The San Francisco call., 1897-11-07
TO fight THE
SLAVE TRAFFIC.
A Concerted Movement
Against Buying and
Selling Women.
Two Petitions Will Be Circu-
lated Among Business Men
and officials.
The Chinese Trade in Human Beings
to Be Stopped If 1t Is
Possible.

The good government committee of the
Young Peoples Society of Christian En-
deavor has taken a hand in the mat
ter of the petition to the President of the
United States regarding sla very in China.
town, and will work for it to the best
of its ability, hoping to roll up such a
list of signatures that the subject matter
Will demand immediate attention.
The petition was brought to the atten-
tion of the committee several days ago
and was thoroughly discussed by the mem.
bers. They were unanimous in the belief
that it was subject properly in line with
their work and it was determined to de-
vote their time and energy to having the
people fully acquainted with the fearful
conditions which prevail in that section OF
San Francisco.
1t is also the inten ton of the com M it.
tee 10 endeavor TO arouse pubic Interest
by holding meetings for the discussion OF
the subject, and it is hoped that all those
who are interested in putting a stop to the
dis raceful traffic in human flesh in the
United States will give aid to the cause.
Comics of the petition will be freely circu-
lated among The business houses of the
city and State and among the officials.
Following is a copy OF the petition,
which was published first in The CALL
three months ago:
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. August z, 1897
To the President OF the United States Washth1-
ton, D. C.-We, your petitioners. citizens OF the
city of San Francisco and State OF Californ Ia,
respectfully beg leave to present for your con-
sideratlon the following statement OF condi-
tions as they now exist in this city end State,
and request that you embody such recommen-
dation rs you deem fit in your forthcoming
message TO Congress, in order that that body
To IA NJ nti an in ar,ic
make such investigation through special
committee shall be deemed necessary to ar
rive at Il complete knowledge OF these condi-
tions in o:der tlat some remedy may be de-
vised and our nation be relieved OF the stain
which now rests upon il through an open and
notorious violation of the constitution and
laws OF the United States.
The fourteenth amendment of the consttu-
ton OF the United States expressly for bids the
holding OF human beings III bondage and de-
clares that the barter and sale of such human
beings is felony, yet there is now q condi-
ton of slavery in this city and State whereby
more than 1000 females are held In bondage,
bought aud sold us chattels and kept in con-
dition of invo untary seryitude. These slaves
are scourged, beaten, tortured and even killed
by their owners in iusolent defiance of the
laws of the land. The number OF these slaves
is annually recruited by importations from
China in violation OF the exclusion act OF the
Congress of the United States.
While there are no records OF the illegal
landing OF Chinese females, or The attempt to
those who are held as slaves, the Federal and
municipal authorities seem powerless to pre-
vent such illegal landing and traffic in human
beings.
The workers in Christian missions in this
city are in constant receipt of appeals from
these unfortunate women calling for aid TO
escape from bondage. Yet the attempts to
rescue them and place them in that CO ondition
OF freedom which is their natural right are
obstructed 10 such an extent that it is a mat
ter of the greatest q lfficulty to get them away
from those who claim ownership in them. So
bold have these lraffickers in human beings
become that they have even sent threats OF
death 10 those who have taken an interest in
having the illegal business broken up. and
they placard the walls OF the city with no.
tices that they will fight those who in any
males.
In addition to this petition another will
be circulated calling upon mem bers of
Con sress to vote against the annexation
of Hawaii.