Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-04-23
ARMY OF FORTy-F|VE
Leaves BoSten For a
Jaunt TO Washington.
LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT
Reciting Alleged Wrongs Inflicted
Upon American Workmen.

BOSTON, April PA vast crowd as
sembled on Boston Common yesterday
afternoon to witness the departure of the
unemployed for Washington, where they
hope to Join Coxey's army. When Morri-
son l. Swift stepped on TO the improvised
platform there were fully "a, 900 present,
and soon after the meeting got into work
ing order fully $4,000 were gathered
around the bandstand.
The crowd was q good-natured, hust-
ling, bustling one, and did not seem to be
at all impressed with the occasion or to
be In sympathy with the movement that
the meeting was called for, but had come
simply TO have and make fun, which they
did to their hearts content, but at no
time was there anything that could be
called disorderly. Swift opened the meet
ing, but not having very powerful
voice he could not be heard at great
distant, and after standing some time the
crowd began to surge forward, and those
In front of the speaker were forced on To
the small platform. which succumbed TO
the strain and was broken to Fragments.
The speaker was thrown against the sap
ling fence that surrounds the bandstand,
and under the pressure from the crowd
the fence was bent, but did not break
Swift took his position on the band
stand, and delivered his characteristic
speech denounoing the wealthy, the
monopolists and everybody In general
that did not sympathize with the social
ist platform.
The speeches were continually inter
rupted by the tactics of the crowd, who,
when anything did not meet their APP
proval, would hiss and whistle and COM
msnce to push those in front of them un-
til those close to the fence would cry out,
and which generally brought forth re-
monstranoe from the speakers.
During the meeting Mr.. Swift sub
mitted the following letter to be sent to
President Cleveland, which was adopted
by "Yes" that could easily have been
heard half a mile away;
The Letter.
To President Cleveland;
At first thought IL may seem 10 the national
authorities that the simplest way Of dealing
with those penniless, unemployed persons who
are pressing their way across the country 90
the capital would be to employ some form of
"strict and stern repression" This is the opin-
ion of The Army and Navy Register, which
calls upon you TO gather in the regular army TO
protect yourself, the congress and the national
buildings against your less fortunate fellow
citizens. The custom Is an old one of resorting
TO a liberal use OF bullets TO check the rising
desire of starving persons for food and work.
No republic can follow this custom long and
live.
We are sending a delegation to represent
the unemploye thousands in New England
In these days of calamity. Perhaps nowhere
have the poor suffered more excessively AMI
with less extenuation than in Boston. We
should be sorry to have our deputatiOn
thrown into prison or slain by the Official
edict while exercising their constitutional
liberty TO petition. IL would not increase the
public tranquility already disturbed by many
threatening circumstances
The truth is, before tranquility is restored
there viii have 20 be readJustment of the
wealth conditions You may not realize that
the case is grave. When have American citi-
Zens starved In this manner beforei Is there
not wealth enoughf The national cry 10 over
abundance of wealth. Let Us not be children
IN this matter any longeri Wealth must be
better distributed. VIII you assist us in es-
tablishing the industrial rights OF the people7
One senator takes this occasion to declaim
upon the dignity and traditions OF the United
States senate; to say that this popular mani
festation 10 not Ameli ican, and TO charge its
supporters with anarchy. IL this spirit Is
carried into action IA wound will be cut In
American flesh which will take long time To
heal This is no time TO prate about sena-
torial dignity. IL Is the time for those who
make laws 10 listen to the commands of those
who make them lawmakers. Anarchy What
woes of the people and replying to their de-
termined will: "You, who raised us up TO this
senatorial eminence, come here To influence
our actions at the peril of your lives" Are
these senators kingsf
You. as president, can oppose this reckless
tendency of such persons TO further exasper-
ate the people by treating their representa-
tives with brutality. You can give your sup
port TO enactments which look toward q res
toration to the people OF the wealth which
they have been defrauded Of by monopoly
and privilege. You can endeavor 10 have
the people provided with proper food while in
Washington and granted an opportunity TO
present their petitions In an orderly body st
the Capitol building. We who remain at
home as unemployed and their sympathizers,
numbering many thousands, will await your
action attentively.
MORRISON l. SWIFT
Crowd Disappointed.
At this point there was a conference be-
tween the leaders while one of them was
speaking, and as a result those who had
enrolled themselves In the delegation
were told to slip away quietly and meet
at Roxbury crossing, where Major Gen
eral Fitzgerald would meet them and
would then march to Dedham.
The immense crowd did not know of
what had been decided upon, and made a
break for fremont street, where they ex-
pected the man to pass. They waited i'm
vain, however, as an hour after the order
was given, 10 men, headed by their leader,
fitzgerald, and carrying the yellow flag,
were marching toward Jamaica Plain.
Traffic on fremont street was blockaded
for several hours after the meeting ad-
journed by the people waiting TO see the
"army" start off.
The First Stop.
DEDHAM, Mass, April 23.-The Bostol
delegation of the unemployed arrived
here at p30 last evening. Friends pro-
vided repast for the as travellers and
their leader.