The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-05-30
MARTYRS.
COXey, Browne and Jones il
Prison.

We copy the following from the
Chicago Herald:
WASHINGTON, May 21.-CoXey,
browne and Jones, the three common
veal leaders, were sentenced by Judge
Miller, in the police court to-day. to
twenty days in jail for violating the
statute of the United States prohibit
ing the display of partisan banners in
the capitol grounds. CoXey and
Browne were also fined S. each for
treSpaSslng on the grass; the alterna-
tive being another ten days in Jail.
Jones was acquitted on the last
charge
The Commonwealers' followers and
sympathizers pretend to think that a
great outrage has been committed.
The sentence imposed by Judge Miller
to-day has set going all the wheels in
the Populists' heads in and around
Washington, and tonight the Populist
members OF Congress are almost
unanimous in declaring that trouble is
bound to follow the Imprisonment of
the three cOmmOnWealerS.
n. A. Dunning, the editor of the
National Watchman, the Populist Off
cial organ, declared this afternoon,
when he heard of the sentence, that he
had a great mind to summon 100000
men to Washington to rescue COXey,
Browne and Jones from jail. Mr.
Dunning had heard rumor that the
prisoners had been taken in shackleS
to the jail and in fact that they had
been put IN double irons. This rumor
| proved untrue, but it was sufficient to
throw Mr.. Dunning and his entire Of
fee into a frenzy, and lugubrious pre-
dictions were made that within a
short time Washington would be in
| ashes.
representatives Pence and Bell, the
two PopuliSt members from Colorado,
shortly drifted into the Waterman Of
flee, and they, too, expressed their dis
approval of the sentence. Represen-
tative Hudson, Of Kansas, who was
one of Coxeys council, expressed him
self to the same effect in court, and de-
clarcd that the imposition Of a jail
sentence upon these men was a blow
to national liberty.
Judge Miller very properly reminded
Mr.. Hudson and incidentally some of
| the other Populists who had been talk
ing very Loudly, that their sympathy
was entirely misplaced. He intimated
that there was more politics in their
endorsement and support Of COXey
than there was of sympathy or regard
Tor human rights.
1t seems to us that the action of
Judge Miller III subjecting these three
enthusiasts to the humiliation of i'm
prisonment in JAIL along with the
vilest criminals, is very wrong and
very ill-adyised Ii will lift them from
the attitude of ''cranks'i to the level
of martyrs. The Nirgnians hung
John Brown. legally they had right
to do so,-for he had attempted to in
augurate inSurrectiOn and civil war:
but If they had simply incarcerated
him in an insane asylum it would
would have been wiser. They made
him a hero, and when the war came a
million men marched into the South
singing:
John Browns body lies mouldering in
the grave.
But his soul goes marching on.'
The imprisonment of CoXey, Browne
and Jones has strengthened the senti-
ment of discomfort. Men will say,
they were punished for their opposi-
ito to Plutocracy: that there was no
reason for their cOnviction:-sinc
they did not carry partisan banners"
Their banner was the "COmmonweal
of Christ" and we do not think Christ
is a member of any political party in
these United States; certainly not Of
either of the two old frauds. Nor do
COXey, Browne and Jones claim to be-
long to any political party: nor will
any plitical party be willing to be re-
sponsible for their theories or past or
possible actions. These men. and
their doings, are simply an expression
of the evil conditions. which surround
us:-they are enthusiasts, fanatics. if
you pleaSe;-but. at the same time,
honest, earnest men, trying to help
mankind according to their best
lights. They should have been met
with kindness; their theories should
have been presented and listened to.
by Congress; and an attempt should
have been made to remedy the great
evils OF which they complain. or good
reasons should have been given why
they could not be remedied. 1t is no
answer to club these men over the
head, and send them to prison for car
rying a banner, or walking on the
grass especially in the city of Wash
ington with its continuous record of
horrible oorruptiOns
Nor will it have the effect intended:
to keep others from going to Wash
ington. They are swarming in vast
numbers. The country is in really
precarious condition. The western
men are most to be feared, for they
are desperate fighters, dead-shots and
| ready to die for an idea
Brutal greed has brought our coun-
try to its present calamitous condi-
tion; and BRUTAL ignorance seems de
termined to precipitate crisis. If we
did not know that all issues are in the
| hands of GOd we should view the fu-
ture with the gravest apprehension.
Hold on and See.