Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-19

q mixture or the ludfcrOuS, serious and the
pathetic As the affair stands today, 2fO
men. eighteen horses and five wagons, Of
fcially rated by the canal, are moving
down to Washington to revolutionize the
money system of the country. Two hundred
and sixty men are blindly following self
appointed leaders to urge something they
know not OF, but something they hope and
believe will bring about better conditions.
The serious aspect of the affairs is not
what these 26O men will or can accomplish,
but in what may follow. Gen. Coxey's
plan comprises grand mobilization of
forces in Montgomery county, and for that
purpose from Hagerstown down the
marches will be short and all recruits who
apply are to be enlisted. Hitherto / know
from actual observation that not one man
in fye who has applied has been enlisted.
i have seen men refused because they
were tramps, because they were not
legal citizens. and often simply because
the leaders did not desire to carry along
any more men. According to the Coxey
plan the enlistments to his own detach-
ments are to be only small portion of
the forces to be modified in Montgomery
county. There Coxey expects to combine
with the army from California, with the
one to start from Omaha. with Gen. Frye
and his southern contingent and with
Columbus Jones and his pilgrims from the
north
Even these concentrated and organized
forces. however, according to the plan, are
not to constitute the sum total of the 'liv
ing petition" Coxey and Brown and all
the leaders of the other forces have told
the people in the country through which
they have passed to try individually to be
in Washington by May i. The leaders ex-
pect to hear largely from this class.
Many Recruits Expected.
They expect large numbers of unem-
ployed men to flock into Washington at the
appointed time from Baltimore. Philadel-
phia, New York. Richmond and other near
by cities. All these combinations are to
make up the boosted army of 10000 men.
From my talks with Coxey I feel assured
that he feels no disappointment at the
smallness OF his force. Up to the present
time II has not been his plan to be at the
head OF any considerable body of men, He
has adopted the plan OF marching from
Massillon to Washington simply from his
belief (and his belief has been proved that
Fl that way, and in that way alone, he
could excite widespread interest toward
himself and his proposed legislation, and
give him a chance to talk to the people on
the way. call for unemployed working
men to meet at a certain date In Washing
ton would never have received the adver-
Using and the attention that has been given
this movement To the real idea of con-
centrating unemployed men at Washing
ton on a certain date the present march of
Coxey and his little band is but the circus
parade that takes place in the morning be-
fore the actual performance. According to
Mr.. Coxey's IDEAS also, the march affords
him trained nucleus, around which IL Is
possible to organize the thousands who he
claims will meet him at Washington. He
organization will be necessary at that point,
as Congress ought to pass his bills immedi-
ately after the meeting on the steps OF the
Capitol.
The Proposed Camp.
If. however Congress should show a dis
Inclination toward good roads and free
money. the Coxey plan embraces the camp
ing Of the cOmmonweal near the city and
stay there until Congress changes its mind.
Into this camD saws Mr. COxav the oroa
ICED body will be taken, those who have
marched with him, and those who concen-
trate in Montgomery county. This, IL the
expected turnout should occur, would leave
the thousands of persons, who. Coxey be-
neves. will be in Washington as individuals
out in the cold. without even a camp to
shelter them The Coxey program for their
salvation Is, however, arranged. A call is
to be issued to the people OF the United
States calling on them to send supplies for
the army. According as these supplies
cO5ne in the outsiders will be taken into the
Organized body. and Coxey and Brown are
nrm in their belief that by May l there. will
be such feeling over the country that
Should Congress postpone passing the bills
supplies would pour into the city in such
Quantities that the entire body could be
organized at once.
Talking with Coxey and Brown as to their
plans further than this is like running up
against a stone wall. When Congress pass
IS their bills. they say, the army will quietly
dIsband and go to work on the roads
Iney profess 10 refuse to consider the pos
sloihty OF Congress refusing to pass the
biils IN time. For Congress to adjourn with
out action, says Brown. would mean 'reyo-
Iutlon. and. according to Coxey would
snow that We are not living under n repre-
sentative form of government. The two
expressions give a better idea of the two
men than pages OF description Brown is
icquacious,an extremist vituperatiye and in
chned to wfldness In his talk Coxey is
equally loduaciOusl but holds himself to-
fether. 1t Is difficult TO Judge what these
Two men really look for as an outcoma az
their strange movement
asked CoXey II. in case he found him
ser IN Washington with only a few thou
sand men, his plans would be changed in
way. and he replied that he saw no
s~a to suppose they would
Encouragement for Coxey
me question arises as to whether Coxev
Sss any grounds from which to suppose
that his general expectations will he car
FED OF There can be no doubt that look
ed at without regard for hidden motives
CoXey has received announcement duri1p
his march. Crowds have turned our 10
near him speak and wherever he has gone
more material donations have been he
slowed ~ is probable that Coxey has
gained the idea that the people who have
IStened 10 him are in accord with his
views and those who have contributed have
done so through sympathy with the move
ment II this is COxey's idea however. he
has fallen into error.
Since the army left Massillon am
convinced that there has hardly been a
single contribution made through the donor