, 1886-03-04
The as'eekln Arou5,
THURSDAY, MARCH /. 1856.
Anti Chinese!

Chinese are increasing rather Than
diminishing in Port Townsend. A
though hotels are discnargiag their
Chinese help. and most all who have
been patronizing Chinese laundrt.-
are now giving their washing to the
whites engaged in that business. yet
there are no Cinnamon apparently
going away, and new additions to
their numbers are being made from
time TO time by those driven out
or discharged from other places.
The ARGUS has insisted repeatedly
that this whole question involves an
evil that must either be met and
dealt with by the responsible citizens
of the country. or it viii be dealt with
by the riff raft If the latter take 1t
in hand they Will use the only means
they seem capable Of using violence
and Intimidation, possibly bloodshed,
riot and arson. Our fair city has
thus far escaped an outbreak, and if
we would continue our conservative.
prosperous course, loyal to the laws,
we must act, and act so as to secure
the result so much needed and de
sired for the good Of the country.
1t has been demonstrated fully that
the Chinese will always remain Il
distinct, alien and undesirable part
of our population if permitted to re
main among Us. Nothing short Of
the complete elimination Of the Chi
nese will settle the question at issue.
There are two ways Of doing this;
one by driving them out, which is
unlawful and cannot be permitted;
the other by refusing to employ or
patronize them. The latter method,
though not so summary as the other,
will prove equally as effective in the
end, and much more creditable to
our character as a law abiding people.
Inasmuch as no one seems inclined
to make move, and as it is high time
that concerted action were taken, the
ARGUS comes to the front today with
the following which kas been written
out and is now in this Office ready for
signatures. We urge all coed citizens
to enter into this agreement publicly,
and to abide by it faithfully. We
shall publish from time to time the
names of those who sign it, and hope
thus to encourage all who are really
sincere in their professed desires to
have the Chinese go, to come cut and
show their colors. 1t may be well
enough, in month or so to publish
the names of those refusing to sign
this agreement, together with the
reasons, if any, which some may have.
The agreement reads:
WHEREAS, The presence of Chinese in
our midst is an evil which all good citi-
zens should unite to nbate, and
WHEREAS, We deplore all riotous and
unlawful means of securing the desired
result, and
WHEREAS. We firmly believe that .
uniform policy of non-intercouIsc with
all Mongolians will speedily result in
their voluntary removal from our locality,
therefore,
We, the citizens of Port Townsend
and Jefferson County, in the interest of
American laborers and American home
builders, and with an unalterable purpose
to rid the community of an alien and
wholly undesirable class, do hereby
pledge ourselves to refrain hereafter from
patronizing' Chinese, either directly or
indirectly, We will neither hire Chinese
labor nor purchase the product of
Chinese laborers now IN Washington
Territory.
Furthermore, we earnestly enjoin all
citizens to unite with US in this mutual
agreement.
The foregoing is thought to be fair
and reasonable. 1t does nat apply TO
necessary importation of rice, tea
and other products of China, but
simply to the Chinese who are now
here, and the direct product of their
labor. There are now two white
laundries in town, besides numbers
OF deserving washerwomen, and there
is no excuse for longer patronizing
Cinnamon in that line, while we have
white wood sawyers, white market
gardeners and white laborers in abun
dance to meet all demands The on
ly department of labor at all hard tc
occupy fully with white labor is that
of domestic help. There may be
some who cannot conveniently dis
psnse with their Chinese house ser.
wants just yet; but they ought to be
willing to make the necessary change
as soon as competent white help car
be secured. There are many Portu-
guese and others coming among Us
who are willing to work at any price
who are buying land and making
homes, who will pay taxes, schoo
their children, and eventually become
naturalized citizens, assimilating into
tho body polite Such persons may
we'll be put in where Chinese are put
out. II this plan is adopted by the
general public it will be but a very
few weeks till the little yellow mar
who has caused SO much trouble vii
take up his line of march from Port
Townsend never to return. On The
other hand, if property holders ant
those who have most at stake DO moi
band themselves together under sonle
such plan rs this, the day will come
soon when We shall have 4 repetition
OF Seat:le's experience. We know
whereof we speak, and are givine
voice to no idle speculation.
Alaska News
The Casssr mail for January was
returned 10 Fort Wrangle on the 18th
fITha Tnl,o1r- - ,.-a,.r ,,,....-