New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-25
on TO FLASHING TON.

General COXcy is to start ut noon today from
Massillon Ohio for the National Capital win
the "Commonweal Army" of 10000 men, TWO
Of whom had reported ut headquarters on FIJI
day evening Until their arrya! it was s'iS-
pcctcd that General COxcy. being sanguhc
person, might have exaggerated the proportions
of the movement: but everybody Is now at I'D
erty to put entire faith in the accuracy or ms
statements. and TO believe that several million
recruits will join the army before 1t reaches
Washington. So far rs can sec the outlook
is favorable The only danger lies in the posi-
bility that the "Commonweal Army led by
General Coxey and the United States Indus
trial Army" led by General Fry may come into
collision on the march, and fall to massacf1ng
one another under the conviction that their
motives are ntagoristic This apprehension,
which may be unnecessary. is suggested by
General Fry's circular letter 10 members or
Congress- in which he requests them To author
lzr the Secretary Of the Treasury 10 issue
81 900 900 Of lcGal-tcnder money for the purpose
OF hiring his army to dig canals. reclaim deserts
and improve harbors and navigablc rivers. This
IS n very different programme from that which
General Coxcy has arranged for his troops, who
have never thought OF undertaking any such
humiliatlng labors, but mean simply To exist
indefinitely as noble army Of martyrs, an
impressive object lesson. IN embodied protest
against whatever is. II Is encouraging 10 re-
fleet however that the COmmonwcal. which
IS starting from Ohio. and the Industrial. which
IS being marshallcl in Texas, may not come
into contact: though the former. having a much
shorter distance 10 traverse. is more likely to
loitcr by the way. 1t Is certainly 10 b. hoped
that there will be no conflict OF arms, though
we confess that we would rather see both
armies slaughtered 10 the last man than have
General Coxcy's followers corrupted by associa-
ton with the low Ininons OF General Fry.
The only error Of Judgment which General
Coxcy has committed thus far was in permitting
n company Of recruits To- get cntrappcd by hire
llngs OF the law in Indianapolis and sent TO
the workhouse That contingent. which In
cludes shorty, Chicago Ike. Irish Pug. Billy
the Bum and Frisco Kid can i'll be spared.
Their conception Of the campaign upon which
they were entering when they were bascly
snatchcd by the police IL Enthusiastically the true
one and discoscs their fitness for high com
mand Said Billy the Bum, after he had been
defeated in glorious struggle for liberty: ITS
a snap. Tie mugs that 20 on 10 Washington
will have good eats all the way. and they won't
do much marching either; wherein he was i'm
medatoy corroboratcd by Frisco Kid. who re-
marked In language which revealed the depth
Of his emotions: IL was a-going 10 MasSon be-
cause it's n great graft. The mugs is going TO
Washington. and then they'll get free tickets
back TO wherever they want 10 go. All the
buns in the country will be there ut the same
time, aud they'll get their tickets and sell 'cm
to the scalpcrs, and they'll all have money TO
get a key with, and if they don't call out the
bloody military they'll own the whole town"
That Is the spirit In which great cause de-
serves to be promoted How paltry and con-
tcInptiblc in comparison appears General Fry's
frivolous talk about legal tender and public
works,
But though the bodies Of these intrepid and
farslghtcd men are In durancc their souls will
start from Massillon at noon today with the
Commonwcal Army, and keep right on, whoever
faltcrs. Wherever along the route there Is
pie to be bitten or Il jug uncorkcd they will be
present; and If only n remnant should be left
to reach the Capital the survivors VIII still be
inspired by the sentiments of Billy the Bum
and Frisco Kid.