The Van Buren press., 1894-03-31
On to Washington.

On to Washington.
MAssILLON, o., March 24.-The
march of the "Commonweal Army
to the national capital will begin
tomorrow at precisely half an hour
after noon. This is the declara,
ton made to-day the originator
and leader of this extraordinary
pilgrimage aud seconded and con-
firmed by Carl Browne of Califor.
mia, his chief lieutenant.
According to present indica.
tons the army will be rather small
t in numbers when 1t starts out, but
new recruits, not merely singly or
in pairs, bat by scores and hun
dreds, are expected by the leaders
| to Join the main line at every stop
ping place, and Commander Coxey
is sanguine that when he reaches
the national capital he will be at
the head of a hundred thousand
American citizens. His son will
ride at the head of the army, wear
ing d combination SUIT ofblue aud
gray and carrying the emblem of
the Commonweal, white flag OF
peace. Mr.. Coxey himself will
follow in u carriage drawn by six
white horses, while Lieutenant
Browne will be astride a noble
stallion.
The object of the pilgrimage ia
already we'll known. On the ar.
rival of the army at Washington
it is intended to round up before
the Capitol ana demand the enact
ment of two bills. One of these
authorizes the Secretary of the
Treasury to issue $500, 100000 of
Treasury notes, to be expended
IN the improvement ofthe country
roads Of the country, aud the
second authorizes municipalities
to issue Notwithstanding bon DIS
aud to secure notes thereon.
On it's way to Washington the
army is expected to be fed by the
voluntary contributions of sympa-
thizers along the route, and an ap-
peal has been issued to farmers,
capitalists and laboring men to
bring forth literally from their
larders to the end that the strang.
ers within their gates may not be
permitted to go hungry.
IL am apprehensive ofresults in
the Coxey commonweal move
ment," said General Master Work.
man James r. Sovereign of the
Knights of Labor, yesterday, ''and
in speaking thus, l know what l
am talking about. The Generals
avOwed purpose is now to gather
about him an army of peace on his
march to Washington, but the men
forming the body may get beyond
the leaders, control. With excite.
ment taking possession of the
members, they might act contrary
to the very objects for which they
were organized. There would
practically be nothing in the way
of such o thing. In the absence
of military discipline there is no
power to force obedience, only
that of persuasion can be used,
and with excitement becoming
contagious. who can say that the
army may not become a furious
mObi
II know the dangerous state of
feeling to which the laboring
classes have been aroused. Only
the slightest motives will serve to
aggravate the trouble to such an
extent that the greatest efforts on
the part OF all the labor leaders
will be necessary to calm the great
army of workers. This motive
might be furnished by State or
Federal interference in preventing
squads from forming here and
II IRE and joining the army, which
| anticipate will reach large di-
mansions.
u. s. COxey has written me
several letters asking my assist
ance, but have not answered one
OF them. In my opinion, the move.
ment will result in a fizzle and
failure, or, what is more. probable,
a fight. l expect to be present in
Washington when General Coxey's
army reaches there. From the
beginning of the movement l have
followed il with the greatest utter
eat and anxiety"