St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-04-23

Before Their Departure in the
Shape Of a Letter to the Presi-
dent = Thirty Five Thousand
People in Search of Curiosity
Turn Out to See and Hear
Them.
Boston, April 22.-Seldom has Boston
common been the scene of such vast
concentrated gathering as that assem-
bled there this afternoon to witness the
departure of the Boston delegation Of
the unemployed for Washington. where
they hope to join CoXey's army and
assist in the appeal to congress for
Justice" BY the time Morrison l.
Swift stepped onto the impyovised plat
form there were fully $4,000 persons
present, and soon alter the meeting got
into working order $4,000 were gathered
around the band stand. The crowd was
a good-natured, hustling one, and did
not seem to be at all impressed with the
occasion or to be in sympathy with the
movement, but had come simply to have
and make fun. Swift. the leader of the
movement. was the chairman, aud de-
livered his characteristic speech de-
nouncing the wealthy, the mOnopolists
and everybody in general that did not
sympathize with the socialist platform.
Dnring the meeting Mr.. Swift SUBJ
mitted the following letter to be sent to
President Cleveland, which was adopted
by yes" that could easily have been
heard a mile away:
Boston, April 22.-To President
Cleveland, Executive Mansion, Wash.
ington, ID. c.: At first thought it may
seem to the national authorities that the
simplest way of dealing with these
penniless unemployed persons who are
pressing their way across the country
to the capital would be to employ some
form of strict and stern repression
This is the opinion Of the Army and
Navy Register, which calls upon you to
gather i'll the regular army to protect
yourself. the congress and the national
buildings against your less fortunate
felloW-citizens. The custom is an old
one of resorting to a liberal use OF
bullets TO check the rising desire OF
starving persons for food and work
We are sending a delegation To rep
resent the unemployed thousands in
New England III these days OF calamity.
We should be very sorry To have OIL
deputation thrown into prison or slai
by the official edict while eXerciSin.
their constitutional liberty TO preSen
our petition. The truth is, before tran
quililty is restored there will have to BIT
a reimbursement OF the conditions OF
wealth. You may not realize that the
case is grave. When have American
citizens acted in this manner before? L
there not wealth enough? Let us no
be children in this matter any longer
Wealth must be better distributed
This is not the time to pirate about sen
| ate dignity. 1t is lime for those wht
make laws to listen to the commands o
! those who make them lawmakers. You
| can endeavor to have the people pro
! vided with proper food while in Wash
! ington. We who remain at home vii
| await your action attentiyely.
| MORRISON l. SWIFT.
| At this point there was conference
| between the leaders while one OF then
was speaking. and as result those VIII
have enrolled themselves in the dele
| CATION were told to slip away gu ietl.
| and meet at ROXbury crossing, wher,
] Mai. Gen. Fitzgerald would meet them
| and would then march to Dedham
where they intend to stop tonight. TIL
immense crowd did not know of wha
! had been decided upon, and made
| break for fremont street. where they
expected the men to pass. They waite
! in vain, however, as an hour after tn
| order was given forty-five, headed b.
their leader, Fitzgerald, and carryin
| the yellow flag, were marching toward
| Jamaica Plains.