Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-01-23
DAILY POST-INTELLIeENc
TEE DEFKAT eY THE nIspAy Cai.
NEsE EtLLS.

The defea. Of Masdsy's Chinese bills
by the upper house Of the Legislature IL
in the nssare Of Q calamity, which viii
be all the more felt because u vss To-
tally unexpscted The bills dealt 9TH
the Chinese evil In the only manner
that the Legislature could deal With IL
There were four bills. The hrss pro-
vided that aliens incapabls Of becsm
ING citizens should not hereafter &C
quire or hold lands or any interest
therein, and that on the death Of such
aliens all land heretofore acquired BY
them should eschest 70 the Territory.
The second bill gave to cities, towns
and other Municipalities the power to
vroviae in all contracts for pablie
works that aliens incapable OF becom-
Tug citizens should not be employed On
pubIie works. and provided that no mu-
nicipaliiy should. directly or indirectly,
employ such aliens. The third pro-
vided that no private industrial or
ss~ss public corporation shosis have or
kesp in its employ sach aliens, and stip-
SLATED the penalty for violations Of such
provision. The fourth stipulated that
all cities and towns shosld have the
power 70 regulate and license laurdries,
provided tina, Nc aliens incapable Of be-
coming citizens should be licensed
These bills we're Wise and jast. Their
passage was demanded by ,he almost
snivsrsAl sentiment Of the people Of the
Territory. Their defeat will bring dis
appointment 10 many. and may be pro
dnctivs Of the greatest harm. With the
ssstinsst Of the people upon this ques-
tion 90 veil known - IL is. 10 10 moon
osivsble that body Of men Who are
supposed to reprssen. the people should
presume 10 defeat measures which the
vast majority believe 70 Be absolutely
essential 10 the welfare Of the Terri
tory.
What reason the members Of the
Conaoil Who are responsible for the de-
feat of these bills assign for their &C.
ton Ne do hot know. Indeed, II Ii diff
houit 10 see what reason can DO as
signed. Il IL to be presumed, however,
that each member who voted against
the bills understood that he Was signing
bis own political death warrant. Such
IN outraaeoss disregard Of pabl 10
opinion cannot and should net be for
given. Every man who believes that
the presence Of Chinese on the Pacific
Coast II q curse, thai II is dangerous 70
our civilization and our institutions,
that it demoralizcs the labor market
and adds the vices Of China 10 those
whish already curse our pedHle--every
man Who believes all that, should pro
cure list Of the members whose names
ara recorded against the Munasy bills
and should commit that list TO memory.
Thsrs will be many times in the future
when 10 can be remembered with ad-
vantage TO the people and confusion to
shs fsithless pablo servants who have
defeated the will Of their masters.
Representative Mundsy deserves great
credit for bis able advocacy OF these
measures. To bis exertions their pas
sage by the House vas largely due, and
10 10 through no fault Of his that they
have failed Of passage In the Council
We are firmly convinced that q ssriou,
mistake has been made In this matter
and that 10 IL Q mistake for which nc
adequate excuse oan BE- given. We be
lisve that the Territory should exert al
It's powers 10 protect its citizens fron
degrading alien competition, and tina
until ,his 10 done any appeal 10 the Ma
tional Government viii come With I
very III grace. Congress, like Heaven
10 inclined to help those Who help them
selves. and II cannot be reasonably sup
posed that prayers for help from thss
Who deliberately refuse 70 help them
selves will DO received with great favor