Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-28
DEPENDENT ON THE COUNTRY.
The People Must support the COM
monweaI or Ii VIII Perish.
By Associated Press.

By Associated Press.
GAITHERSBURG, Nd. April 2s.-The
army of the commonweal slept last night
with little shelter. and this morning awoke
besodden with dew that gathered heavily
after the skies cleared last evening. Their
breakfast was of hard tack and coffee
The march from Frederick thus far has
been through hamlets only. and the con-
tributions have been meager.
Thus. since Thursday. the men who fol-
low Coxey have eaten naught save hard
crackers, and had nothing to drink but
coffee These facts are important, because
already the army is feeling the stress Of
low diet Their spirits decline with their
physical detection, and the result has been
growing about the food. and all sorts Of
rumors of strike or desertion. These con-
ditions prevail. too. at precisely the time
when Mr.. Coxey might least desire they
should. The long tramp is about ended.
and with its completion many of the army
win feel absolved in some sense from al
legiance to the movement
Having undergone all the privations and
fatigue of the journey, most of Coxey's
men will feel there should be speedy
f-uition. This expectation, of course. will
season of unemployed waiting II the wait
ing should be attended with abundance of
food, and with shelter, too. then Coxey will
have little trouble in maintaining his fol-
lowing as an object lesson before Con-
gress.
Maintenance for these men all summer
however, is the grave question which now
confronts Coxey. The men are also con-
sidering the question. and soon they prob
ably will demand of Coxey some assurance
of richer nourishment than they have en-
joyed recently.
On this point the Associated Press CORES
pondent today questioned the leader OF the
movement 1T just amounts TO this" said
Mr.. Coxey, I'VE rely upon the public at
large to support this movement"
BY that you mean support for your COM
monwealersg'
Certainly do. II the enterprise is not
maintained by the people, in whose interest
IL is. then IL must fail. but We believe and
rely without doubt upon the public support"
Can you personally afford to maintain
these men through the summer or for any
extended period?" was asked.
Indeed, 1 cannot" replied Coxey, who
then added. after a moments pause. The
fact is that 1 have sought not to appear as
paying the expenses of this journey and 1
have said as little possible about what /
have paid. I will state. however, that /
paid all the Quitting of this expedition up
to the start. except SIS. which was pre-
sented. The contributions all along until
after Pittsburg was passed were quite am
pie. but since then ] have been obliged to
pay the expenses much Of the time At
Frederick We got plenty to eat and there
was no expense"
Your men propose, 1t is said, to demand
Some snare OF tne gate money charged the
public for admission to the camp-what will
you say to them?"
Say? What will 1 say" exclaimed
Coxey- Il will say that the money so re-
ceived has been and is used to maintain
them. i handle II, of course, but II goes for
the support of the men,"
Has more money been spent on their
maintenance than has been received since
leaving Pittsburg?" the writer asked
Eyes, oh, yes" replied Coxey, and then
added information that has not before BEEN
made public: This matter has been care
fully considered and within two or three
days a proclamation will be issued ad-
dressed to the American people. presenting
the situation anew and calling for help
from the American people to maintain and
prosecute this campaign. We intend not to
stop insisting upon action by Congress IN
behalf of the unemployed when once we
have reached Washington"
do you intend to issue this proclama-
tion?" was asked.
That has not yet been decided. Ii may
come from another source"
The leader OF this enterprise expects
surely to go into Washington with his men.
and to go to the Capitol steps He regards
any talk Of interference as absurd
Chief Coxey got shaved this morning and
then he and Marshal Browne started I'm
Coxey's phaeton behind his black team for
Rockville. Their errand was TO secure. II
possible. the exclusive use of the fair
grounds for the Coxey camp.
In the absence of the chief and Carl
Browne, Coxey's son Jesse was i'm COM
mand of the army. The morning was cool.
having laid the dust without creating mud.