MARCH 25

On this date in 1894, Coxey's Army began it's march on Washington D.C.  Ohio businessman Jacob Coxey led a group of men from Massilon, Ohio on the first ever March on Washington. They walked, road horseback or buckboard through Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland into our nation's capitol to protest the fiscal policies of President Grover Cleveland which were not relieving the high unemployment rate and economic depression that had ravaged the country for two years. 

The group grew in size as it walked toward the capitol and became known as Coxey's Army.  They camped on the grounds of the Capital when they arrived and Coxey was arrested for stepping on federal grass. 

A phrase was made popular at that time and now is often used when an extremely large spread of food is presented.  It goes, "Enough food to feed Coxey's Army." 

Some from the west coast also tried to march on Washington, but never made it much past the Mississippi.  Another group of protesters from out West commandeered a train for the trip to Washington but federal troops stopped them in Montana. 

The most interesting aspect of this earliest of marches was that it was an outline for L. Frank Baum's novel the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.  He wrote how Dorothy (Coxey) made a trip to The Emerald City (Washington) and picked up marchers (Tin Man, Scare Crow, Lion) along the way.  Dorothy had to wend her way through the Witch's band of munchkins and flying monkeys (Federal marshals) who tried to deter her.  The powerless President of course was the Wizard.

Who is the man speaking from behind that curtain?  Who is the man typing those tweets?