Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1894-04-27
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WHO ARE THE PEOPLES

Y" 62V n nA "a - FEVFAny
Co1eyism is but . new and conspicuous
symptom of that which has been going on
In this country for long time. This has
been . very free country. The theory has
been that every citizen is not only capable
of governing himself, but of governing the
country. Many citizens honestly believe
in this theory and some citizens believe It
Is good theory to oopjure with. So those
citizens who honestly believe In It have no
hesitation in advancing and supporting
their notions of what should be done, and
those who work the theory are quick to
take advantage of popular" move
ments to make themselves oonspicu-
Gus, powerful, or rich, or all three.
So We have greenback crsEes, silver crsEes,
labor crszes and socialistio orszss, and 1t
looks as If we were on the edge of an an
archistic craze. People are thinking, say
ing and doing about what they please be-
cause 1t is free country and because they
are tho people. And those lin power"
feel that they really have no power, and
are afraid to use that which they seem to
have. So ''armies" composed of "ths peo-
pie" are marching on to Washington in the
name of Liberty and to the accompaniment
of anarchy and crime. What they ex-
peot to gain is not clear to outsiders.
It Is not clear to themselves. They
are urged on by recklessness, fsnaticism. a
desire to better their situation, or q desire
for excitement and to make disturbance.
Some of their leaders have more or less
definite ideas of what they intend to ask
for. Among the demands that have been
formulated are the following: (D Provide
farms and factories for the unemployed.
(9 Take steps to amend the constitution of
the United States so that 1t shall shirm
the right of every one to work. (S) Abol-
ish all interest bearing bonds. ~ Furnish
immediate employment for the unemployed
by beginning the construction of good
roads. (0 Nationalizs the railroads, tele-
graph and mines. (0 See that all land
not in actual use Is thrown open to Guilt
walton by those who are willing to cultivate
1t. C Establish q commission to investi-
gate the sdvisability of nationalizlng
trusts.
People who are foollsh and reckless
enough to form themselves into ''armies"
to support such demands are foolish and
reckless enough for anything. So 1t is
not to be wondered at that this popular
movement" has been accompanied by vio-
lence, orime and bloodshed. There will
probably be more, and 1t may be necsssa.
~ that this government of the people, by
the people, for the people shall use its
power If 1t has any In behalf of the people
who do not belong to the "srmies." Then
the people who do belong to the armies
will vooiferously assert that it is their gov.
eminent and that 1t has no right to act
against them and their interests. It
is evidently going to be necessary to
have ruling on the question, Who are
the peoplel and the sooner 1t Is made the
better. Even this fIes country can't be as
free as 1t has been much longer. Against
the demands of the Coxeyites and all the
other 'Hiberty-loving" lunatics and snar
chists must be set demands for less free.
dom, less poor and trucking politics and
more government. If there are not "peo.
pie" enough in the country to make and
enforce thei demands the country will not
be 6t to live In much longer.