New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-03
AGIT4TION UITHOUT An IDEA.

| dGIT4TION WITHOUT IN iDEh'
| TIM sunnressiOn of CoXcy will not gain Tor
hin, tho unroosoning sympathy he hopes to eX-
cite II would have been quite unnecessary
and he might have ventilated his WISHES "S
fully as he pleased. had he not chosen 10 90 50
In q way contrary to law, after organizing
numerous bodies Of men to descend upon Wash
incton. and by the oucries of MOD To SET
aside laws enacted by the representatives VI
tho. neoplc From the start his purpose was
ILLEGAL and revolutionary. The concurrent ehori
Of numerous bodies to join in this lawleSs move
mont made it needful that the laws shouid pc
strictly enforced. There was nothing 10 hlnuc'
=, onncol TO Congress or to the people by IL
document which any one of several Sen"'oi ,
would have read with JUNCTION. spread upon the
nrinted records, and sent broadcast TO the press
| What Coxey wanted was more personal no'o-
rety. and to influence Congress by the presence
| of n mob and not by argument.
| Il &c norticularly clear that he and others VINO
act with him do not know what changes Oh III"
they want They have never been aple 10 put
| into definite form the things they propoSc'
! Even the Populist National Convention WIS IL l
able 70 show how il would get more currehc.
| into the pockets Of the people, ana shuineu u"
this one practical question win the proposa'
| that distribution should be "aS set for'h Ill the
! Sub-Trcasury plan of the Farmers Ainahce VI
better SYSTEM which is equally gramihauc"i
and definite Mr.. COXcys formal deciarauon
issued at Washington skips the pracucai qucS-
ton entirely, and asks Congress 10 ISSUE l"'
tho Nations good a sufficient volume OF Inc
same kind Of money which carried the coun'i!
through one awful war This was legal
tender promise to pay gold. But Mr. Coxey ana
tbe Populists actually demand paper WHICH
Is not n promise to pay anything. MT. 'oA'!
does not undertake. even at the culihihati"h vi
his noisy demonstration, 10 say WHIT IL sum
Gent quantity or how he would get IL 10 'ne
people who are now impecunious
He is even more vague and meaningless III
other rroposals. He wants Congress to "con-
slider the condition Of the starving uheihpl"!ou,
which is exactly what Congress supposcS it Is
doing. and ITO enact such laws as VIII give
,hom cmplovment." The Democrats Imagine
thot omnlovmcnt will be given by cutting of
dutics on foreign goods. Republicans believe
that employment would be found now' as II
Actually was in October, 1892 under a pro'cc-
five tariff udisurbcd by fear of change Inc
ponulist does not know what he wants. ana the
foolishncss of his proposal shines out III tue
fact that it could be equally used by either or
theories Indeed. so little practical sense have
these agitators that Mr.. Coxeys protest never
opnrooches the definite or concrete, except in
one sentence which means nothing II IL docs
| NOT moan a protective tariff: I'VE are here TO
notition for legislation which will furnish en-
rlovment for every man able and willing 10
work. for legislation which will bring universal
nrospertv. and emancipate our beloved country
| q.
King George"
Thouch Mr. Coxey evidently Is ignorant OF
the fact this is exactly what the advocates OF
protective duties have been doing with
| remarkable success for more than thirty
wears They have been providing legis-
| lotion which has in fact during nearly all that
fine furnished employment for every man able
and willing to work, and which has brought
universal nrosperity such as no other country
ever enjoyed. and such this country never
enioved AT any other time. and which has to
wonderful extent "cmancpatcd our beloved
country from financial bondage TO the descend
| ants Of King George.
Mr. Coxey and the Populists who sympathizc
with him suppose they are not Protectionists'
and would doubtless feel insultcd II told That
they were urging protective tariff. But they
are so utterly destitute Of practical knowledge
| or sense that if they make any attempt 10 state
what they want they blunder into advocacy OF
principles vital TO one or the other OF the two
great parties which they denouDce. They want
"more money" and cheaper money but so
| do the Democrats, while neither the Populists
| nor the Democrats can show any way TO get
| money out Of The Treasury into the pockets OF
| those who are destitute The Coxeyites want
| employment for the unemployed, at time
| when 100000 able-Jodcd men are refusing TO
| do the work they have been doing unless they
| can get i'm a time Of Democratic prostraion,
the wages they received in a time Of Republican
nrosperitv. The business Of Government is not
| TO hire labor but to provide such conditions
that labor will be hired by private enterprise, as
| fully as possible and at the best possible wages
| 1t is the plain truth that If Coxey and other
| agitators had anything to say, any definite thing
| 70 propose, any measure OF practical sense 10
| suggest there would be no need OF going TO
| Washington TO utter It or to get universal at
! tention for It. The whole Nation Is anxious for
| some practical relief. The one direct, sure and
| simple way to restore prosperity Is to XIII or
postpone the Wilson bill. and leave undsturbed
| the Republican laws under which unparalleled
| prosperity was realized But the Democrats
and the Populists are pledged to do something
| else. though unfortunately for themselves. they
| do not know what they want nor how to get 1t.
/ SOME SPECIMEN TETOES