Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-12-30
THE LAUNDRY CASES.

The Supreme Court of this State has
Just decided that the ordinances of the
Supervisors of the City and County of San
Francisco, known as "the wash-house
ordinances" are valid, and that their en-
forcement may be proceeded with. This
Is very encouraging for the anti-Chinese
movement. 1t seems that the citizens OF
California do not infringe any guaranteed
right when they determine what local regl,-
lations are necessary to secure the people
against the confagration of their homes,
and the cities against epidemic disease.
The ordinance most material in the mat
ter, provides that no person-not Chinese
alone, observe-shalI establish wash-houses
within certain limits without the consent
of the Supervisors, except they are located
in buildings of brick or stone. 1t is also
provided that no person shall maintain
over any building or on the roof thereof
any frame work or scafolding, without the
consent of the Supervisors. Now the Su-
preme Court wisely holds that the Board
of Supervisors, under the several statutes
comforting authority npon them, has the
power to prohibit or regulate all occupa-
tons which are against good morals, con-
trary to public order and decency, or dan
gerouS to the public safety" Laundries
are conducive of fires, and the indiscrimin-
ate washing of clothing in large quantities
and from all manner of sources may be
dangerous to the public health, when CON
Quoted in certain localities, 1t is there
fore wise 10 regulate the establishment of
such places, Just as it is wise to prohibit
the racks and frames with which the
Chinese laundrymen cover the housetops
of the buildings where they have laun-
dries, for these latter have always been
dangerous to firemen, and obstacles to the
suppression Of confagratious The de-
PENDANT in the case decided was China
man. As matter of course he set up his
rights under the treaty with China, and
under the Constitutions of California and
Of the United States. These foreigners,
somehow, always manage to lay claim to
greater privileges under the Constitution
than citizens venture to assert But TIE
Supreme Court says:
We have not deemed it necessary to discuss
the question in the light of supposed infringe
ment of petitioners rights and under the Con
Stitution of the United States for the reason
that we think the principles upon which con
tenion on that head can be based have in effect
been set at rest by the cases of Barber VS. Con
molly lis q 5. R., -, and Soon Hing VS. Crow
ley, Id, 7OS.
That this class of orders are not repugaant to
our State Constitution need not now be dis
cussed, as their validity with reference to that
instrument has been sustained in Elk parte
Mount, .. West Coast Reporter, 575 ex parte
Moynier, 20 Cal. SS Elk paTte Walters Id. 26q
regulation which applies alike to all per
sons engaged in given pursuit. without dis
tinctlon as to nationality, residence, age. sex or
condltlon. Is not, when otherwise regular and
valid, subject to the criticism of being in viola
ton OF treaty obligations existing between the
United States and China.
Now the authority of the city of San
Francisco TO pass such an ordinance as that
held TO be valid, is given by the CONSOLE
dation Act, which is not broader in its
grant of right to the municipality of San
Francisco than is the charter of this city
TO our Trustees 1t follows that we have
1t within our power to regulate the laun-
dry nuisance, and that it is nuisance in
4 great MANY cases is lInol1estioned