The morning call., 1892-09-27
PAGANS WHO PROTEST..
The Big Petition Starts for
China To-Day.
A SUMMARY OF ITS C0NTENTS.
The Long Story of Chinese Woe Told
Ito the Emperor.
4 Matter Out Of Which May Grow a Good
Deal Of Trouble Chinese
Register.

The steamship China. which sails for the
Orient to-day. will carry in the mails a
large, linen-lned envelope covered with
Chinese characters, seals aud other decora-
tions.
1t contains the most important documents
that were ever sent to the Emperor of China
from the Pacific Coast.
Ii, the Chinese Consul. General stationed
In this city, mailed the letter to the En-
peror eally this morning, but all he had to
do with the contents was to inclose a brief
note to the Foreign Office at Peklng stating
that the documents had been handed to him
with request that he forward them with
his official mail TO China.
The important papers in the enve lope are
a document ritten in Chinese, upon which
the presidents Of tn Six Companies have
been at work for weeks and in the prepara-
tion Of which they have had eminent legal
advice In this city and elsewhere.
This paper contains upward OF 10000 Chi
nese characters, many of which If traus-
lated into English would make whole SEN
tences.
1t is thorough review Of the history Of
the Chinese people from the time OF the
coming of the first Immigrants 10 this city
in 1850 on down to the present day.
Especially comprehensive is the portion
relating to the so-called imposltions prac-
ticed upon the Chinese people by the
whites at various times and the results OF
attacks made upon them here and else
where in the loss Of life and property.
The loss of life is placed well up in the
thousands. while the property loss aggre-
gates hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Verifying these statements clippings
from American newspapers giving facts and
figures are quoted, as we'll as official docu-
meuts from State and Government officers.
Then follows history of the work OF the
merchants and the Six Companies in trying
TO better the condition of the Chinese
people in this country, together with vol
luminous records attestlDg to the statements
made.
Then comes the history Of national, State
and municipal legislation with reference to
the Chinese, ending with the passage of the
recent registration law known as the Geary
bill
With this portion of the document un-
usual care was taken, and IL was revised
again and again.
Embodied In the legislative sections are
all the prOclamationS issued by the Six
Companies relative to the Geary BILL all the
letters from Collector Quinn and such in
structions as have been sent from Wash
ington.
The fac-simile of the document, if il
could have been obtained as written in
Chinese would have occupied whole page
of THE CALL, and the translation almost
another page.
From this statement some idea of its COM
prehensiveness can be obtained
The paper is addressed TO the Emperor
and is accompanied by score or more of
petitions which are signed by almost every
Chinese merchant on this coast.
These petitions pray that the Emperor
will give the statement" his consideration.
and will take immediate steps for the relief
of his people in the United States.
From every large city in this country east
of The Rocky Mountains similar petitions,
signed by Chinese merchants. lawyers.
doctors. preachers and teachers, will also
be forwarded 10 China.
The only remaining paper in the envelope
to be described is the special petition from
the Six Companies signed by the presidents.
q partial translation Of which was given eX-
clusively in THE CALL q few days ago.
The greatest secrecy was maintained In
the preparation of the various papers for
warded to the Emperor and no one was al
lowed 10 even see them for second, much
less secure copy OF them.
When asked for translation of the state
ment the presidents of the Six Companies
fatty refused IT,
1t Is stated on good authority that outside
of the papers now On the way 10 China not
scrap of anything that could in any way re-
veal their contents is In existence.
The rough drafts of the documents, the
notes, letters, ETC.. were burned up In the
presence of the pres idents when the letter
was finally completed.
1t was extremely difficult to obtain even
a general statement Of tue contents OF the
papers, and not word could be learned aS
to the wording of the merchants appeal to
the Emperor or the remedies suggested.
1T is the one thing the Chinese do not
H. 4, L.. &-l 4. r.
who helped prepare the document.
Heretofore we have been too open and
frank about this after, and the white peo-
pie have taken advantage of theinfOrmation
gained as to our intentions.
This document in its entirety Is probably
one of the most carefully prepared that has
ever been sent to,the Chinese Foreign Ofice
Il am aware that there is an existing
opinion among the citizens of the United
States, especially among the Lawmakers
that the Chinese Government cares nothing
for the Chinese people In this country, par
ticularly the laboring classes.
This idea is q mistaken one.
at has probably arisen from the fact that
our Government is slow to act.
But this appeal is signed by thousands
OF educated Chinese who represent millions
of the wealth of this country, and Is in the
nature OF general protest from the Chi
nese people, q protest that we feel sure will
II am sorry i can tell you nothing ab out
the contents of the documents.
''We think it would be unwise at this time
to make them public.
"As for giving you translations or fac
SMILES OF them that is impossible, for
neither fac-similes nor translation exist. and
1t is now as impossible for me as il is for
you to get a glimpse of the originals
They reached III, the Consul General.
under seal, and are now doubly under seal
with his official stamp upon them.
But, even suppose / could get them,
there are not enough Chinese In the city
who can read the language in which they
are written to make a translation of them
in a weeks time.
"For once The CALL will have to be sat
isfed with general information"
A call was made upon Toue, the secretary
OF the Six Companies, and ne was found
surrounded by dozen or more feeble old
men and young ones, who were either sick
or crippled.
Now, you see." said Toue. pointing TO
the group of men. what tine work of the
Six Companies really Is. These people are
too old to work, or are sick, or may be very,
very poor.
They have come to us and tomorrow we
pay their passage back to China, where
they can be with relatives who will take
care of them.
Some OF these men we have helped and
cared for in this country, so they would OF
become burden on your people, and now
we send them away.
That is what the Six Companies meant
when they said that the lab0rers who regis
tered need not come to us tor Eelp
I'VE will neither help them here nor send
them home, but let snch as register. when
they become poor and sick, go to the aims.
houses OF your people or get help to buy
horse to replace one that died or money to
Iebuld house that burned down from the
white men who advised them to register,
''As for the protest sent to the Emperor,
know nothing about it,
Il want to know nothing about 1t. Then
l can easily get out Of giving any informa-
know"
joke.
10 the president Of the Sam Yup Com