The San Francisco call., 1895-12-13
Fails to Heed the Warnings to
Remove His Mongols From
the City.
a BIG MAss-MEETING CALLED
People of the Puget Sound Country
May Repeat the Acts of Eleven
Years Ago.

TACOMA, WASH, Dec. 12.-Tacoma to-
night is somewhat in the situation of
building with an open powder-keg and a
lighted match in close proximity The
trouble is all caused by the apparently in
significant fact that a newcomer to the
city of destiny has imported two Chinese
servants from Olympia. Mr.. Riggs, the
newcomer IL question, seems not only to
have been entirely unaware of the state of
public sentiment here, but to be q man who
is inclined to insist upon his own rights.
For eleven years past it has been the
standing boast of every Tacoman and the
greatest advertisement that the city
famous for cleverness in that line-has
possessed that no Chinese of the lower
class was permitted to dwell within her
precincts. In fact, on the morning of No
vember 3, 1885, the people then resident
here rose en- masse and rounded up every
Monaghan within the city limits. They
were almost as many in number as the
white population, and at that period
Tacoma boasted OF four Chinese quarters
within radius of a mile OF the center OF
the city.
There was no nonsense among these
Puget Sound pioneers eleven years ago.
They knew what they wanted, and took it
in a simple and direct way that was, how
ever, terribly earnest in its simplicity and
directness. Although not a blow was
struck or an overt act committed the pig
tailed Celestials looked at the stern feat
ures of the brawnv men who ordered them
to pack up, and without further discussion
of the matter they Immediately began get
ting their traps in order to move. The
committee of fifteen, famous and honored
in Tacoma history, superintended the
preparations for the Mongolian exodus,
but every other adult of the city stood by
ready to see that their mandates were
promptly obeyed.
The Chinese baggage was loaded onto
wagons provided for the purpose, and in
an orderly procession, still under the stern
escort of the fifteen, the Celestials were
marched out TO Lake View, a small town
on the railway ten miles distant. There
they were put on two freights and pas
senger train and shipped to Portland.
Since that eventful period not lower
class Chinaman mas ever labored in this
city Hn:H Mr.. Riggs had the temerity to
try the experiment.
The servant question has been vexing
one here, as in other Pacific Coast cities,
and il is exceedingly difficult for the upper
classes to get trained domestics or keep
them when they get them; but even
though such people silently tide over their
household difficulties, no one has ever
dreamed of infringing what has become
known as the unWritten law of the city,
and, perhaps, it IS due to this strict ex-
clusion OF the Mongolian that the iaboripg
classes have generally fared better in Ia
coma than in other points on the Sound,
consequently the retail business men who
depend largely on the laboring classes for
support and the laborers tn emselves are
thoroughly united in the effort to keep
the Cinnamon away.
1t certainly looks as if the two classes
those desiring servants and those depend
ant on their own labor-were being ar
rayed against each other in this matter as
never before in the city's history. The
Ministerial Alliance has met and passed
resolutions to the effect that the lnterfer
ence in Mr.. Riggs domestic matters was
an unwarrantabIe intrusion on the per-
sonal rights of an American citizen.
The Tacoma Ledger supports them in
their attitude of defiance to public senti
ment The other two dailies, the News
and the Union, are distinctly anti Chinese,
and say without mincing matters that Mr..
Riggs servants are only the Introductory
wedge which Will in the future rive the
city doors open and introduce coolie labor
TO our mills and packing-houses and make
the lot of the white toier an undesirable
one.
The latest action in the matter is that a
subcommittee of the famous fifteen, still
in existence, having represented to Mr..
Riggs the desirability of sending away the
two Cinnamon and having received de-
cided rebuff from that undiplomatic gen.
tIe1nan, have now called a mass-m Getting
of citizens to take place Saturday evening.
Everybody in town is discussing the sub
ject, and the prevailing public sentiment
is unquestionably antagenistic TO John
Cinnamon.
The butchers bakers and grocers are al
ready moving to close their shopsat P. NJ.
Saturday, that they ard their employees
may attend the meeting. The rougher
element speaks freely and decisively on the
subject, and THE CALL correspondent has
heard dozens state that they viii form part
of g guard to put both Mr.. Riggs and his
servants beyond the city limits.
Although it is not generally known, Mr..
Riggs house has been under police sur
veillance for several days, and that gentle
man has applied to Mayor Orr for special
pro lection in assertion OF his personal
rights. Sheriff Parker and Chief OF Police
Smith have conferred on the situation,
and each is on the alert to preserve the
peace and dignity of the city.