| for leader
"'rhaf the movement in any way repre-
SCENTS the sentiment OF the laDorihs
| classes OF the country Is utter nonsense.
| There IS no man In the country VINO mas
| the good Of the labOring man more at
heart than | have, and nave mace IL
nv business to 30 into shops all along
tho route on the march TO Washington
and see what the workingmen really
thought on the subject. Without exception
thev ridjculed a. and / did not find n
single respectable workman who would
have thought for an instant OF leaving
his place, however poor IT might have
been. TO join in such demonstration.
'"Tbe only question that remains. 10 my
mind Is how the misguided creatures are
ever 10 be disposed Of now that they are In
Washington. for i have not ;he least
doubt that Coxey and Browne will both
desert them Us soon as they have the
least inducement TO DO so, either from
motives Of gain or fear.
This ought to end all idea that may
have got into the heads Of laborinS men
that there IS anything in Coxey's move
ment that tends toward their advantage.
1t is quite in order to make a remark
or two at this point upon the resolution
which, it is said. will be brought into
the House Of Representatives to-day by
the Committee on Labor, asking for au-
thority TO inquire into the cause Of the
present indus rial depression and idle
ness. and to report within thirty days
both on causes and probable remedies.
There is nothing I'm this case that can
be aided by congressional investigation
or legislation except in the passage of
the bill TO reform the tariff. The protec-
tive tariff laws and the attempt to force
people to take a half dollar when a dol
lar was due, caused all the trouble. The
latter evil is cured. There remains nothing
to do now but to repeal the protective
tariff laws and leave the case to time
We will by degrees work out of our
troubles then If Congress will only let
the matter alone But every time it
touches the affair confusion will be In
PRODUCED.
Coxeys tramps complain Of suffering
and need. There were many parts of the
South at the end Of the war where the
people would have considered themselves
blessed indeed if they had been as we'll
off as the worst of CoXeys people. Take,
for instance, such counties as Fauquier,
Stafford, and Culpeper. and there were
many others like them. They had been
the camping ground of both armies all
the war. There was no stock, no fences,
no storod-up provisions. no growing
crops-nothlng. Why the people did not
starve seems strange. But they dld not
because they were brave and vigorous
people. who went to work 20 make a
living. instead Of sitting down in supine
idleness. They have not grown rich, it
is true: on the contrary, adverse condi-
tions have kept many of them very poor.
But they have neither Whned about their
fate nor eaten the bread of dependence.
They have gone along in manly effort
to maintain themselves by their own
work; they have succeeded in support
ing themselves, and all their pride Of
race and self-respect remains to them I'M
impaired.
Acts Of Congress could never have done
for these people what their own efforts
have done for them. Acts Of Congress
would only have undermined their charac-
ter and converted them into oilers seek
ing Government support Laws may mar,
but cannot make prosperity. That comes
from work, and from work alone.