The Indianapolis journal., 1894-04-24
THE TRAMPING ARMIES"
Reasons Why People Should Refuse to
Aid or Encourage Them.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
Your editorial in the Journal of the 20th,
THE burden of Coxeyism," is III the right
direction, If not timely / say not timely
because it should have appeared earlier.
The press of the country should have laid
bare the fraud and danger of "CoXeyism'
Immediately upon the discovery that their
free advertisement had put life into a dan
gerous, though apparently absurd, scheme;
for l believe most people will agree that
had the Associated Press and the corre-
spondents let 1t alone instead of hunting
for something to write about it the scheme
would have died "a-borning." The power
of the Associated Press has In this been
demonstrated. as also the fact that 1t is
not always exercised for the best interests
of the public.
But it is not too late to consider this In
the right light yet. We of central Indiana
Will in few DAYS have a sight Of
branch OF this army" 1t is now near our
borders. According to report it is lying
near Terre Haute. waiting for transporta-
ton and proper reception arrangements in
indianapolis. Another branch is waiting
near Omaha for transportation People
by the hundreds, who, without being OF
them, or without looking thoroughly into
the matter, are in sympathy with them,
should furnish them transportation, or if
they don't furnish 1t that ii should be TAX
en- Why 1t should be taken from the rail
roads and not from the farmers and other
residents along the route no one appears
TO consider, except that railroad company
appears to be legitimate prey, not only for
every tramp or thief or demagogue polti-
clan in the country, but very often for 9th
erwise reputable citizens, who would not
tnlnk tnna OF 3 SO treating treating an individual Money
army" What is it for? Is it to maintain
them in their demands for other peoples
transportation, or is 1t a bribe TO keep
them from leaving the railroad track and
going to your farm or house and demand
ing transportation from you? This is
tlohs. Every one, no matter IL ne DE the
keeper of property or money, or If he has
should fully consider what he is doine, be-
fore he contributes to the encouragement
of this movement little history, and
not very ancient history either might be
of little use in this emergency. Along in
1871 beginning west of this and extending
east to Philadelphia and Baltimore, CEN
along the lines of the different railroads,
property was contiscated by the mob and
burned and destroyed. We you and / not
stood by and read bulletin after bulletin
giving accounts OF the burning of this sta
ton and that roundhouse and the stopping
of trains this and that road. The
National Guard was called out and re-
fused to do their duty, and by the way,
some or them We're a1terWard caught In
a roundhouse and burned and shot by the
very mob they refused to act against. Good
men were heard to say that il was good
for the railroads, and applauded every
fresh bulletin. What was the result? One
county alone in Pennsylvania paid millions
of dollars of damages. and they are yet
being taxed TO pay for that three days
work. On investigation, in their sober mo-
ments, they found that instead of appland-
ing the acts of down-trodden and oppressed
workingmen they had been aiding a lot of
"hobOs'-that not one man In a hundred
engaged in the rioting had been railroad
men. In the next week more damage can
be done by sympathy OF good people for
the crowd making up this movement than
the crowd itself could do in year Think
well before you give them any aid en-
couragement. ORDER