The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-04-07


gerous one. He is far more dangerous
than Carl Browne, his chief marshal,
for Browne gives visible evidence Of be-
ing insane, while to the superficial OBJ
server Coxey seems to be rational. He
is of singularly engaging and cheerful
makeup, not prone to indulge in ex-
travagant talk, neat in person and in
dress, and what he says ON any subject
is likely to receive respectful attention.
The fact that for years he has been
counted a successful business man has
added weight to his propositions and
has had all to do with whatever counte-
nance his scheme has received from SEN
sible persons.
Need of Retter Roads.
There is nothing extravagantly ridic-
ulous about his notions regarding the
wagon roads Of the country. In fact, no
person of sense diSagrees with his con-
tention that first class roads are essential
to the thorough development of the bust
ness and social possibilities of the United
States. No one denies either that if the
government were to build the roads and
begin now vast numbers of men at pres
ent unemployed would have plenty of
work to do. Coxey's plan of raising the
money to pay for the work by the issu-
ing of millions of fiat currency seems the
n6121U Oh IO11y TO SOI10y Out Is uOC at ali
Objectionable to those who hold that a
reserve Of gold or silver is not needed as
a guarantee of the genuineness of the
nations circulating medium. IF Mr..
Coxey had confined his efforts to the
propagation of these two ideas, he would
undoubtedly have secured-in fact, he
has already secured-the adherence of q
very large number of earnest and in the
main sensible persons.
1t was probably the joining of Carl
Browne s fortunes with his that switch
ed Coxey upon the track which has de-
velOped the prepOsterOus procession of
tramps that begun on Easter Sunday.
Browne is crazy. l cannot understand
how any one can talk with him as have
done repeatedly during the present re-
markable parade of meier do wells with
out agreeing with me in this conclusion
One look at the impossible pictures and
sacrilegious notices which are held aloft
on poles by the tra1nps who are follow
ing Coxey would permanently confirm
this opinion 1t would require the most
commanding genius and the most vivid
imagination to fabricate story of more
fantastic doings and sayings than are the
deeds and words of the Coxey contin-
gent
Savors of Sacri1ege.
w no Out q crazy man cOulQ nave Gull
ceived the notion of making an outline
portrait of Coxey, labelling it 1.-The Cere-
Drum of Christ and sticking it on q
pole to be carried as a sort of advance
banner? The cognate of this prepOster-
Gus banner among the score or more
borne along by the shanbling s'spinks''
who have been following Coxey through
the mud of Ohio bears picture of
Browne, also produced by himself and
labeled the s'Cerebellum of Christ. - In
conversation Browne sometimes exhibits
as plainly as he did when he made the
banners that his mind is unbalanced.
and when he makes public address he
always does His speeches are the mud
diest sort of hodgepodge of Christian
ity and the doctrine of the reincarnation
of the soul that it has ever been the lot
of any one to listen to. The general
tenor of what he says may be appre-
hended from the fact that he states with
solemn earnestness his belief that Mr..
Coxey's soul is largely reincarnation of
the soul of Jesus Christ, and that he
Browne) is also possessed of a portion
Of the divine soul, although in a lesser
degree than Coxey.
Coxey's sympathizers along the route
have daily filled up the notebooks of
the correspondents with stories of prom
inent men who have intended to join,
but who have most invariably failed to
materialize. The secretary of a political
organization in Canton, O., did join,
and so did one or two members of mill
tia company located at that town One
of the most interesting recruits who en-
tered the ranks at Alliance was John
Thrurn, whose one eye and whlskers
made him marked man. He had letters
of Endorsement from two or three Popn-
list papers, and his intelligence was far