The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-06-23
NOT 4 SOFT SNAP.


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I've struck fne jo6. = sid Asses
sor QDilter yesterday Il have Just
lconmenced collecting poll tax from
the Chinex< and am having perfect
picnic have Been cot THREE or foar
hours this afternoon and have collected
just 81 Whenever dropped into =
party Of C<3essixis and tell them my
mission they would
sKsfs "a syKAx Away
One By one until ] would be left alone
Thea they are 80 fertile In excuses for
MOI paying A good many claim that
they mo sayey. !" bat the most Of them
who try 70 stand me OF maintain that
they have no work and no money 4
talked 90 one fellow for about twenty
minutes. but could not get him 20
open bis uioath. He vas evidently
trying TO give rae the impression that
he could not understand me. hut
thought vas q bad man, bunko
sseerer or something. ard that be did
not want anything to do with me-
The iax makes Il
THE ASSESSORS IMPERATIVE nrTr
To collect the poll tax. but no way Is
provided for enforcing il except that
the employers are responsible for the
tax OF their employees. am going to
see Justice Sodsfburg rs To what can
be done in the case Of the Chinese
don't knox kow We can reach then
except on the charge OF vagrancy. l
do not want to Discriminate Against
the Chinese, but we make the white /
men pay and ! cannot see why they
should not.
II found one wash house on MI
street where SIX men were employed.
The boss told me 20 make out the re-
ceipts, and after I had done 70 and
had torn them out Of the book he said
he would paw me on the 18th Of the
month. There I had the stubs with
the receipts torn OF, and | have got
to show up two dollars for each stuh. |
| finally got the hoy 70
PAY His owx TAX.
And told him l would come around
again next Tuesday and would expect
him to pay for the other men"
why would it no: be a good idea to |
take an interpreter aiongg"
Il tried 10 get one both this year
and last, but the men who are compe- |
tent to act as interpreters refuse to |
have anything TO do with it, Beside, |
IL | got one, the county would not al |
low any thing for IT, BY the way, since |
/ started out among the Chinamen / |
have changed my ideas about the num-
Der OF them in the city. I now believe |
that there are from 800 h SO in Seat |
tie. II you want to see
WHAT A FrSxy SNAP
This collection OF Chinese poll tax is, |
take a walk around with me for few |
minutes
The reporter acquiesced, and was
soon with Mr.. Quiiter in front OF q |
China store on South Third street. |
Mr.. Quiiter asked Chinaman who |
was seated in the window il he had |
paid his poll tax.
No, not yet"
well, you better pay il now, ;" con-
tinued Mr.. Qniiter. producing his re-
ceipt book.
NO got money. No wolk, no money,
no pay TAX"
where do you get anything to eat |
u you have no work or money!"
Eat st wash house. No work long /
time"
We'll. II you can't pay a policeman |
viii be around tomorrow and take you |
70 jail. and you can work it out on the
street"
"An lite. No have money; no can
paw"
The Chinainan was a sleek,
wELL-pREssED FELLOW.
And evidently had not been accus- |
toned to going hungry. whether he
had money or not The next fellow |
Just arrived from Portland. With a |
little persuasion. however, he went
down into his trousers pockets and
brought up 81 The next place visited |
was a restaurant, where two men were
found. One sneaked off. however, as
soon a. the word poll tax was men
toned. The other man claimed that
he had no money, and when told that |
he must pay or work il out on the |
street, he wore an air Of calm indiiier-
ence.
Four men were found at the ironing
tables in a Washington street wash |
house, beside the boss. Another ce-
lestial was working wringer in the |
basement in the rear. The boss and
one of the other men had receipts.
Mr.. Quil;er propounded
THE USUAL. QUESTION /
To the nearest ironer and received no
reply. He tried several times more
but the man seemed indifferent to his |
presence and continued ironing with
out RATING his eyes. The proprietor
finally remarked that the man was a |
new arrival from Port Townsend and
had a receipt in another place. Mr..
Qailter gave him days grace to pro-
dace the receipt, OF the remaining
three men, enc paid after long talk
and the two Others claimed that they
were only - years old. to which the
assessor remarked, /" Well, you are
pretty ancient t9-year-old boys. III
/ swallowed all such storie. | would
not get taxes from more than - Chi
namen In town. Finally one OF the
men went into a back room and re-
turRed and
THREW 81 sofsrLY on ruE TABLE
And pecketed receipt. The other
still persisted that be was not of age.
and a. the assessor could not prove
that he was, he was obliged 10 accept
the statement. The reporter had seen
quite enough and parted company
with Mr.. Qailter at the door of the
next wash house The assessor will
keep list of those from whom he is
unaele 10 collect taxes and try 30
prosecute them for vagrancy, on their
own assertions that they have no
money or employment.
Lfss day for registration for he c.fs
eIc-siea. DsE'f fasl 20 rigisseT