The morning call., 1894-04-30
TO ITS GOAL.
The Army Arrives in
Washington
AND PITCHES A CAMP.
The Commonwealers'Last
March.
WELCOMED AT THE CAPITAL.
The Whole City Turns Out to
Meet the IndustriaIs.
GENERAL COXEY'S HARANGUE.
His Followers Are Now Waiting
Almost in the Shadow of
the Nations Capitol.
AT THE CAPITAL.
The Whole City Turns Out to
Meet the InduStrials.
GENERAL CoXEY's HARANGUE.

WASHINGTON, April 29.-Citizen J. S.
Coxey. commander-in-chief Of the Good
Roads Army of the Commonweal, standing
on his rickeiy wagon in the center OF
BrightwoOd Driving Park, waving alofi
his alpine hat to one of the most cOsmO-
politan and extensive audiences ever
gathered in Washington. announced this
afternoon that the greatest march of the
nineteenth century had been ACCOMPLISHED.
Three hundred and fifty miseTably
dressed. woe-begone, grum bling. ou!-at-
the-elboWS and run-down-at-the-heels speci-
mems of humanity marched into the park,
led by a wheeling apology for band,
pitched their tents and stretched them
selves in the sun. Thousands from the
city turned out to make a holiday of it and
inspect the curious aggregation. Thick
clouds of dust overhung the two roads
leading to Brightwood from the city all
DAY long, and they were crowded with
travel.
Two endless professions swept along the
roads all day, with such variety OF trav-
elers as has never turned out in Washing
ton since war times. Every horse and
wheel vehicle in the city had apparently
been pressed into service. while the little
trolley railroad line, which was built for
the benefit of the suburban residents, was
ridieulously inadequate to the demand
upon it. Lining the entrance to the park
enterprising colored citizens had estab-
lished their booths for traffic in ginger
bread and sweetened water passed current
under the guise of lemonade.
The semblance to a circus layout was
further enforced by the thimble-rig-
gers and shell men stalking about the out
skirts of the crowd. But when the people
poured into the park Enclosure the sugges-
ton Of circus day was in full bloom. In
the center of the half-mils racetrack
tapped the canvass which enclrcled the
inclosure of the Commonweal Army. Half
a dozen weaiher-beaten army tents stood
about with several canVas-covered COM
miSsary wagons. All the wagons were
covered with black painted daubs of leg
ends. a queer mixture Of good roads and
finance prevailed.
The great Percheron horses were
tethered about the wagons. Near by were
fastened two large American flags and
emblatical banners were freely displayed.
But the queerest sight was the men who
had marched. They were the most unique
and inexplicable aggregation ever brought
together. Some Of them were at work at
the tents and wagons, others curled up on
the damp ground munching great chunks
of bread, and many were stretched sleep
ing in the sun with their heads piliowed on
rolled-Up coats.
In the most pretentious tent, which bore
the sign "headquarters" painted across it,
were found the leaders of the army, Cen
eral Coxey and Marshal Brown. The
marshal busted himself in changing his
buckskin suit for more conventional
black cutaway 10 preparation for the I'm
carnation services" which were about to
begin. Clad in fashionable spring attire of
light drab hue and as perfectly creased
trousers as could be seen on Fifth avenue.
sat General COxey. with cup of coffee in
one hand and boiled egg in the other,
from which be alternately took refresh
ment and sustenance. The question which
has most agitated Washington of late was
propounded to him by the Associated
Press reporter.
"What do you intend to do when the
police Irevent you from holding your
meeting in the Capitol grounds?"
mo one will prevent u.s." he replied.
''Does not the constitution guarantee the
right to peaceably assemble and petition
Congress ?'' be asked.
"But there is police regulation passed
by Congress which forbids persons and
assemblies on the Capitol grounds, and the
police will stop your army if it attempts
to trespass."
1.-THE constitution was written before
fho
eral. ''If they come in conflict with the
constitution they are void. We stand
squarely upon the constitution. That is
our platform"
How do you intend to enforce your
rights?"
There is but one way-by an appeal to
the courts. We will go before the highest
courts In the land if necessary. Mean
whlie we will wait here in Washington if
IL taxes all summer. If the courts refuse
US our rights there will be a revolution.
DO not advocate revolution nor do de-
sire II, out 1t will be Irresistible and II
will be the greatest revolution of history if
the American people are only thoroughly
aroused"
The conversation Of Mr.. Coxev was
broken into by trumpet call. which snm-
moned the choir Of the army. Following
Carl Browne the choir of dozen prjyates
in the army came out to platform wagon
Brown climbed into the wagon, standing
beside a stalwart man holding aloft the
banner with the legend. The kingdom of
heaven ION earth) is at hand" The choir
sang in various keys, a key TO each indi-
vidual, parody of the revival hymn.
"HOld the Fort" Before tha sinpinJ u,oo
ended several hundred people passed
around the wagon with uplifted faces.
Across the racetrack. in front of the i'm
provised platform. the grand stand seats
were filed with solid rows of men and
women as on a race day. The track itself
was full of carriages. in some of which