The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-19
Chinese Consul at San Francisco
Got things Mixed About the
Outrages.
All the Mongolians Ask Is Relief
From the Butte
Boycott.
Gov. Toole's Investigation Shows That tho
Labor Unions Had M Hand In the
Whence.

nss0 cOT6nl AT san ItrARCikgO miguudOI
stood the situation a. Butte. The Chimes
who appeared before the governor admit
ted That the information they had sent I,
San Francisco had given rise to the misun
derstanding. The chief COMPLAINT made b,
the Chinese at Butte is against the boycott
which went into effect on Jan. /. The,
asked Gov. Toole if he could not do some
thing to have it removed. 10 this he 70
piled that he knew of ne way whereby hl
could help them. It was the privilege o
any man or set of men to withdraw patron
age from any one. Hs hld them that th,
boycott WAS u well-known institution il
the United States which had heen put II
force against white people time and tim,
again, and that in this respect the China
man had to stand on equal ground with tn,
white man. The Chinese understood til,
proposition perfectly we'll. In answer t.
questions of the governor whether any VIC
lence had been used to enforce the boycott
against them the Representatives assurot
him that the measure was working peacea-
bly,. The leading mon said it had caused .
humble of their race to leave Butte anG
had also thrown a good many out Of EN-
ployment.
II became perfectly apparent during the
course Of the investigation that there hal
been a visible swelling Of the Chinese pop.
ulation. At the conference hold in the
Miners union hall ut which were assembled
representatives from all the labor unions OF
Butte, figures were produced which substan-
tlate the governors representations to Sec
rotary Foster, of the treasury department.,
some time age. A health report was read
which gave the total Chinese population in
Butte last spring as 847. Last November a
census was taken Of the Chinese quarter,
whom it was found that the population
there had more than doubled in the period
of time mentioned. This census showed
that i'll the month Of November there were
1,74O Chinese in Butte, q gain Of 1893. This
significant fact was we'll understood by the
laborinR men and led to the institution OF
the boycott AZ a measure Of self-defence.
The minutes of the union show that on
Nov. Z the question was FIRST formally CON
boycott received the approval of the union
that some of the leading men
among the Chinese residents had
received intimation Of the action. They
were not at all backward about declaring
bAehOU ~ LAOVCAACEu ulu6 COIu un0uC0u uQdl0eE
them would be reported TO the Chinese le-
CATION at Washington. The people of
Butte have every reason to believe that the
representatives OF the Chinese empire in
this country received due notice of the es-
tablishment of this peaceful method of
settling q difficult and complicated question
which has been a thorn IN the side of the
Pacific slope for years.
1t is true that some color was given to the
alleged situation by isolated attacks upon
some Chinese residents of Butte, by members
of the hoodlum element. AS a community,
however, the governor found that Butte
was in no wise responsible for them. In
every case where possible, the authorities
have taken hold of these violaters of the
law, which covers Chinese and whites alike,
and dealt with them.
The Meaderville incident was also
brought up during the investigation. This
Is the case where three Cinnamon were
burned. Gov. Toole deplored the occur
renee. He was assured that the laboring men
had taken no part in the affair. TIT three
Cinnamon were before the governor and
related tbs circumstances and claimed that
they would be able to identify the men who
who was present at the interview, said he
would thoroughly Investigate the matter
and bring the guilty parties to justice if
they could be found.
Wednesday evening the governor and
Attorney General Haskell went to Miners
Union hall, where they met those prominent
among the laborinR men. After a
statement from one of the leaders as to the
object Of the governors visit, the governor
made a short address, during which he
stated that his mission to the west side was
somewhat new to him. He was not in the
detective service of the federal government,
but was there in Response TO the reuueat of
Hlnrl1NrV Kama I1nnf, tho n>,,,r Il s~A n Ia
Chinese legation at Washington. He then
reclted the charges made BY Pung Kwanp
iu, charge al interim at Washington.
n upon the statements Of the Chi
nese consul. which were published in The
INDEPENDENT last Sunday. The leading
charge was to the effect that the labor
unions of Butte had imposed a fee of $40
upon all proprietors of Chinese laundrles,
and that when payment was refused the
proptlstors were beaten and driven out of
the clty. The governor expressed his pleasure
being able to refute this statement
upon the word of the Cinnamon he had met
III Butte who said it was a mistake and had
very likely lead to Il misinterpretation of a
which had been forwarded to their
at San Francisco. Ihs Chinese do
believe that the man Fowler, on t'ial
at Butte for extortion, was countsnanced in
his attempt by any labor unions.
In reply to the governor, Frank L. Reber
representatives VI tNDOf
said that the whole matter had been mig
represented and that no violence had been
encouraged or counselled by the labor
unions and he did not believe that n single
Of any organization had bee
mixed IN any of the alleged acts of yio-
lence against the Chinese. Mr.. Rebor con
'ldered the hoycntt n legitimate mode of
waefare against the Chinese. He said thnt
was simply Il matter of self protection
that the Chinese had no cause of
complaint, as they employed similar meth
DDS III their W country against Christian
missionaries.
a short address was also made by Attor-
ley-Generhl Haskell, who said with refet-
'nce to the boycott that it was the natural
md constitutional right Of every ono to
where he pleased. At Che conclusion
IT the meeting Gov. Too!e expressed his
hanks to the union for the readiness with
Which they had assisted in the inyesticn..
ion. He also assured them he hna Che
'nllest confidence Tint they had been in no
way identified with the alleged violence,
In compliance with Secretary Blaiue's TO-
llest tho governor will send to WASHING
on ms soon as possible his report covering
he investigation.
'he Roo uiya. ~