, 1883-12-06
Weekly Argus.
THURSDAY. DECEMBER G. Is>a.
That Chinese Question,

THE CHIME UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.
Port Townsend. beyond Seattle on
the Sound. Is Uncle Sans port of
entry, where our custom house Off
GERS, in addition to their usual du
ties, have 10 keep a sharp lookout for
attempts to smUGgle Cinnamon into
our territory III violation Of the laws
OF Congress against their mpuTta
ton. In consequence Of reports
reaching Washington of wholesale
attempts at Chinese smuggling here.
the government sent out Major W.
II. ii. NassOn, au energetic special
agent of the Treasury departments, to
investigate the matter. He finds
that while there has been some CN-
aSSeratlOn IN the reported extent Of
the smuggling operations. there Is no
doubt OF the existence Of q complete
and well managed Chinese SNUG
CHING organization, having its head
quarters at Victoria. where the Chi
neSe are cOngregated III numbers,
through having been employed large
ly on public and private work. rail
road building and the like, in British
Columbia. 1t seems that the snug
glers operate an underground rail
road something on the plan OF that
used by the abolitionists to run off
slaves. They use small schooners. OF
row boats that viii carry a small sail.
and usually do not undertake to run
more than ten OF fifteen Cinnamon
per trip. The smugSler5 get an ad-
vance fSl5 on every Cinnamon ship
ped, and Sl5 more when he Is safely
landed They dodgearound among
the islands in the Sound and on signs
of the smoke of the pursuing revenue
cutter, they seek the shelter OF some
of the myriad places of concealment
afforded by the great archipelago.
1t Is very difficult To head them off
altogether, still the YIgilant officers
at Port Townsend have succeeded
IL capturing great many cargoes,
and have quite fleet of cOntiscated
smuggling boats.
In the opinion of Major Wasson,
the law needs an amendment pre-
scribing apenalty for violation by
hne or Imprisonment, or both. There
is no penalty now whatever, and all
that can be done with them after
capture is to return them to British
territory. This involves an expense
to our government of about SO pei
Chinaman, and is therefore a losing
business to Uncle Sam; especially as
the offenders, having no fear Of pun:
ishment, are no sooner returned than
they come back again, and keep up
their efforts to get through the lines
We called upon Major Wasson
and learned from him that the above
is substantially correct. 1t is deem,
ed fortunate that the government
had such a sensible, clear headed
agent as Major Wasson to send OIL
investigating duty in connection
with this question. The ARGUS
partly from its position SO near the
boundary line, has been a pioneer il
the matter of bringing evasions o.
the Chinese restriction law before
the public. That such evasions
would occur was pointed out by this
journal in strong terms. at the time
the law was enacted; and when the
heathens began pouring in across the
line We at once set about publishing
all reliable information in regard tc
the question, to the end that the off;
GERS Of fhe law might be assisted in
discharging their duties intelligent
ly. We believed that government
owed to its citizens the enforcement
of its laws, and that the Pacific coast
had right to demand the enforce
ment of this law the enactment of
which had cost SO much effort We
stirred up the customs officials to dc
their duty thoroughly, and when il
became apparent that they were un
able to do more than check the in
coming horde without a larger force
Of subordinates, we urged upon the
special agents of the Treasury to rep
resent the facts to the Department
so that stop might be put to such
outrageous contempt for U. S. law
Messrs. Horr and Evans attacked ou
motives, and, without carefully pos
sessing themselves of the facts, re
ported that Interpretations were
going on for a purpose, and no fears
of extensive violations OF the Law
need be entertained Subsequent
events, however, completely swampec
their theory, and violations VI rnt
law heesmeso fraaueetEso extensive
50 open and notorious that a general
protest began to be sent up, headed
by majority of the newspapers il
the Territory. Marked copies of thi:
paper were sent to the proper officer:
in Washington, and when our efforts
were seconded by other papers, the
Department finally sent Major Was
son out on special duty. That gen
tleman has completed his labors, anC
has made out q voluminous repor
which he has sent to Washington
We feel sure Major Wasson has mad,
a fair, unbiased report, which is al
that could be asked for. 1t is sail
that Mr. Horr also finds as a matter
OF fact that what we sail all along
was true. He has been forced, how
ever, TO this conclusion, and while
We do not rejoice at his position, Nc
one is at fault but himself. If hC
and Mr.. Evans had done their duty
months ago many hundreds OF Chi
namen might have been kept out, be
cause the force of officers would have
been increased without doubt
The result of Major Wasson's Re
Il