The San Francisco call., 1895-12-20
Chamber of Commerce Adopts
the Report of Trustees
Advising Caution.
TO SUPPRESS LAWLESSNESS.
The Chamber Will Uphold the Mayor
and Consider the City'S
Welfare.

TACOMA, WASH, Dec. 19.-The COM
mittee of fifteen was greatly excited to-
day when it was learned that Mr.. Riggs
had imported another Chinese servant
from Olympia. The importation was,
however, simply to take the place of one
that had been employed temporarily and
had returned to Olympia. 1t was decided
that no action would be taken until after
the meeting OF the Chamber of Commerce
tonight.
AT to-nights special meeting of the
Chamber OF Commerce, called to consider
the matter OF Chinese in Tacoma, the
trustees of that body presented report,
which was adopted, advocating no action
on the part OF the chamber in agitation,
but advising it be dropped. The trustees
asked that the report be adopted. The
opening OF the report says: The laws of
our country protect every man in the
right, be he high or low, rich or poor,
white, black, red or yellow. The same
law which protects the humblest citizen of
the Republic shields with a mighty arm
the Chinese now resident in this country"
The trustees ask in the report that the
chamber pledge itself to uphold the Mayor
in suppressing lawlessness or disorder
growing out of the agitation of the Chi
nese question. The right OF every man to
dictate the affairs of his own household is
upheld also the law restricting Chinese
resident contingent gathering at any
point. The Chinatowns of San Francisco
and Portland still exists, the report claims,
because of the clannishness OF the race
nd Lo 70 hot baN n first In HaH
on this coast. 1t holds that IS the Chinese
have always given Tacoma wide berth
since 1885, they are not likely to want to
come here in large numbers. The trustees
claim a change OF sentiment has been eX-
perienCed in the town at large by the rea-
son of the establishment OF the Oriental
line of steamers with this eastern ter
minus in 1892 that the town is no longer
a village, but an important seaport, and
must do business with the world and be
cosmopolitan. The danger of frightening
away enterprises in infancy is pointed out.
The benefits to the city of the China and
Japan trade are mentioned. and it is
claimed that the largest exports of flour go
to Hongkong. The report concludes:
1--WE believe the laboring classes of this
CITY are DelHS nlSleu Dy luOSe VINO are
not their best friends, and that calm and
careful investigation of the question, with
out passion, will result in dropping this
and all other questions which tend TO
widen the breach between capital andI abor
and bring this fair city into undue promi-
nence as city of turmoil and contention"
. The trustees report was adopted after
warm discussion by the chamber. The
meeting was large one, numbering the
most prominent men of the community.
Stirring addresses condemnatory of anti
Chinese agitation were made by F. II. Gra-
ham, George W..Deiameter, ex-Supreme
Judge T. L. Stiles, Rev. l.. II. Hallock,
pastor of the First Congregational Church,
and others. w. H. Harrea, President OF
the City Council, George IL. Boardman
and others made anti-Chinese speeches,
deprecating violence but urging the cham
Der to ask Riggs to dismiss his Chinese.
"A mild amendment to the report, suggest
ing that the chamber use its influence in
aid of the sentiment to keep out Chinese
was voted down. There were only six
noes on the final vote TO adopt the original
report.
The committee of fifteen will call on
Riggs tomorrow, since he announces his
intention to stand pat. The committee
asserts there will be no violence.