The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-05-03
trations with Course of National

| DankS.
Small flags fluttered in the hands of
marshals, who galloped alongside, the
men bore their white peace flags, and
symbolic financial banners fearfully
and wonderfully made were sprinkled
along at intervals. Finally long,
weird shrek of the bagpipes heralded
the Philadelphia commune. From
the City of Brotherly Love came a
Goddess of Peace. Her identity was
hidden. She was another unknown. -
A heavy brown wagon horse noted for
his docility carried her, She was a
good looking, plump, red checked
maiden of Is, draped in the stars and
stripes with not an artistic effect, a
gilt star flashing from her blue turban,
and dark hair streaming down her
back. Her escort was the leader
of the Philadelphians, Christo-
pher Columbus Jones, a small
dried up old man with long
gray beard, a shabby jacket, ruflled
ancient beaver hat. Jones was perched
high on the back oil a cavorting coal
black stallion; to which he clung des-
perately with terror in his face. Be-
hind him was his secretary, Clinton.
also on black horse. a tall slim man,
with another dilapidated hat on, an
American flag and bearing which in
dicated that the destinies of the nation
had fallen Oh his shoulders. After
him was dragged disreputable looks
ing white bulldog wearing a maroon
blanket !aeeled Coyoy. The so Phila-
delphians dragging their cart brought
up the rear. Most of the men carried
tin cups or canteens strapped over their
shoulders. Along the road through the
woods were groupsl of uniformed
veterans from the soldiers home,
a mile distant. Handsome carriages
lined the road, and one of them con-
tanned Congressman Sibley of Penn
sylvania, himself Greenbacker like
Coxey, with his family,
The first mile of the march lay up
hill and down along a pretty wooded
grove, from whose sides knots of curi-
Gus country people, with a few arri-
walls from the city, watched the pro-
cession, From Mount Pleasant to the
capitol grounds the men marched be
tween rows of people three deep drawn
to the scene by idle curiosity. About
400 wealers were in line. At intervals
the crowd cheered the Goddess of
Peace, Coxey and the buckskin-
garbed Marshal Browne. Scattered
among the followers of the army were
about a score of official representa-
tives of labor organizations of various
cities and as many more detectives
from New York, Philadelphia, Balti-
more, Chicago and other cities. The
men marched two abreast.
AS they left camp some one cried out
that the Goddess of Peace was unpro-
tected from the Sun; and a bystander
Immediately secured parasol for her.
On the line of march a local sympa-
thizer rushed out of the rowd to pre-
sent a fan. The increase of the crowd
as the army marched down Fourteenth
street and into the business part of the
town interfered to some extent with
the progress of the army and the police
were kept busy. General CoXey doffed
his hat several times in response to
cheers.
The first delegation to join the pro-
cession was the j. =. Coxey club, Or
ganized this morning. 1t consisted of
1875 men, mostly bricklayers, who met
the army at Boundary street, the old
limits of the city.
At Thomas street Marshal Browne
ordered slight halt for rest, while
the men gave three cheers for peace
The police dashed up and on their
command the army promptly moved
on. The commonweal turned into
Pennsylvania avenue about 1915
o'clock and here telegram was hand
ed to Coxey from the Populist con-
vention at Harrisburg and read as
follows "Fhe Populst convention
now in session here send greeting
and express hope that you will re
ceive fair hearing OF the principles
you advocate"
Pennsylvania avenue, as the dusty
procession wheeled into it, looked
more like circus was in town than
anything else. There were number
of excursionists on the streets, mostly
country people in their best clothes.
The peanut stands did thriving bus
iness and circus lemonade was in de-
mand. The nurse girl with peram-
bulator and the toy balloon men were
also features. The character of the
crowd was wholly that of curious
sightseers and showed no apprehen-
sion of any disorder or riot.
On the corner of Fourteenth street
was not of men with commonweal
army badges on. But they were not
men who marched with Coxey. One
Of them accosted passing policeman
as familiar acquaintance. Appar-
emily they were bound to see the fun
and each one had enlisted as special
policeman.
There was little interest in the walk
up Pennsylvania avenue to the capitol
grounds. Here the procession was de-
fiected and moved up B street to the
top OF the hill where broad expanse
OF avenues sweeps toward the east
front of the capitol. This was Coxey's
goal and there was every preparation
to turn into the avenue. But as the
opening was reached solid front of
mounted policemen was seen. They
stretched from curb to curb making
ingress toward the capitol iupos-
sible. There was nothing to
do but to NOW down the
officers or go ahead. The squad of
police appeared and Coxey's carriage
went straight ahead. 1t was ruse to
carry the procession past the capitol.
Coxey and his people showed their