People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-06-15
ERROR
THE TREATMENT OF COXEY
AROUSES THE PEOPLE.

The Suppression Of Free Speech and
the Right to Petition Boldly De-
nounced
Before US lies paper containing an
account Of a meeting held in Spring
field, Mo. 1t is only one of thousands
that have recently been held all over
the land. 1t was not Peoples party
meeting, but meeting of the citizens
of that city and county. The occasion
for the meeting was the brutal treat
ment received by Coxey and his fol-
lowers at the national capital Men
Of all parties participated. If the
plutes think they are only dealing
with Coxey and his little army at
Washington let them read an account
of the proceedings of that meeting.
There were over 5000 people present,
among whom were some of the lead
ing business and professional men of
Springfield.
The Springfield Democrat, speaking
editorially of the meeting, says:
Those who estimated the interest
taken in the Coxey movement by the
people of Springfield as of an unsympa-
thetic nature were disappointed in the
demonstration which took place on
the public square last night. No such
enthusiasm was ever before exhibited
politically, religiously or otherwise
by a gathering of Springfield and
Greene county people. Conservative
estimates place the number of people
present at 5000. OF this number per-
haps half were from neighboring
towns and villages and the county
districts. Perhaps two-thirds Of the
people present were in a measure in
sympathy with the Coxey movement,
and one-half were active sympathizers
with all of the Coxey ideas, especially
those in regard to increasing the vol
ume of currency, and it was this idea
which was most loudly applauded at
every mention"
One of the principal speakers was
Col. Harrington. Among other things
he said:
Fellow citizens, have no politics
except the liberties Of my people, Any
man who allows his political preju-
dices to over ride his love of country
is traitor to God and his fellowman
only few days ago l saw in this
boasted country of ours, in free
America, not in Russia. not in Africa,
not in Switzerland, but right here
in few miles of this city as l was
riding along women following the
pillow in the field, not one but many of
them Women who ought to have
been at home caring for babies, work
ing in field not half as well dressed
as were the slaves of old. Not because
they wanted to, but because crops
must be planted and there
was no money to hire the idle
men who beg for work; crops must be
planted or starvation must ensue.
saw women who would be ornaments
: 10 any home in Springfield if toll had
) not pinched their faces performing all
| kinds of manual labor besides Their
l husbands and fathers, and yet such Of
r these people as are able to see through
r the systems which have caused Their
: enslavement choose to lay down theil
implements and go to Washington tC
e demand redress are denounced by Z
e local editor as ragamuffins, anarch
i lists and idiots. say the man whC
: would permit such stuff to be set il
: type and printed in his newspaper
Y ought TO have his head punched. HI
t is dirty, contemplate and cowardly
e liar. [Uproarious applause.
r THE leaders in this Coxey move
n ment are derided as cranks. Ono,
Y upon time saw in Greene county
Vt inside of that court house, an election
n when only four votes were cast TO
70 Abraham Lincoln. The four men VIII,
1t cast them were called lunatics, AM
d one of them came very near beinj
Y assassinated because he voted for tn
it freedom of the people. do not mint
t, being classed as crank and an an
" archist. The scenes of those days ar
i being re-enacted and if the voice of tn
people is not heard by the people
representatives the same result vii
Of follow. The people who control tn
II volume of money and who refuse I
ee listen to protests are guilty of a hun
is bred fold greater treason than any on
Id connected with the southern confed
ersey.