St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1894-03-31
THE TRAMPS ARE MARCH
ING.

ING.
Gen. Coxey, and his army of I'M
started on their march to
Washington last Sunday. Coxey
was born on Easter Sunday, 1854.
and claims that he inherited q large
share of Christ's divinity. He
proposes to march to Washington,
with an army Of unemployed citizens,
and expects to reach there about
the first Of May, when he will take
possession Of the Capitol, while Con-
gress is in session, and present his
demands. All persons who desire
to do SO can join the procession.
One Of Coxey's bills authorizes
the issuance by the Government to
States, territories, counties, town
ships incorporated towns and cities,
and all public municipalities, Of
Notwithstanding bonds. The
bill provides that any Of the cor
porations mentioned may borrow,
for the purpose of making public
improvements, = sum or sums not
exceeding one-hAlf the assessed
value Of the real estate, the money
to be issued in the form Of 81,
81, s., $40 and $40 treasury notes,
which shall be full legal tender for
all debts public and private. The
Government is to retain l per cent
for the expense Of engraving and
printing. The loan is to be repaid
in twenty-five annual installments
of 4 per cent each.
BY this scheme probably one
thousand million dollars would be
put into circulation through the
country, in addition TO the treasury
notes. silver certificates and other
money Of the Government and the
national bank notes.
Mr.. Coxey's other bill is for
the creation by Congress Of coun-
try road fund of $500, OOO, 900, to
be issued at the rate of $50, 900, 900
> month. The bill also provides
that all work shall be done by the
day, which shall consist Of eight
hours, and that the lowest rate to
be paid shall be 81 so per day.
This would also add largely to the
money in circulation, and would
furnish work, at Government ex-
pense, to all the unemployed men
in the country.
The scheme is . wild one, and
can not possibly result in any bene-
fit to the participants or the coun-
try. The right Of petition is guar
anteed by the Constitution, but
this does not necessitate . march
on Washington.
The only effective way to bring
about reforms in this country is at
the polls, where every legal voter
has . right to cast hls ballot, and
then all measures that meet with
the approval Of the majority will be
promptly enacted into laws. ANY
foreign communistic attempt to
bulldose the United States Con-
gress viii be promptly squelched,
to the great discomfort of those
taking part in it. Law and order
must and shall be maintained in the
domain OF Uncle Sam.
II the walls of the unemployed
are true, we feel confident that the
cause Of their enforced idleness can
be traced to the schemes Of disap-
pointed Republican capitalists,
over the defeat Of Harrison for
President, and their plan is to Gre
ate . labor panic for political effect.
Doubtless another cause will be
found in our lax immigration laws,
which openly invite the pauper Ia
Dor Of Europe to come here and
enter into competition with an al
ready over-crowded labor market.
This should be remedied by the
passage IT laws restricting immi-
grafton, at least for . period of ten
years, or until the labor supply aud
demand become more equalized
than they are at present.