Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-01
A COXEY SYMPOSIUM
Different Views as to the Movement
and Its Causes.
REMEDIES Fer EXISTING CONDITIONS
The American Constitution and the
Duties of Citizens.
QUESTIONS OFTHE HOUR

The coming Of Coxey's army has turned
the attention of many minds to the eco
nomic questions suggested by the march
to Washington" as well as to the immedi-
ate problem Of how to care for and treat
the men who have assembled in the Dis
trict and declare their purpose of staying
here until Congress acts on Mr.. CCxey's
bill. Readers of The Star. of course. vary
in their opinions both as to the demonstra-
ton. the conditions that have procured 1t
and the remedies to be applied. The Star
publishes below some Of the views on these
matters sent to the editor by correspond
ents:
.'Thc Great Unknown"
One correspondent, EFT, writes: would
like at this time to make a suggestion
throug your widely read journal. Except in
ferentially, / do not intend to discuss Gen.
Coxey, but wish to say a few words about
che great unknown-not Smith-but the
Constitution of the United States. 1t is a
fact as sad as IT is strange, that after
one hundred years of national existence
the people know but little of the funda-
mental law as embodied in the instrument
framed by our fathers. Take our young
men as you may meet them on the streets,
all of them with more or less schooling,
most of them fairly well educated, and
~
them know nothing of 1.-THE Constitution"
In our many schools children are taught
all sorts of things, some OF little or no i'm
portance, and yet that which one would
suppose to be the most important item-a
fair knowledge of the form of government
under which they live-is absolutely ignored
in the curriculum. Many of these bright
children, you will find can give you the
history of Rome. from the time of Romulus
down, can name the generals who COM
manded. and state the number of soldiers
Slain in great battles fought many CEN
turtles ago, and yet cannot answer the
simplest question as to their own govern
rnent. This is straight" Now. 1t is fair
to presume that were such important
knowledge as largely diffused as II should
be no such silly scheme as the Coxey
movement would ever have been heard of.
If Gen. Coxey can influence legislation TO
suit his desires by assembling a crowd at
the federal capital, then others can do like
, wise. and we shall have Gen. Rocksy with
his army to advocate cleaning out the river
and lake beds; Gen. High Tarif may as
semble his cohorts to demand more pro-
lection for the Infant industries" Gen.
Low Tariff may marshal his minions to de-
mand the unshackling of the wings of
commerce." and so on. This Coxey move
ment may, after ALL prove a good thing in
arousing knowledge among the people as
to what they can or cannot do lawfully and
properly. 1t may teach them to study up
their form of government and when once
posted enable them to better indicate their
polls according to their Independent judg-
ment the mea sures of legislation they de-
! sire. rather than follow advice of shallow
demagoGues or vote to please bosses.
The Constitution should be taught as
regularly and persistently in our secular as
is the catechism in our religious schools.
All it's provisions have been authoritat lively
passed upon and its instruction would cost
| the teacher no more difficulty than that of
grammar or geography. Besides. 1t is most
excellent reading. superior to any Of the
readers"
Now is good time to call public attention
to a glaring defect in our educational sys-
TEN. The Star ought to, and think will,
give the subject the attention 1t deserves.
DO not leave the Constitution to the study
only of lawyers; let everybody be familiar
with it's wise provisions. A knowledge Of
| the benefits conferred and of the obligations
| imposed by II must of necessity result .n
purer and better government, and preclude
any idea OF legislation by Coxeyism or
mobocracy."