Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 April 1894 — THE COMMONWEAL. [ARTICLE]

THE COMM ON WEAL.

Eastward the Star of Coxey Takes Its Way. Scenos and Incidents Along The Lines of March—Notes. The commonwealers had rather uncomfortable time at Pittsburg. Tuesday night at least forty “veterans” were locked up as vagrants in the city prisons. Wednesday several received workhouse sentences. Thirty new recruits were enrolled. An attempt by the “army” to parade the streets of Pittsburg during Wednesday was headed ofl by the police and the procession was compelled to return to camp. Notwithstanding this, however, an immense mass meeting was held on the Monongahela wharf. Coxey and Browne made their customary speeches. The army attempted to go to the Palaco Theater, Wednesday night, where Coxey was booked for a speech, but was again headed off by the police and returned to camp. The commonwealers broke camp at Ex position Park, Pittsburg, Thursday, and resumed their march. About 300 men were in line. At Homestead an escort of 500 men mot the army and headed by the Homestead Steel Works band they paraded the streets and marched to the circus grounds where the camp was pitched and the dinner served. Kirtland, Johnson and Her, the men who were induced to go upon a dime museum stage at Pittsburg were summarily dismissed from the army. Coxey said: “We will have no dime museum freaks in this aggregation.” The march of Friday was from Homestead to Rcynoldton, Pa. A stop of two hours was made at Btiqucsne, whore a reception was given by local trade organizations with bands. A dinner was fur-’ nished by tho citizens. Tho route from Homestead was by the river road and was rough and tiresome. The army of the Commonweal arrived at Brownsville. Pa., at 7 p. m., Sunday, and wont into camp 294 strong. Ten thousand weary watchers awaited their arrival. The feeling among the people was favorablo to the crusade but no recruits were received. The camp was made in Bracebridge Hall in tho center ol tho town.

NOTE 3. Two hundred of Frey’s men were offered work at St. Louis at §1.50 a day, laying water mains. They refused, saying they were not thero to dig mud, but were going to Washington to force legislation in their behalf. A second brigade of Coxeyites left Los Angeles, Monday, two hundred strong. They are now camped in Orange county. The citizens have refused any aid. Gen. Frey’s contingent of the industrial army will have to walk east from St. Louis. Tho railway authorities have united in a refusal to furnish transportation. Frey’s men marched to Collinsville, Thursday. Gen. Frey’s industrial army in camp al Collinsville, a suburb of East St. Louis, wore ordered out of the city limits, Friday, by the Chief of Police. Tho General accepted the situation and “got a move” on his men and marched to a point on the Collinsville pike outside of the city limits whero they went into camp to await dovelopements. —Oakland; Gah; was in a tnrmollof excitemcnt, Thursday night, caused by the regiment of men which had been organized at San Francisco to join Coxey. Thero were 040 desperate men in tho organization who refused to leave tho city. At midnight a consultation was held between tho mayor, sheriff and chief of police,and it was decided to drive the “industrials” from tho town. Twelve hundred citizens were sworn in as deputies and at 2 o’clock a general alarm was sounded. Things looked ominous until 3:20 a. m., when Loader Kelly gave orders and the “army” at onco marched to the railway station where a freight train had been provided to transport them to Sacramento, where they arrived at noon, Friday. Great indignation was expressed at .Sacramento because of the action of the Oakland authorities. The army was increased to 1,000 men at Sacramento. Vigorous measures wero at once inaugurated, and at 5 o’clock the army again started eastward in twenty freight cars. A car load of unemployed men to the number of forty arrived at Washington from Cincinnati. Sunday. Thoy were promptly arrested as vagrants and locked up. Capt- Primrose, their leader, may find himself in serious trouble. There is an old law on the statuto books, which was passed in 1830 and has never been repealed. which makes it an offense to bring to the District of. Columbia any destitute people who are likely to become public charges, wyth a penalty from 125 to SSO for each offense. Tho police authorities are considering the advisability of bringing a charge of violating this law against the leader, in which case his fines, with the alternative work house imprisonment, would amount to a very heavy punishment. The same charge may bo brought against Gen. Coxey, if disaster does not overtake tho army of the Commonweal before it completes its itinerary. Tho California contingent arrived at Ogdon, Utah, Sunday, at 0 p. m. Tho train was at once switched Into the railroad yards and surrounded by the militia, which had been called out by the Governor. It was more than two hours beforo the men got anything to eat. Gov. West” and the railway officials held a long consultation. Tho Union Pacific declined to carry the men Eastward at less than fnll rates. The Central Pacific had been notified by the Governor not to bring tho men into the Territory, but declined to obey the order. The result is that the army of the Pacific Is temporarily stranded under guard at Ogden,