Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-04-27
COXEY AND HIS BAND.
THE ON TO WASHINGTON"
CHARGE.
Out OF Tunc''-SOme Features OF
Co1ey's Band Carl BrOWne's
IdiOsynCrasies.

Coxey's Band Carl Browne.
Idiosyncrasies.
A correspondent writing from Pitts.
burg, under date of the 5th inst, say.
of the prevailing craze:
Coxey's "On to Washington" pro
cession of an army of tramps and
some scores of newspaper reporters
which began on Easter Sunday at Mas
sillon, o.. has undoubtedly fur.
nished the most extraordinary specta.
Gle of the present day. 1t has been
accompanied by very many amusing
incidents, and if it were not for the
fact that the whole scheme possesses q
serious, not to say dangerous, side
there would be nothing about it that
is not laughable. There are probably
but two sane men connected with the
leadership of the expedition. Mr..
Coxey himself is evidently lunatic
and very likely very dangerous one.
He is far more dangerous than Carl
Browne, his Chief Marshal, for Browne
gives visible evidence of being insane,
while to the superficial observer Coxey
seems to be rational. He is of sim
gularly engaging and cheerful make
up, not prone to indulge in extrava-
CANT talk, neat in person and in dress,
and what he says on any subject is
likely to receive respectful attention.
The fact that for years he has been
counted successful business man has
added weight to his propositions and
has had all to do with whatever coun.
tenance his scheme has received from
sensible persons.
NEED OF BETTER ROADS.
There is nothing extravagantly ridic.
about his notions regarding the wa
gon roads OF the country. In fact. no
person of sense disagrees with his con-
tention that first-class roads are essen
tial to the thorough development OF
the business and social possibilities OF
the United States. No one denies
either that if the government were to
build the roads and begin now vast
numbers OF men at present unem-
ployed would have plenty of work to
do. Coxey's plan of raising the money
TO pay for the work by the issuing OF
millious of fiat currency seems the
height of folly to some, but is not at
all Objectionable to those who hold
that a reserve of gold Or silve. is not
needed as q guarantee of the genuine
ness of the nations circulating medi-
um. If Mr.. Coxey had confined his
efforts to the propagation of these two
ideas, he would undoubtedly have Sc
cured-in fact, he has already secured
the adherence of a very large num-
Der OF earnest and in the main sensi-
bic persons.
1t was probably the joining of Carl
Brownies fortunes with his that
switched Coxey upon the track which
has developed the preposterous pro-
cession of tramps that begun on
Easter Sunday. Browne is crazy. l
cannot understand how any one can
talk with him as / have done re-
peatedly during the present remarka-
bic parade of ne'er do wells without
agreeing with me in this conclusion.
One look at the impossible pictures
and sacrilegious notices which are
held aloft on poles by the tramps who
are following Coxey would perma-
nently confirm this opinion. 1t would
require the most commanding genius
and the most vivid imagination to
fabricate story of more fantastic do
ings and sayings than are the deeds
and words of the Co1ey contingent.
sAvoRs OF sACRILEGE.
Who but a crazy man could have
conceived the notion of making an
outline portrait of Coxey, labelling it
" The Cerebrum OF Christ" and stick
ing it on pole to be carried as sort
of advance banner? The cognate OF
this preposterous banner among the
score or more borne along by the
shambling "spinks" who have been
following Coxey through the mud of
Ohio, bears picture of Browne, also
produced by himself and lateled the
" Cerebellum of Christ" In conver-
sat:on Browne sometimes exhibits as
plainly as he did when he made the
banners that his mind is unbalanced,
and when he makes a public address
he always does. His speeches are the
muddiest sort OF hodgepodge Of Chris
tianity and the doctrine of the rein
carnation of the soul that it has ever
been the lot OF any one to listen to.
The general tenor of what he says
may be apprehended from the fact
that he states with solemn earnest
ness his belief that Mr.. Coxey's soul is
largely reincarnstion of the soul OF
Jesus Christ, and that he (Browne) is
also possessed of a portion of the di.
vine soul, although in a lesser degree
than Coxey.
Co1ey's sympathizers along the
route have daily filled up the note
books OF the correspondents with
stories OF prominent men who have
intended to join, but who have most
invariably failed to materialize. The
secretary OF q political organization in
Canton. O., did join, and SO did one or
two members OF militia company To-
Gated at that town. One OF the most
recruits who entered the
ranks at Alliance was John Thurm
whose one eye and whiskers made him
a marked man. He had letters OF in
dorse mnnt from two or three Populist
papers, and his intelligence was lar