The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-05-09
COAEYISM.
The Poor Wanderers Defended.


A good many people in this town (Chica-
go) call Coxey a great man-great in that
he has originated an idea. 1t will not be
denied that this country holds hundreds of
thousands of people, millions, who are
disconnected with the existing social, politi-
cal and economic conditions. They have
long wanted a method by which to manifest
their discomfort. Mass meetings, petitions,
addresses and memorials are played out.
Then Coxey rose and said "organze an in
dustrial army, march to Washington and
demand OF congress in person that 1t do
something to alleviate the widespread dis
tress prevailing in the country" Coxey
lighted the first spark, and industrial
armies are on the march in every part of
the United States. CoXey is visionary,
without doubt, and all these other
marchers. Their ideas of what they want
are nebulous. They forget, too, that some
thing besides legislation is required to give
all men enough to eat. But may they not
be doing some good In way, as sort Of
an alarm clock to the sleeping conscience
of the American people? 1t may be good
thing if the multiplicity of industrial ar
mics give an ablebodied scare to the equity
and apoplectic officce-holders of this coun-
try, who, though nominally the servants of
the people, really are the masters of the
people.
THE OLD CHARTISTS OF ENGLAND
were laughed at in their time or menaced
with the rigors of the law, but they lighted
fire that burned up much rubbish accumu-
lated by the centuries
And this Coxey movement has given MANY
people, whose positions command respect
an opportunity to make of themselves large
red, white and blue asses, with green names
and tails The city council of Chicago did
just that When this body of public office
holders-this aggregation of brazen thieves
whose rapacity would have astonished and
whose coarse methods would have disguised
the late Boss Tweed-heard that Gen"
Kelly was on his way to Chicago with an
INDUSTRIAL army numbering some 15OO il
adopted a resolution ordering the chief Of
ponce TO prevent Kelly and his men from
entering the city. Just If the same mon
had not right to come into Chicago or any
other city
THEY ARE POOR MEN.
but the evidence is that they are well be-
haved. They are not thieves. Take away
half a dozen of Chicago's 6S aldermen and
any one of the remaining members of the
city council is more dangerous factor in
the community than a dozen armies like
kelly's The newspapers, too, in one or
two instances. INDUCED in wild rantings and
hysterical rawlings of a sort to breed anar-
chists and cause cool-headed people to lose
all respect for the opinions and influence OF
the press
Speaking of the industrial armies" it is
the province of the American Citizen to
make public one fact which has been SUM-
pressed by every newspaper in the country
which is under the control of an ex-dry
goods dealer an ex-baker or an ex-ivery
stable keeper-and most American news
papers are now in the hands of such men,
Inc individual members of these armies
have been published far and wide as
tramps and BUNS men who would NOT
work If they could. Nothing could be
more untrue. In the first place. the Amer
lean tramp is not the kind of man to en-
dure the privations and hardships that have
been endured by the men with Coxey Kelly
and the rest. The tramp does not walk
and go hungry for the sake of a principle
or an idea; he rides freight trains and
when he cannot beg or work free lunches.
he steals. 1t has never been alleged that
these commonweal members steal
ONE WHO KNOWS
The writer Of these lines speaks from per-
sonal observation when he says that the
men in these armies are American work.
ingmen-representing all trades, among
whom few are found who talk with a for
eign accent