The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-04-30
COXEY'S LAST CAMP
The COmmOnweal Completes It's
Long March from Massill0n,
Puts Up Tents in Brightwood Park and
Exhibits Itself to Thousands of
Curious Washingtonians.
SPEECHES BY THE LEADERS
Citizen COxey and Reincarnated
Browne Air Their Views.
Former Says He Will March to the Cap
itol Steps Tuesday and the Latter
Declares Himself to BE a Crank.

silica COxey, commander In cnlet or the
good roads army of t. commonweal
standing on a rickety wagon in the center
of the Brightwood Driving Park waving
aloft his alpine hat to one of the most
cosmopolitan and extensive audiences ever
gathered in Washington, announced this
afternoon that the greatest march of the
nineteenth century had been accomplished.
Three hundred and a half of miserably
dressed, woe-begone. grumblng. out-at-the-
elbows-and-rur down at the heels speci-
mems of humanity marched into the park
led by wheeling apology for a band,
pitched tents and stretched themselves 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 plowed with
more travel than customarily beats them
in months. Two endless professions swept
along the roads all day, with such variety
Of travellers as had never turned out In
Washington since war times. Every horse
and wheel vehicle in the city had apparent
ly been pressed into the service, while the
little trolly railway line, which built
fer the benefit of suburban residents, was
it.
Lining the entrances to the park, enter
prising colored citizens had established
their booths for traffic in gingerbread and
sweetened water which passed current un-
der the guise of lemonade. The semblance
to a circus layout was further enforced by
the 'thimble-riggers'' and "shen men,
skulking about the outskirts OF the crowd
RIt vvhe into ~ orlr
inclosure the suggestion OF circus day was
full blown. In the center of the half mile
race track tapped the canvas inclosure
which encircled the quarters OF the COM
monweal army. Half dozen weather.
beaten army tents stood about the canvas
drawn circle. with several canvas-eovered
commisssary wagons. Tents and wagons
were covered with black-painted daubs-
legends which were a queer mixture of
good roads. reincarnation and finance. The
great Percheron horses were tethered about
the wagons. Near by were fastened two
large American flags and the emblematic
banners were piled on the grounds. Most
interesting OF the sights, however, were
the human elements, the men who had
storms, and cold. They were the most
unique and inexplcable aggregation ever
brought together. Some of them were AT
curled up on the damp ground munching
great chunks of bread, and many more
stretched sleeping in the sun with their
heads pillowed on rolled-up coats.
COXEY INTERVIEWED.
Over in the most pretentious tent, which
bore the sign headquarters painted
across 1t, were found the leaders
of the army, General Coxey and Marshal
Browne The Marshal busted himself in
ohap pOip n .. b1rc lxclyi
ventional black cutaway in preparation for
the incarnation services which were
about TO begin. Clad in a fashionable
spring suit of ligSt drab hue, with as perfect
ly creased trousers as could be seen on
Fifth avenue, with cup of coffee in one
hand and a boiled egg in the other, from
which he alternately took refreshments and
sustenance, sat General Coxey. The ques-
ton which was most agitated in Washing
ton OF late was propounded TO him by the
reporter.
prevent you from holding your meeting in
the Capitol grounds" he was asked.
seer from 0me w prevent o NOT replied Pile the
stitution guarantee the right of peaceably
assembly and petition Congress?''
But there is a police regulation passed
by Congress which forbids professions and
assemblages on the Capitol grounds, and the
police will stop your army II 1t attempts
TO trespass."
1.-The Constitution was written before any
police regulation" replied the General IF
they come in conflict with the Constitu-
ton they are void. We stand squarely
upon the Constitutions; that Is our plat
FORM
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
court in the land. If necessary Mean
while we will wait here in Washington, If
1t takes all summer. If the courts refuse
us our rights there will be q revolution.
do not advocate revolution, nor do / de-
sire it. but it will be irresistible and it
will be the greatest revolution OF history
If the American people are once thoroughly
aroused"
broken into by a trumpet call, which sum-
moned the choir of the army. Following
Carl Brown this choir of a dozen privates
in the army fiocked out to the platform
wagon Browne climbed into the wagon /;
beside him stood a stalwart man holding
aloft banner with the legend, The
Hand" The choir sang in various keys-a
key TO each individual-a parody on the
revival hymn, Hold the Fort" Before
the singing was ended several hundred
people gathered around the wagon with up
Across the race track in front of the
improvised platform the grand stand seats
were filled with solid rows of women and
men, like a race-day crowd. The track it
self was full of carriages. in some of which
women and men of the fashionable world
leaned back shaded by parasols and listen
ing curiously. Senators Henderson and
Frye, with their wives. We're in handsome
carriages; Senator Coke and Representa-
tive Kilgore, OF Texas, stood wedged in
by the populace. and the long gray beard
of Senator Dolph, of Oregon, shone con-
spicuously. Representative Dolliver was
at the head Of another group of Congress
men. Mrs. Anna l. Diggs. of Kansas. the
Populst speaker, stood with a baby in her
arms.
SPEECHES BY THE LEADERS.
The speech of Carl Browne was a strange
mixture OF theology and finance. He ac-
knowledged that he was a crank, because
IL took crank TO move anything, as he
said. The present condition of the coun-
try he declared to be the fulfillment of the
revelation to st. John. The seven heads
OF the beasts were the seven conspiracies
against the money of the people; the ten
horns were the ten monopolies. foremost
among them the Sugar Trust. Grover
Cleveland had called an extra session Of
Congress, and by the aid of that gray
headed rat from Ohio, John Sherman"
had been able To heal the wounds of the
seventh head by repeating the silver-pur-
chasing bill.
Brownies speech was listened 10 with inn
patience because the people wanted TO hear
CoXey. When, finally, the General scram-