The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-02-06
Native Sons in Chinatown Agi.
tated Over a Serious lie.
gal Problem.
A THOUSAND CHINESE VOTERS
Movement in Chinatown for the Dis con.
tinuance of the Pigtail-Its Real
Significance.


card the queue?
Its real significance is that of allegi ance
to the Chinese empire. To appear in
China minus the queue is a sign of treason
and is met with death at the hands of the
public executioner.
But now a movement is on foot in China
for the abolition of the law requiring the
queue to be worn, and the Chinese in this
City as well as in China are agitated one
way or another on the question, Shall the
queue be discarded?
However, no precipitate action IN the
matter is app=ehended, and the question is
considered seriously only among the edu-
Gated Mongolians. DR.. Henry, famous
missionary stationed at Canton, writes in
a current number of the magazine issued
by has visionary board that there are not
lacking evidences of reform even in the
eternal kingdom. He says:
The air is full of hopeful signs of better times
for China. manifesto has already been is
sued demanding a. change in the constitu-
tional government, (b) the removal of inca
pable rulers, tc) the removal of the queue as a
sign of government allegiance, (d) the prohibi-
ton OF foot-binding.
What interests the inhabitants of China
town, however, is the probable or possible
result of this agitation upon the local po-
htical movement among the Chinese.
Judge Morrow has decided that Chi
nese born in this country is entitled, under
the law, to the privileges of the franchise.
But would Judge Morrow or any other
judge rule that a Chinese who still wears
the badge of allegiance to foreign EN-
peror is eligible as a citizen of the United
States?
There is considerable agitation on this
point already, and decided movement is
on foot to challenge the vote of all native
Chinese who shall appear at the voting
booths on election day wearing a queue
Or it may be that a test case will be
brought up in the courts before election.
Those who hold that Chinese should not
be permitted to vote so long as he wears
pigtail declare that it would be an analo-
gohs case if the son of English parents,
born in the United States, should take an
oath of allegiance to Queen Victoria and
then attempt to exercise his natal privilege
of franchise in this country.
Can man be a citizen of two countries
at one and the same time?
Can man who openly acknowledges his
allegiance o foreign power be patriotic
citizen OF the United States?
Does Judge Morrow's decision go to the
extent of ruling that native son OF Chi
nese parents, who recognizes and affirms.
at least negatively, the sovereignty of the
Chinese Imperial Government, is eligible
as voter in this Nation?
May a pigtailed Chinese vote IN San
Francisco?
These are questions with which the So
called Omitted Parlor of the Native Sons
of the Golden West" and some other citi-
zens not mem bers of that order are Crap
pling in dead earnest, and the proba-
bilities are that some legal steps will be
taken in the matter before long.
There are about 500 voters in China
town now, all members of this so-called
'parlor," and before election day the
Chinatown politicians expect to carry no
less than 1000 votes in their vest pockets.
At the last gubernatoral election 400
votes cast either way would have changed
the result When 1000 votes can be handed
to this or that candidate for this or that
consideration those votes become power
and menace at the same time
Those who have raised the issue declare
that the only object the Chinese had in ex-
ercising the franchise is to fight the anti
Chinese laws Of this country. Once it was
possible for Chinaman to become nat
urallZed citizen, but at that time there
were no hostile laws regarding the Chinese,
and, therefore, the Chinese took no adyan-
tage of the opportunity. Now that the re-
striction laws have been passed and en-
forced the MongoIians see their mistake.
and this new move toward the registration
of the native sons of Asiatic parentage is
in the direction of acquiring political
power to fight this class of legislation.
OF course, the 'parlor" of Native Sons in
Chinatown holds no charter or authorize
ton from the Caucasian order of Native
Sons but it has organized under the laws
of the State, and has secured articles of in
corporation. All the members of this
"parlor" wear queues; all of them claim
to be voters, and half of them have already
voted at prior election.
OF course it will rest with those who in
tend to challenge the right of these Chinese
to vote to prove that the queue is in real
ity badge of political allegiance to a
foreign power, but this task, they claim,
will not be difficult Chinese literature
and laws will themselves prove the point
abundantly, they declare, and any one who
mas llVeu lOT d tiule III OulHd AHOWS VIC
meaning of the queue.
The Rev. f. J. Masters, DID,, superin-
tendent of the Methodist Episcopal
Chinese Mission in this City, has been a
resident of China and is well posted on
the manners and customs of the Mongo
Ian. When asked concerning the signifi-
canoe of the Chinese queue, DR.. Masters
said:
The Chinese custom CT wearing queue
is political rather than religious. Ii had
us origin at the time of the Tartar con-
quest OF China in 1864. Up to that time
the Chinese had been accustomed TO wear
the mar long and unplaited, twisting it
INTO TUT or coil on the top of the head to
get II out OF the way. The new Govern
ment had to deal with hostile and suIlen
people who could not be conciliated into
submission.
"Soon after the new Emperor came to