About the Man
A quarry operator and horse owner, a devoted Greenbacker, an inveterate politician and an outspoken proponent of Public Works programs, Jacob Sechler Coxey was ahead of his time in many ways. He was referred to as the " most dangerous man since the Civil War."
'Most dangerous man since the Civil War.'
He is best known for leading an "army" of the unemployed to Washington in 1894. He later ran for President and Senator; and was elected Mayor of Massillon Ohio.
About his ideas
Coxey believed the solution to the unemployed question resulting from the Panic of 1893, was to put people to work building " Good Roads " program; ] So he conceived of a $500 million Good Roads Program he would present to Congress.
The idea of the march is to attract the attention of the whole people of this country to the greatest question that has ever been presented to them: "the money question.".
In 1894 bills were introduced authorizing the program Coxey envisioned. But as the March drew nearer to Washington the attention of the Congress turned on what should be done with the tramps, vagabonds and hobos approaching the capital. 1
It would not be until 1932, after sending Presient Elect Franklin Roosevelt an open letter, that Coxey would see his idea of a massive public investment in Good Roads finally realized. After running for president himself in 1932, Coxey was invited to visit with the new President at Warm Springs. And by 1933 his ideas were being realized in the National Industrial Recovery Act.