The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-05-20
Will Personally Read the 1OO,-
900 Idle WOrkpeOpIe
Out of Chicago to the Vest
ward. June 90.
THE LINE OF MARCH
Has Not Been Mapped Out But
the Destination
Is Some Far Western State
Has Financial Backing.

Chicago, May 20.-Unless the plans of
Eugene V. Debs and his lieutenants go
astray foul of the government au-
thorities again, he intends to have his
name live in history as the Moses of the
Unemployed. He intends to lead "an in
dustrial army" of at least 100000 men
out of this land of bondage and across
country by turnpike to a New Land of
Promise. We're millionaires. railroads.
jails and cucumbers are as scarce as
hens teeth. There the army will
pitch its tents. and the foundation will he
laid for a new. socialistic co-operativs.
commonwealth.
The .army is to evacuate Chicago.
after first being organized here. on or
soon after June 90 1897 On that date
which is just five days after the Ameri-
can Railway Union convention win
gather here, a big Open-air mass meeting
of unemployed and strikers of all trades
will be held, probably the lake front.
The line of march has not been decided
upon for the reason that the objective
point is yet in doubt. Debs says the final
halt will be made in some western or
southern state probably Utah. It is his
intention to organize this cooperative
commonwealth in some place where the
present population is so small that only a
short time will pass before the govern
ment can be entirely controlled by so-
cialism, and thus the foundation will be
laid for a peaceful revolution" which
Debs says he believes can only end in So
cialism spreading to every state in the
Union and the ultimate capture of the
reins of national government.
The promoters Of this scheme have been
quietly at work for many months. Much
secret organization work has been accom-
plshed. Debs has made several visits to
the city. Headquarters of the propa-
ganda have been established in West
Madison street. Arrangements for the
coming convention of the A. r. L. are
also being made at this place. and the
several men in charge are kept busy with
a mass of correspondence. The location
of therroo is known only to chosen
few. The headquarters of the executive
committee of the A. r. u. is at No. 225
Dearborn street.
Many leading socialists of the country
are interested in the new commonwealth
scheme and there is no doubt an attempt
will be made to carry it out as planned.
The last issue of the Railway News, Off
cial organ of the American Railway I'm
ion. contains an article outlining the
scheme over Debs' signature. A few ad-
ditional facts We're given out yesterday
by one of the chief co-workers having
charge of branch of the promotion work
in Chicago. Branch headquarters have
been established in other large cities but
Chicago is to be the starting point. Some
of the details of the plan are to be made
public within fortnight.
1t is claimed by the promoters that the
scheme will not want for financial back
ing sufficient to insure success. 1t is as
serted that no professional tramps will be
eligible to enlist and that only able
bodied workmen. willing to endure hard
ship and ready for hard work. need ap-
ply.
The problem of feeding and sheltering
the army while on the march is said
to have been worked out satisfactorily.
When the end of the overland trip is
reached sheltering huts are first to be
provided. then land is to be titled and CO.
operative industries are to be estab-
lished.
It is argued that enough skilled me-
found ready to enlist to insure the sue
+ cess of the new colony and that enough
money will be forthcoming to secure the
army from starvation until it can become
self-supporting.
One of the most interesting of the
questions yet to be solved is the woman
problem. Some of the dreamers who
father the plan say it may be decided
to bar out the fair sex during the first six
months of the existence of the new
Utopia