The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-19
Cinnamon in Montana, Idaho and
Utah Evidently not Anxious
to Remain.
Less Than One In Three Hundred
Have Asked For Regis
tration.
Reports From Other Parts of This informal
Revenue District--The Photograph
Provision-The Law


Moffitt states that up to the present timo
only fifteen Cinnamon have applied for
registration in Helena. Reports from other
parts OF the district are not any more en-
The deputy at Salt Lake City
writes: "The Chinese are not registering
here, nor Ia it possible to register them by
May 5. should they all apply" The deputy
located at Blackfoot, Idaho, writes that the
Chinese at Pocatello, which is in his dis
trlct, still refuse to make application for
registration. He adds that the Chinese
there appear to have made an agreement
with the Six Companies to test the law, and
that they do not mean to comply with the
law in any manner. The acting collector
Gays that many of the Cinnamon in Mon
tana, especially those who have been To-
Gated in Butte, are leaving the state. In
stead Of going west toward the coast. where
there is already surplus. they are
travelling eastward, with the evident inten-
ton OF locating in aome of the smaller cities
of the older states. The idea is undoubt-
edly to scatter as much as possible, and in
that way give the government officers as
much trouble as possible in case the au-
thorities undertake to drive all unregis-
tered Cinnamon out of the country.
BY the federal census of 1890 there were
in this internal revenue district 5, 345 China
men, distributed as follows: Montana
2, 532 Idaho 2,007, Utah S06. A census
taken after the passage Of the registration
law last year showed that the total number
had decreased to 5, 24G, of whom 2,176 were
in Idaho a decided increase only 700 in Utah,
and but 237O in Montana. This total, it is
believed. has been materially reduced by
the eastward exodus of Cinnamon as tho
time for enforcing the law approaches.
From all accounts it appears that the
modification of the regulations. doing away
with photographs, has made no difference
with the intention of the Cbinamen to
ignore and fight the law. II seems that it
ls the law they are opposing in it's entirety
and not any particular provision of it. Ex-
Judge Sanders, who is assisting Acting Col
lector Motfitt, is Of the opinion that the
absence of the photograph will make quito
a difference should the Cinnamon eventual
ly have to register. While there is not
great deal of difference IN the general facial
appearance of the majority of Cinnamon,
still q photograph attached to a certificate
would make it difficult to use that
certificate for any but the one to
whom it was issued or for Chinaman
who might be very good duplicate. With
out photograph a certificate which says
the holder is of a light brown color, 80
many feet in height. slim or fat. could be
utilized to fit the case of hundreds of
Cinnamon. ana instead of being an aid in
enforcing the exclusion law, would actually
work az a helper in assisting new arrivals
to pass the inspectors.
The main provisions of the act of May s,
1892, in relation TO the exclusion. deporta-
tion or registration of Cinnamon,
continues for ten years from that
date, all laws formerly made on
on the subject, aud provides that any Chi
nese person or person of Chinese descent.
when adjudged to be not lawfully entitled
to be or remain in the United States, shall
be removed from the United States to
China. unless he make it appear that he ID
a subject or citizen of some other country,
in which case he shall be removed to such
country. Any Chinese person or person OF
Chinese descent shall be adjudRed to be un-
lawfully within the United States unless hs
establish by affirmative proof, to the salts
faction OF the judge, or commissioned. his
lawful right to remain.
The law further says: 1T shall be the
duty of all Chinese laboreIs within the
limits of the United States At the time of
the passage OF this act, and who are entitled
TO remain in the United States. to apply to
the collector of internal revenue of their
respective districts. within one year after
the passage of this act. for a certificate OF
reSluenCe: anu any Cnlnese laDOf6r within
the limits of the United States who shall
neglect, fail, or refuse to comply with the
provisions of this act. or who. after one
year from the passage hereof. shall be
found within the jurisdiction of the United
States without such certificate of residence,
shall be deemed and adjudged TO be un-
lawfully within the United States, and NAV
be arrested by any United States customs
official, collector of internal revenue or his
deputies, United States marshal or his
judge, whose duty it shall be 10 order that
hereinbefors provided. unless he shall es-
tablish clearly to the satisfaction of said
judge that by reason of accident, sickness
or other unavoidable cause, he has
been unable to procure his certificate. aud
to the satisfaction of the court, and by at
least one credible white witness. that he
was resident of the United States at the
time of the passage of this act; and If
upon the hearing it shall appear that he IL
30 entitled TO a certificate, it shall bs
granted upon his paying the cost. should
it appear that said Chinaman had procur ed
Il certificate which has been lost or de-
atroyed. he shall be detained and Judgment
suspended reasonable time to enable him
to procure u duplicate from the officer
granting it, and in such cases the cost OF
said arrest and trial shall be in the discre-
tion of the court Ana any Chinese per-
son. other than Il Chinese lahorer, having a
4 ipht to be and remain in the United States,
desiring such certificates as EVIDENCE of
such right, may apply tor and receive the
same without charge