Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-05-01
TIE C0XEY MOVEMENT.

Jacob S Coxey obtained permit
yesterday from the commissioners of
the District of Columbia for the process
sion of the Army of the Commonweal
to the Capitol to-day. Mr.. Coxey was
told he would not be allowed to hold a
meeting on the steps of the Capitol.
He said he would test his legal right to
make speech there. Mr.. Coxey, learn
ing that Vice-President Stevenson and
Speaker Crisp had power to allow the
proposed meeting on the Capitol steps,
called to see those officials. MIR. Crisp
refused the request. Mr.. Stevenson
was not at home.
Coxey aad Brown tried to secure a
camping-ground in Washington for
their crowd, but failed.
A dispatch from Washington dated
last night says: 1.-The Coxey fiasco is
on its last legs. Most of those that have
followed Coxey and Browne will stay
with the gang as long as there is a
spot upon which to stretch their
limbs, a piece OF bareback in
the commissary wagon and no work
to do; but as soon as Coxey finds
his museum fails to draw and
the contributions to feed them cease.
Coxey and Browne will decamp, leaving
their dupes aud hobos to look out for
themselves, and they will find their
ways into the jails and almshouses or
be lost in the slums Of the neighboring
cities.
Present indications point TO an early
dissolution of the farce-a farce that is
unequalled in the realms even of comic
opera. The only serious phase OF the
whole business is the heartlessness, the
contemplate, selfish brutality Of CoXey
and Browne, who have enticed then
dupes away from their homes-for some
have homes, such as they arc-and
have led them through hardship and
privation to exhibit them from place
to place a freaks, and then abandon
them penniess and helpless in city
where there is no work to be found.
''Seems like the more money they
takes in the less we gets to eat, was
the grumblc from one of the men, which
seemed to strike u responsive chord il
the crowd.
Secretary Clinton. of the Philadcl-
phia committee, said: My men are
used to three square meals a day
sometimes five, and they won't stand
this The Brotherly Love contingent
has little money, and talks of seces-
sion if the bread-and-water regime con-
tinues.
Just how long Coxey expects to feed
his gang cannot be determined. Yes
terday he and Browne were working
hard to get vacant and enclosed lot
at The corner of NJ and Second streets
:. w, Washington, which would be
more convenient to those who wish &c
see their museum, and has the indis
pensable advantage of being so en-
closed rs to allow them to charge 81
admission fee-that is what Coxey
wants, that admission fee, even if be
has to pay The museum license Of - q
day. CoXey was told by the Districi
Commissioners that the place was very
unhealthy and might make the men
sick, but Coxey said that he guessed
they could stand ii.
hlle the OtnerS were waiting IOl
Browne to send provisions to camp u
few Of the most adventurous spirits
were driven by hunger to leave camp.
and they We're found in little squads OF
two or three in all the woods, roads
and fields in the neighborhood. During
the Afternoon not more than one hun
bred men were to be seen about the
camp. Most of them will return, but
the crowd is melting slowly away, and
would go faster if they could. The
whole Coxey business has about played
out as an attraction, and if Coxey makes
his parade to-day, and people see it, it
will be dead as museum venture.
What was such q matter Of curiosity to
a Sunday afternoon crowd of thousands
had comparatively few visitors. All
day long small stream Of people kept
coming and going, but never over one
hundred or two hundred were on the
ground at one time. and frequently
nearer fifty. The park looked deserted
all day, though no admission was
| charged.