Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 May 1894 — COMMONWEAL CRUSADE. [ARTICLE]

COMMONWEAL CRUSADE.

Coxey’s Column Arrives at the National CapitalThe Commander-In-Chief Declares He Will 8 ay All Summer if Necessary, The second day at the National Capital was spent by the army of the commonweal in making arrangements for the May Day meeting on the steps of the Capital. Gen. Coxey interviewed Ser-geant-at-arms Bright, and tried to get permission to hold his meeting as arranged but was told that the law expressly prohibited such proceedings. Coxey insisted that the law was unconititutitional, but Mr. Bright said he was snforcing laws, not construing them. COXEY CRUSHED. According to programme the Coxey army left Brightwood Park, Tuesday morning, to march to the capitol for the long expected May day demonstration. There were five hundred men in line. Mrs. Annie L. Diggs, the Populistic agitator of Kansas, in a barouche; Coxey’s seven-teen-year-old daughter on a cream-colored steed representing the Goddess of Peace; Carl Browne on a great gray stallion; General Coxey, his wife, the infant Legal Tender Coxey, together in another carriage; Virginia La Valette, said to be an actress, on horseback, draped in an American flag as the Philadelphia commune’s Goddess of Peace; the unemployed carrying white flags of peace. The procession was halted in the street near the 'capitol. Gen. Coxey kissed his wife in a drama tic manner, and then accompanied by Browne,forced his way to the capitol steps. Coxey was confronted by the police as be took off his hat to speak, and his demand for his constitutional rights, as he called it, boing refused, thrust upon them a printed protest, which proved to be a well-worded epitome of Populistic doctrines. Meanwhile Carl Browne was being literally dragged by the collar of his coat through the crowd toward the nearest station, after he had made a fight to retain his banner. Two police captains, a lieutenant and a sergeant thrust the mildmannered Coxey back to his carriage. Mounted police were forcing their horses among the people, several of them cracking their glubsover the heads of the nearest persohs. Women were shrieking in terror, men were yelling fiercely, and some were knocked down and trampled upon. For five minutes there was riot in that section of the mob in front of tho east steps, which occupied about an acre of the asphalt. Then the two agitating spirits having been removed and a half dozen particularly beligerent men having been taken in by the police, the disturbance was quelled without serious injuries to a single person. Somehow tho army was started off toward its new camp between double lines of police, followed by a mob of thousands, cheering like demons for Coxey and Browne. Within an hour the Capitol grounds had almost regained their normal quiet, with only a few hundred people strolling around. J. S. Coxey, Carl Browne and Christo’pher Columbus Jones, Commonweal leaders, are under arrest at Washington, for violation of the United States statute at their May Day demonstration. They appeared at the police station. Wednesday, and gave bond, the trial being postponed until Friday. The camp of tho Coxey army iat Washington was very quiet, Wednesday. Coxey visited the men for a short time, but soon left and placed “Oklahoma Sam” in charge. Marshal Browne took breakfast with his associates but departed to attend his trial in the police court. Gen. Coxey remained at his hotel Thursday, and devoted his time to an endeavor to obtain a better site for a camp. There are now 525 men at Coxey’s Wash ington camp, and Marshal Brown insists that everything is lovely. NOTES. Carter’s crow of 550 unemployed men left Salt Lake city for the East, Monday, on foot. Carter made a fiery speech, stating that should peaceful supplication for relief fail, a resort to arms would be had. Ho said he could count on 5,000 men in Utah who would come to his defense at a single word. Hogan’s army reached Helena, Mont., Monday, 3LO strong, in charge of U. S. soldiers from Ft. Keogh, and went into camp under guard. Ten thousand men are said to be enrolled in the Coxey army home reserve in Colorado. The force in Denver numbers 1,200. Governor Waite says: “This spontaneous upheaval of the people seems destined to compel a tyrannical President and venal Congress to legislate at least In defense of popular rights, which have so long been the football of scurvy politicians.” The camp at Brightwood Driving Park, Washington, Monday morning, was a dismal place. No breakfast was had, and it was 10 o’clock before the fires were lighted. At noon tho mutterings of discontent became ominous of trouble and tho men exhibited great bitterness toward Brown, who was living high in the city. Brpwn arrived at 5 o'clock with a load of bread and made a speech to pacify the discontented men, stating that he did not blame them for being hot. He said that Coxey and himself had been busy all day trying to make other arrangements. Randall’s Chicago contingent began its march eastward, Tuesday, and paraded the streets of tho city, finally stopping for tho night at an abandoned World’s Fair hotel. There were 500 men in line. Wednesday the march was resumed, and Hammond, Ind., was reached at 3:30 p. m. Camp was made in an old school house. A mass meeting was held in Germania Hall. “Gen." Randall made an hour’s speech and a collection of 15.77 was taken for the cause. Kelley’s array still lingers at Des Moines. Hope of securing railway transportation has been practically abandoned. General Mastcrworkman Sovereign has arrived, and said, Wednesday, that he was in possession of highly Important Information, but absolutely refused to reveal Its nature. It was rumored that he had received encouragement from President Debs, of tho American Railway Union, and that the latter would be in Des Moines soon. A secret conference of labor leaders was held in Trades Assembly Hail, at which it was confidently slated that Kelly Would secure transportation. “Gen.” Fry’s army, in camp at Indianapolis. have resorted to a new dodge. The agent of “The Story of the Commonweal” Arrived, Wednesday, from Chicago,, with 40,020 copies of tho book, and a large num-

ber of the Wealers were at once sent oat as agents. Mayor Denny bonght the first book. It is hoped that- enough money be realized to get tho army out of the city by Saturday. Randall’s raid reached Hobart, Ind., Thursday, aud camped on a hillside in the open air, without shelter excepting trees. The men were drenched to the skin. The march of Thursday was through mud and rain and rations were scanty. Kelley’s army still remained at Des Moines, Thursday, and the situation becams desperate. The men are on the verge of starvation. Transportation can not be obtained and the army willi probably go to pieces as the men refuse to walk any further. Peter Springer and a half-dozen eom* panlons left Harrodsburg, Ky., Thursday, in a balloon for Washington, to join the ’Wealers. They took six days’ provisions with them and will land as the balloon needs refilling and take a fresh start until the journey is finished. Springer secured an experienced aeronaut to pilot them safely on their journey and says he will contribute SI,OOO to Coxey on his arrival at Washington.