The Monte Vista journal. (Monte Vista, Rio Grande County, Colo.) 1888-1921, 1910-12-17
coxEY's ARMY

lead a "hobo army" to Washing
ton, D. c., there to protest agains..
various governmental policies and
abuses and to propose number of
most radical reforms. The "army''
was to start from Massillon, Ohio,
the home OF Coxey. The leader of
the army was Immediately dubbed
General" Coxey, and you and
laughed our fool heads off about
it.
General Coxey had made the an
nouncement that he proposed to
present "a living, breathing human
petition to Congressman army of
the unemployed. He called it "The
Army Of the Commonweal,' but
"hobo army" appealed to the
American sense OF humor and
."hobo army" and "Coxey's army
were the names that stuck. You
and I, being wise in our genera
ton, pictured General Coxey as a
ragged tramp, unshaven, unk empt
uncouth. He was mere vaga-
bond, appealing in picturesque
way to the government to support
him and his fellow-tramps. A
great many Of us have chung to
that picture, and smile even now
when reference is made to the
march of Coxey's Army from Ohio
to the nations capital, or to he
arrest OF Coxey for leading his
footsore followers onto the sacred
grass that surrounds the Capitol.
But if you could have walked into
the lobby OF the Waldorf-Astoria
hotel the other day and taken OBJ
servations, you would have chang
ed your conception of General ia
cob Coxey. For Mr.. Coxey is not a
hobo, not tramp, not a pauper
but good-looking, keen, clear
cut and intelligent gentleman who
cut and intelligent gentleman who
is worth-nowdon't be startled
about three million dollars in
spendable United States money.
And, furthermore, he never was a
hobo nor a pauper. He was worth
a round million dollars or more
when he organized his Army of the
Commonweal-when he went to iaiI
for daring to insist that Con-
gress consider his "human petit
tion."
At that time-ls9i-Mr. Coxey
was merely an insurgent. He is
still an insurgent and, in view OF
changes which have been wrought,
calls himself "The Original In
surgent." ~ haven't changed, he
said to the writer-"not a bit,
Sixteen years ago l was laughed
out OF court for advocating a fl
nancial plan which | believe to be
the only true solution of those
national troubles which are vari-
ously ascribed to the high tariff,
the trusts, agitation, and wha.-not.
l have lived to see my views ac-
cepted in the highest places, and
when Mr.. Aldrich and his fellow
lawmaking iinanciers passed The
emergency currency bill last year
they adopted that for which Cox
ey's Army pleaded. They are now
soldiers OF the Army OF the Com
monweal, although their enlist
ment hasn't been voluntary. Pub
lie opinion has drafted them, con-
ditions have forced them, and |
feel more or less indicated. How
ever, their hating acceptance OF
one OF the basic planks OF my plat
form hasn't caused me to believe
that the battle is won-no. by a
long shot. lam still fighting, still
organizing, and before many years
roll around you will see wider
acceptance OF Coxcy's much de-
rided views"
The money issue is the only one
that counts, according to Mr.. Cox
ey's ideas. ~ don't mean to in
innate that tariff abuses arcn'; real
abuses-real issues. But il is
our foolish monetary system that
needs revision first. We cry
against high prices. But those
prices will continue to soar higher
and higher and living dcccntly will
become more and more difficult
as long a. the people Initiate and
the currency doesn't. There is Il
change coming, however. Ihopc I,
will be In the nature Of evolution