The National tribune., 1894-04-26
THrRsnAY. APRIL 10

In the Senate, the Army of the Common
veal" was the subject of discussion. Mr..
| PETERS resolution was laid before the Senate.
| Mr.. PETER spoke of growing disposition on
the part of many people to present their views
| to Congress. and of the newspaper statements
that such movements were taking place from
Boston, New York. Philadelphia, Cincinnati,
Chicago. Minneapolis. ST. Louis and San Fran
cisco. The object of his resolution was to make
their way easy. He was of opinion that if it
went out that the Senate. regarded by many as
the American House of Lords, had appointed
a committee to look after this matter it would
go far toward modifying and Modifying public
sentiment.
Mr.. PETER, in response. explained that the fol-
lowers Of Coxey were known the army of
peace. They carried with them portraits of the
Prince of Peace, of the carpenters son, of the
lowly NaZarene, of the man who taught "peace
on earth and good will toward men," These
men, he said, were coming on peaceful errand.
They were coming to say TO Congress that they
were out of emf mployment, and that they wanted
something to do in order to have decent liv-
ing. They wanted to say this orally and in
person. 1t might be that their object was Wis
ionary. but it was like the coming of child
into the world. Everything was ready. and
the child had to be born. 1t was movement
of the people that was coming naturally, logic
ally, and reminded one of the popular move
ments prior to the French Revolution. He did
not believe it was beneath the dignity of the
Senate to be ready when these people came to
Washington.
Mr.. Allen (Neb., Pl favored the adoption
of the resolution, rot because ne approved of
Coxey's army, or any other army, coming to
Washington for the purpose of presenting a
petition in person to Congress, but because he
believed that they had a right, as American
citizens, TO do so. and that il would be unwise
on the part of the Senate to deny that right.
Mr. Allen spoke of the rights of man." and
his voice thundered and his hands swung as if
under the impetus of the torrent of words
He said great many good and true things as
If they were denied by some imperial autocrat.
He declared it to be the right of every Amer
ican citizen to come 70 Washington, under the
shadow of the Capitol. and into the galleries of
the Senate. The Coxeyites he said, had
right to be heard, and a right to be treated
with as much courtesy as the President of the
United States.
Then Mr.. Allen said he had read that Gen.
Ordway was mobilizing the militia and pre-
pairing to receive Coxey with fixed bayonets
and clubs. IL should like to know" lie shout
ed swinging his hand through the air. what
right he has to make such threatf Who is
he, that he speaks Of Americans as vagrants?"
Then he went on:
We witness the singular spectacle of this
city being thrown into commissions at the ap-
pearance of this harmless army of unarmed
men, who are coming on a peaceful errand
upon a mission to the legislators of the coun-
try. Preparations are being made to prevent
their entrance into the city. brutaIized
aud hired soldiery is to meet them at the Dis.
trict line and fall upon them, to drive them
back or to corral them as in prison. And
yet every day or every hour one can go into
the great railroad stations in this city. and
witness the arrival Of armies of lobbyists. who
not waiting to go to a hotel, walk straight to
the Capitol, crowd the galleries and the lobbies
and seek Senators in cOmmittee-rooms, to Law
their ingenious schemes before them. They
are met with outstretchcd arms, with words of
welcome, by Senators and Representatives; and
these men do more damage to the prosperity
of the country than all the Coxeys in the
world"
The discussion was still going on at p. M,
when the resolution went over without action,
and the tariff bill was taken up. Mr. Perkins
(Cal., r. addressed the Senate in opposition TO
the bill.
At the close of Senator Perkins's speech.
eulogies on the late Representative w. H.
Enochs, of Ohio, were pronounced by Senators
Sherman and Brice, aud at 5:l5 the Senate
adjourned.