Evening star., 1928-03-11
II. S. HIGHWAY BUILDING PLAN
ALL WRONG. GEN." COXEY SAYS
Pushing Construction With Federal Aid
Condemned on Ground That System
Fails to Benefit Unemployed.

greenbacker and joined the Populist
party. In 1885 he had had Jesse Har-
per from Danville, Tll.--the man who
nominated Abraham Lincoln--carn.
paigning for him on the money uues-
ton. In 1893 there we're 1000 900 idle
and soup houses from one end Of the
country TO the other. the general re-
lated. and during the Winter OF 1893 he
wrote the first bill in favor of the good
roads movement.
The story was sent out By the Asso-
ciated Press and attracted wide atten.
ton, he declared, and while on a VISIT
to the Worlds Fair in Chicago he met
Carl Brown, who returned with him to
Ohio. They campaigned for good roads
and the relief of the unemployment s!t.
uation. In 1894 as the new year came
In the general recalled, the solution
OF the money problem evolved from a
dream and he wrote 1t out.
Petitions Congress With Boots On"
Feeling that the only way TO get at
tention vas Ito petition Congress with
boots on" the famous march that In
linked with the name of Coxey started
on Easter Sunday. March 25, 1894. He
had been born on Easter Sunday in
1904. That memorable march to Wash
ington took 35 days.
Bulletin No. OF "The Good Roads
Association Of the United States" OF
| which the general" was the president,
| was issued. ne said, December Z, 1888.
Bulletin No. 2 was issued January 81.
1894, calling for signatures to petitions
asking Congress to enact the non-ir:er-
est bond and good roads bills as laws.
On February %, 1894, bulletin No. 3
was issued, giving the plan of organi-
Zation for the march TO Washington.
March hs3ff
| issued, containing general order No. I
| to the commonweal army" as It was
| termed. On Sunday, April 29. 1894. the
army" reached the District Of Column.
5ia and went into camp at Brign:wood
Park
A record shows that In the Fifty.
| third Congress. second session, House
resolution 743s, June IL, 1894, was In
troduced. reading thus:
| "A bill to provide for the improve.
ment OF public roads and for other pur-
poses.
BE II enacted by the Senate and
House Of Representatives Of the United
states OF America in Congress assem-
bled, that the Secretary Of the Treas
| ury OF the United States Is hereby au.
thortzed and instructed 10 have en-.
graved and have printed. Immediately
| after the passage OF this bill. five hun
0Eeo NlltlonS OF dollars or Treasury
notes. a legal tender for all debts, pub
lie and private. said notes to be In de-
nominations OF one. two. five and ten
dollars. and 70 be placed In a fund to
be known as the general county-road
fund system Of the United States and
to be expended solely for said purpose.
Duty Imposed on War Secretary.
| "Sec. 2. That It shall be the duty Of
the Secretary Of War to take charge Of
the construction Of the said general
county-road system Of the United States
| and said construction to commence as
| soon as the Secretary Of the Treasury
shall inform the Secretary Of War that
| the said fund is available. which shah
not be later than so days from and
| after the passage Of this bill, when .t
shall be the duty Of the Secretary Of
War 70 inaugurate the work and ex-
pend the sum OF twenty millions Of Col.
lars per month pro rata with the num-
Der OF miles OF road In each State ard
Territory In the United States.
Sec. 8. That all labor other than
CONTINUED on Seventh PsTs5