The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-04-21
"oN TO WASHINGTON"

Coxey and his stragglers are being
guyed good deal. His forlorn band
are jeersd every where and scoffed at.
While they do not reach "a hundred
thousand" they doggedly wade ahead
through mud and snow by day, by night
laying up or hiding out as opportunity
offers. In the mean time sixty-tive
millions of people have become inter-
ested ia the movement and from far and
near, squads, companies and battalions
are being organized FOX the purpose of
joining the advance column and par
Iicipating in the entry into the Capital
of the country. II the various detach-
ments now enroute should succeed in
getting through, the demonstration viii
prove something formidable. all of the
criticisms and fun of the newspapers to
the contrary. NOBODY more fully real
ICES the serious phases of this movement
and the possible unpleasant conse-
quences than congress and the ad-
mistration. For truth the movement
is as impossible of estimate as it is
abnormal and extraordinary. While
such a demonstration would not be
tolerated in any other country, in this 1t
is incidentally among the inalienable
rights. This homogeneous army of dis
content may enter Washington city as
only 50 many misguided unemployed
workmen, and as SO many other tramps
and irresponsible Adventures, but still,
at the last moment. 1t may rouse to
active participation the great multitude
of discontinued and the other thousands
composing the unions and labor organ
iZations now ouI on strikes who might
also resolve: Goa TO
Washington. These organizations of
miners and mandatory employees, if
joined by the railway strikers and
telegraph operators would not 60 on
foot through mud and snow, as every
body understands. Tie truth is, and
congress and the authorities at Washing
ION wildly comprehend it, Coxey's
army is an unpleasant menace, both as
to its spirit and in its possible numbers.
But of the other side: What will
CoXey's army do when it reaches Wash
ington? Its purpose is to ask congress
to give TO the country five hundred
millions of fat money.
It is preposterous to think that con-
gress Will do any such thing. Even if
the army is unmolestsd by the police
and the militia and is allowed to camp
in the capitol, the legislation will not be
no matter how long they
may wait in camp. They may be suS-
tanned by public charity for some time,
but even that will fail them ar er few
weeks and then what will they do?
No arrangements have been made for
their transportation back to the place
from whence they came. And rather
than walk it again the army will break
up and its members-those who are not
of the genus tramp, will attempt to find
work. It is not to be found in the east
just now, and the result will be that the
decent men in the army will find them
selves in an aw full pickle.
There has appeared no definite plan
for the army after it reaches Washing
ton except that of calling on congress
for legislation which it will not grant.
In this, a danger presents itself.
When men have no definite plan aud
are acting at random, there is destiny,
summary and austere, that makes
plan. History will show that such plans
have always been troublous in the ex-
IRENE.
There is another chance for the solu-
ton of the Coxey trouble, and it may
be the way out.
1t is not likely that Coxey would have
ever attempted the march had he known
that MS following would be so small.
He has been holding on with the hope
that ii would grow to immense proper
hons. All told there are not in all the
1000 men. More than half
Of these are no further east than the
valley and may never reach
1t is possible that Coxey
will be convinced that his march is a
failure and within the next few days de-
sert his brigade. That would lead to
Ihe dissolution of the whole movement.