Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-05-11
THE ARMYoF 1HECoMMoNwEAL

J
of unemployed laborers upon congress. !
His plan was to gather these men in
thousands, on May LIST, at the doors of
the capitol, to press upon congress the
demand for legislation by which all
labOrng-men not now at work shall be
engaged in making roads, and paid by
the municipal governments with funds
advanced by the nation. For this pur
pose greerbacks should be issued to the
local authorities, in exchange for bonds
to be repaid in ten or more years with
out interest. Out of this crude and alb
surd project has grown the "cOmmOn-
veal movement, with the exaggerated
and alarming reports which have filled
the daily press for many days, until
some timid folk are almost persuaded
that the republic is in danger of mob
rule, and that society is on the brink of
revolution. "Armies" of idle men, with
some shadow of military organization,
have been formed IN many places, main
ly in the Northwestern States and on the
Pacific coast, and are reported to be adj
vancng towards Washington, with
vast amount of chatter about plans for
making everybody comfortable by law,
and with some threats of dire conse-
quences if their demands are resisted.
The reports published of their doings
are confused, and often contradictory,
] lot a. g tlo
ment are not quite clear. TO under
stand it fully, we must know the extent
of the ''armies," the character of their
members, land the real aims of their
leaders. So far as definite information
can be obtained, the actual number of
men now on the march is less than six
thousand. A few leaders are known at
their homes as local politicians or dema-
gogues. Large numbers of the prlvates
are wOrkingmeD out of employment or
on strike, and the rest are mere tramps,
with liberal sprinkling of adventures
and criminals. The movements which
govern their enterprise are doubtless as
varied as their characters. a very few
are religious fanatics. Some hundreds
are social enthusiasts. The majority
have enlisted rs vague expression of
disconIent The thieves and vpgabonds
seem to be in a small minority as yet in
every division; but in their vagrant
career pilgrims who have either moral
sense or intelligence necessarily fall
away, while the lawless and fanatica
elements take command. \ rapid de-
generacy in the average character of the
bands and an increasing disposition tC
disorder are noted from day to day.
1t is clear that these bodies are actual
ed by no common purpose. No authori
tative declaration of principles has beer
made in their behalf, and the origina
programme of CoXey has fallen largely
out of sight. The talk of the leaders
has become mostly vague Remuneration
of capitalists and corporations, will
hints at a redistribution of property
Their plans of operation are as crude
and vague as their doctrines. BeyonC
the general notion that their mission l.
to get to Washington as soon as posi-
, BILE, they have no method in their move
ments. What is to be done there, nom
can say. The several divisions of tn
army are scattered in widely separated
, regions, and no time is fixed for meet
ing, nor can they possibly reach thu
capital together. Were they all arrayer
before the doors of the houses of con
] gress today, the practical result woul,
be large addition to the idleness ant
pauperism of Washington. The prob
lem presented would be, how can tn
city yet rid of the vagrant mob? no
could any sane public man think of dis
. cussing finance or national policy wit
! the visitors until this problem wer
D solved.
In short. the entire enterprise of Coke
and his imtators is foolish. 1t has n
element of speciality, moral, intel
lectual, or material. Its chief supper
IS in the newspaper reports, which mag
= Nifty the number of recruits describe grea
4 additional armies which are always abou
to be formed, and crafty petty seeker
after notoriety by recording their sill
deeds and words. We refuse TO see /
this movement the evidence of profoun
and widespread discomfort with our il
situations and with our social organiza
ton. |. bears no mark of popular il
spiration, represents no cause, and Ell
cages no real enthusiasm. Until tn
"army" is dispersed there will be DANCE
of disorders wherever its divisions move
and perhaps the police of the capital ma
have their hands full of work for mont
to come. But we believe that the shar
crusade has already eliminated, and tina
from this time the ridiculous aspects Q
S it will rapidly come into prominence
: while its alan ming features disappear.
. will probably be remembered a yea