The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-03
THE NEW FRENCH REVOLUTION.

THE NEW FRENCH REVOLUTION.
The most notable. and at the same
time the most comlcal, feature of Coxeys
hystercal outbreak is the attempt OF
those who participate in 1t to liken it to
the French Revolution. Miss Coxey rode
in that famous procession to the Capitol
wearing the Pheygian cap of liberty
which, through all the bloodiest excuses
OF the French Revolution was always
paraded as the emblem Of that liberty
which was sought through all the meth
DDS of the most detestable tyranny The
press dispatches tell Us that at the same
time miss Larralette. pronounced bru-
nette, dressed in dark blue, draped in
the American colors, and wearing the
cap of liberty on her head" rode also
along on horseback with the gang.
Whenever they get a chance to trot
their horses the Marselaise is given, ana
their orators initiate as much as they
knew OF the jargon Of the French dgita-
tors OF one hundred years ago about
Liberty and Equality" Upon the whole
II is very plain that Coxey aspires TO
the part Of Mirabeau. and would like to
be christened Danton. There Is undoubt-
eddy one point in which the two move
ments resemble each other. Whilst the
French Revolution was at the beginning
engineered and conducted by men of the
broadest men and Hottest patriotism, the
rank and file of it's partisans were. at
qhDlp
as Coxey could possibly wish his contin-
gent TO be thought. But the resemblance
between the two movements begins ana
ends at that point. While CoXey's tramps
undoubtedly bear all ahe resemblance he
could ask to the villianous mob that ac-
companied the King from Versailles to
Paris, Coxey himself bears just about
the same resemblance to Mirabeau as a
tallow candle does to the sun. and
Browne 10 Danton as a pole-cat does to
Bengal tiger.
Messrs Coxey and Browne should recol-
lect that when the French Revolution
burst forth Europe had been for many
centuries grooming and sweating UNI
der the tyranny and oppression
of the feudal system established
by law. the degrading and CALLING
character of which mans advancing en-
Iiehtenment had caused him fully to
understand and rebel against Mankind
had real grievances to be redressed then.
and the great question TO be tried at the
bar OF public judgment was whether
TO rule the vast masses as practical
slaves. or whether all individual citizens
should stand upon "a footing OF perfect
equality one with another before the
laws of the land
Now. whilst Coxey pirates about the
masses In America being subservient TO
the phitocratic few, the laws of this
land make the humhlest man in his
ranks the peer before IL OF the wealthiest
OF those plutocrats. and open every ave-
nue. to that humble man TO convert him
self into plutocrat II he will be efficient.
sober. frugal. industrious and obedient TO
the laws The French peasant had no
such prospect opened 10 him. His was
a life OF servitude ordained and shaped
for him by the laws OF his country lie
rose in rebellion TO force a change In
those laws which would permit to him
just those opportunities which every
tramp in coyey's gang Is born TO in this
land OF liberty. The Frenchman asked
l for no more than coxey's tramps have,
and no citizen can have more than each
one OF them has n a government Of law,