St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-07-22
THE ARMY OF INCIDENCE.

THE ARMY OF INCIDENCE.
The c0mmOnweal armies continue to
arrive at the national capital. and to
| concentrate within the shadow of the
Washington monument. The Coxey
| contingent now numbering less than
| one hundred men, maintains its camp
near Bladensburg, while the conscl-
| dated brigades Of Kelly. Frye, Sui
| Ivan, the Cantwells husband and wife,
| and other generals" have established a
rival camp at Rosslyn, another capital
| city suburb.
Originally there was shadow of sem
tlmental sympathy surrounding these
| people. When the original COXey army
marched down Pennsylvania ave-
nue. - footsore, tired, hungry and
filthy = the gentle spirit Of hui
mainly in every onlooker's breast
might whisper: Possibly these men
| may be foolish; but. at any rate. they
are weary with long and tollsome
march and weak with an actual hun
| ger" And SO the storehouses of the
| kindly residents Of the Capital city
| were generously opened to them, and
| for weeks they rioted in an abundance
| of unearned plenty Gradually, how
ever. the real working element of the
Coxey army has deserted. wandering
away-many of them-to find honest
employmenl; and the few who remain
to subsist upon the bones and husks of
| public charity thereby avow them
selves to be common. everyday tramps
and hoboes.
The men now strolling into the vicn-
ity of Washington are of the same class
| They spend each day snarling and growl-
ing over the scant rations frightened
| from neighboring housewives. Ragged,
| half-fed, filthy and unsheltered they
| sleep away the hours in the shade while
| the sun shines, and creep under such
shelter as presents itself when it rains.
| Their lives are inert and objectless.
| Their leaders devote to their own pur-
| poses and wants the scattering pennies
thrown to them. Congress pays no at
| tention to their demands" and the
only purpose served by this army of
earth cumberers is to inspire fear and
| disgust i'll the breasts of their neigh
| bors.
| Aud still this grand army OF tramps
| and besgars grows In size, while the
/ quality ,lesenerates. until the people of
! Washington and the outlying districts
| are beginning tn ask. "What shall be
/ done with them?' Every day adds to
| their numbers. and as each dirty squad
arrives under the broiling July sun, the
| problem of how thew shall be fed be-
! comes more insoluble. Already they
I are beginning to solicit aims on sys-
tenn. detailing certain number each day
| to beg for food throughout the country
and in the suburbs where police pro-
L lection is not ready at hand. In short
| time congress will adjourn, leaving this
pest still to be provided for by volun-
lltary charity, when charity has already
! grown tired of their impertinent inn
/ portunings.
| The citizens of Washington aud tn e
| surrounding country should cease at
| once to give ear to the half-threatening,
| half-whinIng demands Of this organized
body OF importunate beggars. The
| country is ON the eve of industrial
revival. Even today every man who is
| honest and industrious can find, some
| where, such employment as will give
| him food and clothing. There are now
nearly 1000 organized paupers sittin
| laZily beneath the trees in the vicinity
| of the capitol. Their numbers are in
| creasing daily. and as the army grows
larger their chance of obtaining food
wakes less. Before congress adjeurns
| some measure should be taken to scatter
[ them and give surcease and rest to the
people. All of their demands on
congress are entirely inexpedient.
most of them ridiculous and alb
| surd. Such of the men as will
work willingly should be provided with
| employment; those who refuse should
be arrested as vagrants and forced to
perform some useful labor. Permitting
| so large body of Idle men to remain
organized in the neighborhood of large
| city is constant menace to social order
| and good citizenship,
1t would seem that there should be
| laws already upon the statute books
under which the authorities of Wash
| Ington could act. If there are none,
| congress is still in session, and it would
seem to be proper and judicious time
| to enact few. There is no reason why
| it should not be made a misdemeanor,
| punishable by fine and Imprisonment,
for leaders such as Coxsy, Browne and
| Frye to devote their energies to organiz-
ing idleness into armies to prey upon
| honest industry.
| Let measures be taken at once to dis
organize this barbarous and destructive
host of incidence. If they must sleep
away their lives, let them do SO without
social contact with people who work for
| living.
tLWr pNr rrxyr IN tho looot oovarp N, n =, .