National Republican., 1880-02-27
THE SAND LOT TROUBLES.
San Francisco Suffering from Too
Much Agitation.
Roactionary Effect of the Chinese Labo
AgItntIon-Business Interests Seriously
Affected-Both sides Alarmed
Efforts for Relief Paralyzcd-
Prospects for Vigil
lance Committee.


Efforts for Relief Paralyzcd-
Prospects for Vigil
lance Committee.
All Parties ResortIug to Secret Meetings.
SAN FRANcIsco, Fob. 26.-Mauy persons
who have been sufferers of tho anti.Chinese
| movement, but whose business interests have
been seriously injured by the rcactionary effect
of the serious agitation in this city, as we'll as
others, frequently express the sentiment that
| rather than suffer q continuance of the evil
results of the protraotcd agitation IL would bc
preferable to have 10 out ut once for all, and
the sooner the better. The leaders of the work.
ingmen evidently have no desire to precipi.
| tate conflict, and their action yesterday in.
dicates that their policy is rather to keep the
agitation just Mt such point as falls short of
violence, yet is sufficiently threatening to in-
duce acquiescencc in their desires. This line
of action Is dangerous in view of the excited
state of the public mind, aud may result in
provoking tue other side into some action that
will bring about collision. Indeed that
perhaps at present Is the greatest source of
danger.
The Ninth Ward Workingmons Protective
Club met last evening and organized u military
company, twenty-five men signing the roll.
Some very hot speeches were made at the
meeting of the ward presidents yesterday
afternoon previously referred to. Sheriff
Desmond, elected by tho wortingmeu,
signifed his intention to support them in their
movement. The ward presidents recommend
that their seven clubs hold executive sessions
to consider the pending question, and pledged
the entire party TO support the mayor aud the
authorities in carrying out the law.
The Eleventh ward club, which was the
theatre of Kearney's extraordinary oratorical
effort Tuesday night, met last evening again,
l.ulN a, al. ii.
quarters everything is profoundly quiet, and
there is no unusual force on duty.
A VIGILANCE COMMITTEE PROPOSED.
SAN Francisco, Feb 26-The Cal this
morning says secret meeting of citizens was
held in the Palace Hotel last evening for the
purpose of organizing II vigilance committee.
The av0wcd object of the organization is the
suppression of any possible riot which might
occur in connection with the labor agitation
movement.
Considerable inquiry to-day among gentle.
men supposed to be interested in the reported
vigilance-cOmmittce movement failed to draw
out any direct information on the subject but
there is good reason to believe that the re-
port is well founded and that q thorough
organization exists. 1t Is understood Kearney
has gone to Sacramento.
THE SAND LOT MEETING.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 26.-There was no
parade OF workingmen to-day, and the meet
ing ut the Sand Lots was comparatively tame
Cannon, chairman of the committee, reported
that after this week the committee would
cease calling on the employers of Chinese, and
that tho weekday meetings at the Sand Lots
would be discontinued. [Crics of "agitate".
I'VE will agitate in different way" said
Cannon. His speech was principally devoted
to comment of the recent meeting of mer-
chants, with view of raising subscriptions
for the benefit Of the unemployed.
THE MERCHANTS DIsoUsTED.
A meeting of merchants was held this after
noon to hear the report of the committee ap.
pointed to concert relief measures. There was
very small attendance, aud the report
was not submitted Tho committee stated
that since the last meeting the incendiary
language Of tho agitators had put the mor-
camille cummunity in frame of mind in
which IL would he ofbut little use to approach
them for contributions. The feeling seemed
to be that they were ready to assist tho un.
employed people, but wanted to wait and see
the result of the agitation. Tho meeting ad.
jOurned without action, and tho impression
seemed TO bo that the project had fallen
through until such time Ms m ore temperate
counscls might prevail among the working
men.
CALM REVIEW OF THE SITUATION.
SAN Francisco, Feb. 26.-It appears that
real situation here. 1t is not true that the
agitation has assumed II socialistic aspect, nor
is there any good reason to believe that within
a few days mob will march on Chinatown
Several things have combined to bring about
the present critical condition of affairs. Pro.
cessions of the unemployed and their demands
for the discharge of Chinese and employment
of white labor has excited the workingmen
aud irritatcd capital. The passage of a law
forbiddng corporations to employ Chinese
and tho refusal OF certain corporation mana.
gers TO comply with the law until it has been
interpreted by the United States courts, has
aggravated the mutual hard foeling The
action of the board Of health in
declaring Chinatown nuisance was
supposed by tho workmen to mean
immediate and wholesale condemnation of the
Chinese quarter aud removal Of tho occupants
to the outskirts of the city, and the delay
necessarily arising in carrying out the decree
of condemnation in detail under legal pro-
ccsses has given rise to apprehensions that an
effort is on foot to defeat the measure. These
things have combined to Impress tho work Ing.
mon with the belief that, while they have
both law and justice IN the case on their
side, an organized attempt is aGoOt to resist
the laws and rob them of tho benefits expected
from their operations. This belief has boon
fosterad aud thoir fears worked up to the
highest pitch of apprehension by tho very
windy defamation Of some Of their leaders,
until they aro undoubtedly living In daily
expectation of m uprising Of the vigilance
committee, backed by the police and military, |
for the purpose of killing their leaders and |
trampling tho law under foot.
As matter of fact, the condemnation of
Chinatown meets with the almost unanimous !
approval of all citizens and classes. Corpora.
tons are daily discharging the Chinese pend |
ing Interpretation of the law, and the relief |
movement would have been actively progress. |
ing but for the violent harangues of the last |
few days. On the other hand, the noendiary |
language of the agitstOrs has alarmed aud cx-
asporsted the business classes until they are
ready to arm in seli-deiense, Both parties
are lashiug themselves into fury oyor the
almost imaginary and suppoSititous grounds |
of disagreement, There is no doubt |
that Mayor KNlloch moaus TO use all |
of his influence with his followers to |
keep peace, but he probably recognizes the |
fact that to maintain his influence over them |
IL Is necessary to II certain extent to fall into |
their ways of speech and action. At the pres
ent time few calm words between tho lead.
ers of tho wOrSugmen and the business
classes would go far to create u better under. |
standing, aud would remove all danger Of
conflict. From QnDeuraucU5 to-day there Is