The farmers' union., 1894-05-10
HON. WILL AahW. ALLEN

Of Nebraska. Sou sdsd the Keynote o
the Rights OF, Men in his Speech
In the Senate.
Disclaiming, then, any purpose
whatever Of approving or advising
Mr.. Coxey's movement. must say
that, 30 far rs l am concerned, be.
lieve that he has a right to come
here with his followers, and that he
and they have right to be treated
with as much courtscy and kindness
in doing so as the President of the
United States, and any different re-
ceptlon Mr.. Coxey or his followers or
if any other American citizen, would
be altogether un-American, and
would not be sustained by the CON-
mon judgment of the American peo-
pie.
1t is an absolute shame aud dis
grace to this nation that peceable
citizens dare not get together and
march in the streets unless they get
permission from some person in
charge Of the municipality; and when
the Senator from Missouri says it is
so in every city of the United States,
l say I know that It is not 30 in every
city; that there are large cities in the
United States where it is not requir-
ed to get permission to have a parade
of any kind. II that be the law of
the city of Washington, and honest
and loyal citizens dare not get to-
gether upon the streets and march
with drums and flies il they desire to
do so, then it is high time for this
government to repeal such a law.
There is no right in anyone to en-
force law of that kind unless there
be an occasion for It's enforcement by
q violation of the people and to pro-
perty.
Mr.. President, it is almost of week.
ly occurrencs-I have seen it myself,
aud seen it repeatedIy-for military
companies and parades of different
kinds to march across the Capitol
grounds, and yet am told that it is
in violation of the law for them to do
80, and that even the District Com
miss,oners have no power to permit
professions to invade the Capitol
grounds. l. saw last week, as l have
seen almost every week since have
been in this city, military companies
and societies of different kinds with
banners, with flies and drums, and
with brass bands marching across the
Capitol grounds without the slightest
molestat,on or injury. There is not
b man in this Capitol building to-day
who has not seen the same thing; and
yet we are told when Coxey, this
mysterious and harmless Mr.. Coxey,
who Is coming down the Chesapeake
and Ohio canal with 200 or 800 HARM
less men. reaches Washington, be.
cause he is not domiciled in Wash
ington aud of known high character,
because he is not honored with posi-
tion in this end Of the Capitol or the
other perhaps; because his fellow
citizens have never called upon him
to represent them in any respect in
Washington, that he and his followers
are to be met BY police officers and a
military force and kept off the Capi,
tol grounds. Why? Does he men,
ace this Chamber or the Capitol?
Not at all. He is harmless; his mis-.
sion is harmless; the missie of those
who follow him is harmless, and it is
lawful, and in ones sense laudible and
resp .ctable.
The Capitol grounds-the great
campus upon which this building is
situated-are sacred, indeed, now,
but when railroad lobbyists, tax lob
byists, bank lobbyists and all the
other lobbyists who infect this city
and these Capitol grounds, come
here everything is thrown open tc
them from cellar to dome; there is nc
restriction upon them; but when MIR
Coxey comes marching along with
- %kn <o not: