The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-02
CHINESE BOYCOTT.
No Mercy for Friends of
Registration.
MERCHANTS PROSECUTED.
Hoy jim Nun Ruined and in Danger.
Collector Quinn on His
Policy.

Wan Company at sol Dupont street.
Strange as the statement may seem 1t is
true, and not only is Moy jim Nun in con-
slant dread of being murdered, but the
business of his company has been ruined,
and for weeks the sales from his large store
have not averaged 81 per week.
The cause of Moy jim Nuns downfall
commercially and his fear of death is the
Chinese Six Companies, who have been
bOycotting the store ever since Moy trans
lated from English into Chinese The cir
cular issued by Collector Quinn explaining
to the Chinese liable under the act what
they should do to comply with the law, and
warning them OF the consequences in case
they failed to obey ii.
Collector Quinn had hard work to secure
translator for his message 10 the Chinese,
and Moy, who for fifteen years, has served
as an interpreter in the United States
courts, had to be coaXed long time before
be would undertake the work.
No sooner was the circular issued and 1t
became known that Moy was the trans
lator than system of persecution was
commenced. Quietly but persistently the
Six Companies proceeded TO ruin Moy's
business, and not only his customers in this
city but those living in the interior of the
State to whom he sold goods we're notified
TO cease patronizing him. All obeyed and,
as stated, Nov hasn't sold an average of So
worth of goods per week for more than
three months.
This was not all, however. Not satisfied
with running the mans business, the Chi
nese notified him to prepare for death; not
only sending him word by private letter,
but placardlng the dead walls of Chinatown
with prCclamatiOns deuOuncDg Moy and
saying that the man who killed him would
be well paid for his work. AS high as
$500 was offered for his murder, and the
money would have been earned beyond
question long ago but for the fact that Moy
never leaves his house except in company
with white man. and then only when
urgent business requires his presence else
where than in his store.
The object of the Six Companies was to
prevent any Chinese giving assistance in
any way, shape or form to the white men
In attempting to enforce the Geary registra-
ton act, and the severity with which Moy
has been treated has certainly proved a
saiutary lesson 10 the others. Not ii single
Chinese, until day or two ago, would give
the slightest information to either Collector
Quinn, General MCC0mb or any OF the dep
uties connected with the registration bureau
nor would they even assist in tranSlating
conversation between deputies and Chi
neSe, even when the latter were their friends
Several days ago, however, member of the
firm OF Qu0ng Fook On & Co., uudertakers,
at 200 Clay street, went with some Chinese
to the Registration Office and assisted them
In registering The next day no less than
two complaints were filed at the Health
Office against the establishment of Quong
FOok On, which was declared a nuisance
aud menace to the health Of the Chinese
living in the neiRhhOrhoOd.
1t was something of a joke to the health
officers to have Chinese come in and COM
plain of filth In Chinatown and at first thew
could not understand 1t. Investigation
proved that the undertaking establishment
was quite as clean as the majority of the
(hiDaga hutal .EhOns ficb m nd
underground residences in the vicinity, but
the painantS insisted on having the IN
deftaking shop removed and proceeded to
make good their case by affidavits. The re-
suit is that Quong Fook On will have to
suspend business and the Chinese that has
dared DEFY the Six Companies will be
promptly punished.
You cannot imagine how terrible has
been my punishment" said MOy jim Mum,
continuing the conversation after explain
ing why he was boycOtted. NO matter
what may be the result in the registration
business. my own private business is for
ever ruined. | tell you no Chinese can
afford to run counter TO the wishes OF the
Six Companies. That l am alive to-day is
only because OF the care l have taken to
prevent highbinders from reaching me-
II the Geary law is declared unc0nstitu-
tlonai l will be even worse off, and if the
Chinese 90, then my trade is gone anyhow.
Let me tell yOu this. The Six Companies
very last, and there may be even bloodshed
before they give in"
There were only TWEEN y-one Chinese reg
istereG yesterday-most of them sent by the
Six Companies, 20 act later on as mission
aries, and lew house servants who have
for years been in the employ of certain
families and are willing to brave the con-
demnaIion OF their countrymen in order to
hold their positions.
Many secret registrations have been made
and ha lNEAll find aAv \ IL
courage this work. White people who have
Chinese employees who want TO obey the
law and who fear TO do so openly can
arrange for secret registration of their men
il they so desire.
81 regret to see," said Collector Quinn
yesterday, "a spirit manifested TO not only
criticize our work in endeavoring to have
the Chinese comply with the law, but to
impute by insinuatiOn wrong motives to
myself and deputies. The Lord knows, 1t
is hard enough to fight the Chinese without
having to fight white people. | must en-
force the law, aud l am held responsible for
many things the outside public know
nothing about.
at has been asked why do not let the
Chinese alone, let them refuse to register
and then get them out of the country. l
wonder If the people who make these sug-
gestlons are aware that there are fully
10000 in California to-day who do not know
what the Geary law is, and If when an
attempt Is uldu6 TO QepOTt tneln tnGy plead
ignorance Of the law the very people who
now advise me to let them alone would be
the first to cry out, We'll, why didn't Quinn
do his dutyP l am determined that il |
can prevent 1t no Chinese in my district
shall be able to say that he or she did not
know what the law required and that they
were not given every opportunity to obey it.
AFTER l have done all | can 10 get the
Chinese to obey the law, leaving them no
excuse for not doing so, then the people of
this State will find, as well as the Chinese
that viii enforce the law to the letter, ana
that without fear or favor. Let the people
also remember that it is going to cost some
thing to dep0rt the Chinese, and l do not
propose TO add to that cost one single law
suit that can be avoided.
u shall 20 on until May urging Chinese
to obey the law. and Offering them every
opportunity and every facility for so doing
On May l Will commence the enforcement
OF the law, and will enforce it unless
stopped by higher power. The people
should remember that the men holding Office
in the Internal Revenue service on this coast
have to bear the brunt of this battle. 1t is
right here in California that the war with
the Chinese under the registration act must
be fought to finish and decided. New
York. Boston, Philadelphia. Chicago and
half dozen other Eastern cities added ard
all combined will be a mere bagatele as
compared with San Francisco alone, when
1t c2mes to enforcing the law.
NO, SIT. propose, regardless OF criti-
clsm, to give the Chinese every encourage
ment and every opportunity and help in
my power TO obey The law, then, if they
fail, the fault will be theirs, not mine, and
when they are imprisoned and later on de-
ported neither ths Chinese nor their white
sympathiZers or enemies. as the case NAV
be, will, be a Bile to say that every China
man did not have az excellent opportunity
to do right if he wanted to and was n OF
advised as 10 what was his best course"
None of the Government officers expect
large registration until about May ], and
then IL The Chinasa ailnmnt tn awamn IN