The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-05-01
READY TO MARCH.
Coxey Means to Defy the
Law.
LOOK OUT FOR TROUBLE.
For the Statutes Will Surely Be
Enforced.
LOOK OUT FOR TRoUBL
MEET IN THE CAPITOL GROUNDS.
If 1t Cannot Be Done I'm One Way
1t Will Be Accomplished
i'm Another.

w afiH OOs-1 hO oCOOuu
day of the Commonweal Army in Wash
ington was spent by Commander CoXey
in making arrangements with the auth ORR
ties for his Mayday demonstration. and by
The men in the miserable little camp at
Brightwood grumbliDg at the poor fare
provided for them. The long-advertised
procession will start tomorrow morning
at 9 O'Clock, il the programme is carried
out and the good roads army will march
past the White House. War Department.
treasury and up Pennsylvania avenue
past the Capitol. Nine mounted police
men will ride at the head of the process
sion. If the army attempts to march into
the Capitol grounds it will be stopped and
its leaders arrested if they persist.
Mr.. Coxey saw Major Moore. the Chief
of Police, to-day and announced to him
his intention of speaking on the Capitol
steps. Some Commonwealers intimate
that when repulsed the army will disband,
its members will enter the grounds as in
dividuals, and then do their speechmaking
under the statue of Christopher Columbus
at the steps.
IF they do" says Major Moore. "they
will be arrested"
"Having finished their public demon
stration the CommonweaI soldiers will
march to a vacant lot at Second and NJ
streets southwest, where they will pitch
their tents, and the leaders announce this
will be the permanent camp of the Army
of Peace. Other contingents are expected
to join them tomorrow.
Coxey sailed forth to the District build
ing to-day. He announced his desire to
move on to the new campground, and
Commissioner Powell objected on the
ground that the proximity of James Creek,
with its foul odors, made the place un-
healthy.
"We would fumigate the grounds" said
Coxey. Besides our people are very
healthy. They can stand great deal. If
you could only have seen some of the
trials and tribulations they have under
gone on their march here you would not
think the presence of canal would affect
them."
"How long do you expect to remain
here?" asked Commissioner Ross.
Coxey smiled and chuckled audibly:
"Why. we expect to remain here until we
get action on our bills. The few men that
are with us are only forerunner of what
is coming. Of course. when the full
strength Of the army arrives this lot will
not be large enough"
Permission was granted to Coxey to en-
camp by the canal on condition that he
would employ plumber to make the nee
essary sanitary regulations. Coxey went
at o'clock to the Office of the Sergeant-at-
Arms of the House, armed with letter
of introduction from the Chief of Police to
Colonel Bright. He said to an Associated
Press reporter: Nothing remains to us but
to make an amicable arrangement for
meeting on the steps. We will not insist
on marching into the grounds, but when
we reach the curb l will tell the boys to
break ranks and go like other citizens"
"Then what?"
"Then the meeting will begin"
"Suppose the Sergeant-at-Arms OBJ
jects?"
He cannot object. We can hold our
meeting there as the constitution gives us
right to do. 1t would be a peculiar
thing if we undertook to come inside the
building and hold meeting, but we shall
not do that"
"You will attempt the meeting In the
face of official objection %
"Yes. and regardless Of the law. because
of our constitutional rights"
Replying to questions as to whether he
had received any encouragement from
Congress about the passage Of his bills, he
replied: 81 have not. Congress will not
act until forced to-"
The sergeants-a alarms of the House and
Senate were closeted with Coxey quarter
of an hour. These officials pointed cut
the statute concerning meetings and pro-
cessions in the Capitol grounds, and in re-
ply to his objections that the law was un-
constitutional. they told him they were
here to execute the laws and not to con-
strue 1t. They called Mr.. Coxey's atten-
tion to the fact that the law provided for
its own suspension by the Vice-Pre.ldeat
and the Speaker of the House, whereupon
the Commonweal leader announced his In
tention of seeing them.
Chief of Police O'Mara of Pittsburg was
In consultation with Major Moore this
afternoon. Several detectives from the
principal cities are in town.
Evidences of preparation for the Coxey-
ties were seen about the halls and corr-
dors of Congress to-day. A double force