The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-06
COIN HARVEY'S
GOSPEL WAGONS
Four Prairie SchOOners Are
TraEersing the Country
Spreading the american Pat
riots" Propaganda.
TO GET SUBSCRIBERS
For the Orders Official Paper,
the Patriots Bulletin,
Is the Business of the Crews of
These Vehicles.

Chicago, Oct. 6.-Four prairie schoon-
ers are traversing the country spread
ing knowledge of w. H. Harvey's polit-
zeal Organiza ton, 'The Order of Amer
lean Patriots and soliciting subscrip-
tions for it's organ, the Patriots Bull
letin. 1t is planned to have fully 100
wagons going by next summer.
The Order of American Patriots
was organized in December, 1895, being
in sense the successor of Senator
Stewards Order of the Silver Knights
The Bulletin is issued by the Coin
Publishing company. Its circulation
has not been effectively doomed until
the last summer, when ". H. Harvey,
who is the National Patriot, devised the
wagon method of securing subscribers.
The first wagon was started out in
June.
1t is an old style schooner, with can
vas top, six feet wide and IA feet long.
The portraits of Washington, jefferson,
Jackson, and Lincoln, done by a local
artist, decorate the sides. The wagon
is under the management of J. J. Dwy-
er, an orator who is said to resem bic
w J. Bryan, and Joseph W. Bailey of
Texas.
The wagon is fitted out with sleeping
and living arrangements 1t travels by
day, stopping at every farm house and
hailing every man in sight The aims
of the order are explained. When night
comes the wagon is halted in a settle
ment, platform is arranged by an in
a speech while his assistants scurry
around for subscriptions. The method
procedure is the same with all four
wagons, three men being the crew Of
each.
Dwyer started out across Illinois in
June, worked his way through Iowa in
to western Missouri, and is now on the
road through southern Missouri to Tex
as His crew averages $40 a week in
commissions, it is stated.
Another wagon is in Ohio, bound for
Florida, third in northern Missouri
working back towards Canton. Ill, and
a fourth is in Kansas, with southern
California as an objective point. The
northern states will receive attention
in the spring and summer next year.
Ihe training of the wagon crews is
carried on at Mr.. Harvey's headquar-
ters, 448 Washington boulevard.
The Patriots of America" is a Sc
cret order. It's animating idea is edu-
cation. Direct legislation by the peo-
pie is one of the central thoughts It
is planned to have the local lodges vote
before every congressional and presi-
dental election on a list of questions
prepared by the national executive
committee and the questions receiving
the largest affirmative vote are to be
placed in the foreground in the ensu-
ing election.
Some of the questions are these:
Are you in favor of postal savings
bank system?
Are you in favor of what is commonly
known as the income tax?
Are you in favor of the single tax as
defined by Henry George?
Are you in favor of socialism as de-
fined by Lawrence Gronlund?
Are you in favor of the prohibition of
the liquor traffic?
Are you in favor of settling all lead
ing political issues by a direct vote of
the people, and of making this propo-
sitiOn an issue in the next presidential
campaign?
Other questions relate to the curren-
cy, embracing free silver, fiat money,
and other plans.