The herald., 1894-03-14
rHK oN-ro-wAsHINGToN DIFFUSION.

The scheme which is on foot in this
city among some of the unemployed to
march to Washington is a delusion
which will be dissipstsd before the men
get very far on their proposed journey.
In the first place they will find it inn
possible to make the long march with
out money or without transportation.
Then, again, If they should by any mir.
acle manage to reach the middle west
ern states and keep together, their num-
bers would be so greatly reinforced by
the unemployed in the poPulous coun-
try through which they would pass,
that they would become . menace to the
public peace. If they should develop
into an army strong enough to make
forced contributions for subsistence by
the way. the government would be
called upon 70 meet and disperse them.
Then, again, no one can contemplate
the idea that the government would rest
srpinely under the menace of q million
men-or even few misunderstanding
in an organized body the capital OF the
nation to dictate legislation to congress.
That would be overt insurrection, and
would be met by the military arm OF
the nation. When the District Of CO.
lumbia was selected as the seat of gov
ernment, not the least object of the
founders Of the republic in doing 80 was
to fix it at a place remote from large
cities where the Legislators could not be
overswed as they had been in Paris and
other capitals by mobs. If, however.
this so-called industrial army should
move on the capital OF the nation with
a great force, this idea of the founders
would prove abortive, and the national
legislature might as we'll sit in New
York, Philadelphia or Chicago as in
Washington.
Unless the nation is ripe for revolu-
ton, and the great majority of the
people are in favor of a new order of
things, any attempt of gres. organized
body to march upon Washington with a
view to iorcs congress to pass laws they
might see fit to dictate, will be put
down. The men who are opposed to
mob law, and they compose the great
bulk of the people, would flock to the
standard OF the government and make
short work of any such insurrectionsry
attempt. We suggested yesterday that
there was q way in which the unem-
ployed could get their grievances and
suggestions of remedies before congress
without going there in mass to intimi-
date and overawe it. The right of petit
ton is always in order, and that right
can be exercised more effectually in this
crisis than by initiating the method that
Lord George Gordon took to compel !
parliament to pass his snti-Catholic bill.
We would therefore advise these de-
luded men to change their plan. 1t is
true we are passing through a crucial
ordeal. The industrial stagnstion is
greater than was ever before witnessed
IN this country. The Distress from want
of employment is more acute than be-
fore known, and it is wider spread than |
any one ever supposed it would be thus
early in new and developing country,
which should be the paradise of labor.
But irregular and violent means will |
provide no remedy. Marching on to
Washington will not bring relief, but
may, on the contrary, complicate and
add to the difficulties of the situation.
1t is very easy to say that such demon
stration on Washington will be conduct
ed in a regular and peaceful manner.
But it will not. The very act itself ia
instinct with insubordination. 1t is a
menace which cannot be permitted, and
cannot succeed unless those who under
take it are more powerful than the gov
eminent. II they are, it means revolu-
tion, and successful revolution can only
come out of condition such as does !
not now and cannot exist in free coun-
try where the suffrages of the people
make and unmake governments.
The army of unemployed can make
matters worse than they are by pursn-
ing ill-advised courses; but they cannot
be permitted to seek remedy by means
that must inevitably lead to strife, and
which in the end will recoil with tre-
mendous force on themselves. What
we want now is patience and good will
The crisis will soon be passed, and it is
the duty OF every body to help every
other body to bridge over the hard times
by the exeTcise of broad and liberal
charity.