The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1894-07-12
The Coxey Movement and Its
Significance.
R, BUCHANAN'S VIEWS
He Writes an Interesting Letter to
the New York Press and Says the
Situation In the Country Is n
Dangerously Critical One
Perhaps Revolution 1s
In store for Us Soon.


Of as the "Coxey movement" the "Com
monweal," the "Industrial Army" anc
other similar terms? Does all this agi
tatlon and excitement foreshadow {
revolution at an early day? Will the
masses arise in open revolt against the
classes? These are questions which are
being asked by citizens in all walks Of
life, and there is dread Of the answe,
which may be given when the time OF
the full knowledge of the subject comes
The English press is almost unanimous
in prophesying that the United States
will witness an epoch like the French
revolution before the clamor in the midst
OF which we now are ceases. Our own
journals display unusual indignation
over what is characterized as the un-
warranted impudence of foreign press
in presuming to base such braMen pre-
dlctlons upon situation which it is
compelled to consider at such long
range. But it may be possible that this
is an illustration Of the old saw: "Go
away from home to get the news.o
BE that as it may, how does the case
appear to q citizen of this country, par.
t1cularly to one who enjoys special
opportunities of knowing the feelings of
the people, not only at this time but
during the past dozen or moro wears?
The writer is such a one, and he pro-
poses to look the situation squarely in
the face and relate here what he sees.
In the first place, ls the condition sur
rounding the common people such as
breeds uncomfortable dlscontent If al
lowed to operate to it's extreme limits
upon it's victims? He who is familiar
with the awful misery and hopelessness
of the disinherited workers, who has
watched the terrible look of despair
creep over the faces Of the men and
women who sit at bare boards and before
empty CRATES, can give but one answer
to this query: "The times are ripe and
rotton ripe for change"
Pooh, pooh it as you may, there is moth
ing but truth in the declaration that the
men and women whose industry has
made this country the fairest and most
fruitful on earth have been robbed of
the products of their toll, and many OF
them are left to fight starvation in the
midst OF the wealth they have helped to
create They have tried in their honest,
contiding way to secure protection in
their rights from the legislative powers
OF the land, and have been told that
"this is not a paternal government; what
you ask is in direct conflict with the
spirit of our institutions. We leeislate
Tor the whole people, not for special
Glass; And the poor wretches have
gone their weary way hoping against
hope, while the night grew darker and
the storms gathered.
10 come right down to the present.
Congress has been in session during all
these months that the peoples condi-
ton has gone from bad to worse until it
has reached for hundreds of thousands
The very worst, and not a step has been
'aken by that supreme power OF the land
to improve the situation or inspire the
sinking hearts with hope. Not one starv-
ng child has been saved by act of that
guardian OF the peoples welfare; not one
suicidal impulse has been stayed. Our
statesmen (?) have strutted up and down
he aisles OF the peoples capitol, mouth
ng their hapdoodle and buncombe, or
pulled wires at the dictation of their
'lutocratic bosses, or reveled in the cheap
excitement of sham tariff battle, all the
lme drawing their salaries with scrup-
llous punctuality, while the people,
whose servants they are supposed to be,
we're crying: "Do something, for Gods
axe, to aid us in unloading the terrible
'urdens of misery we are carrying"
Is it any wonder that confidence in
overment whose direct representatives
ave proved so Indifferent or recreant is
Weakened till there is little If any of it
sft? The feeling that those who have
ontrol of the machinery of state are
ither faithless or incompetent is not con-
ned to the poorer classes. Disgust is
hown on the countenances Of those who
re beyond the immediate direful effects
t the donothing policy of our statesmen
'hen the Amencan congress is men
loned. Only the shylocks wear the
mile of contentment. No work is their
7ork. Can you wonder, then, that there
J dissatisfaction with the existing order
-disorder-and that there are mutter- +
ags which are full of portent? Veterans