The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-09-06
the CHINESE BOYCOTT
What the Celestial Kingdom Is
Fighting For.
BAR ON ALL T11.Gs AMERICAN.

United ~stntes-Reavy Penalty For
Violating Any of the Provisions.
B~Oycott's Effect ON American Trade.
Over 10000 Of the leading merchants
IN Hongkong, Shanghai. Canton, Flu
chau, Annoy. Tientsin al. other prin-
cipal cities in China are said to have
signed the Chinese boycott of America
and I'LL things American, and the boy
colt resolution carries with 1t a tine of
$1,000 for its violation, says q San
Francisco special dispatch to the
Washington Star. This boycott went
into effect on the first day Of the sew
enth moon." but San Francisco, which
carries on nearly one-half Of the export
trade between the United States and
China. has not as yet felt it to any ex-
tent, with the exception of a few OK.
portcrs who have had their orders can
celed by cable. However, San Fran.
cisco may In time suffer, as the Chi
nese are a persistent though slow NOV
ing people, and one they become pos
sessed with an idea they hang to it
with proverbial stubbornness.
This boycott Is directed against the
Chinese exclusion act and is intended
to influence the signatories to the
treaty now in preparation and which
Is based upon the enactment Of the
last congress. The civilized world is
familiar with the exclusion act and its
object-to prevent the United States
from becoming the dumping ground of
the surplus and refuse population of a
nation Of over 400, 100000 people, one
fourth the population Of the world.
When the boycott was first proposed
several months ago it was thought that
the United States would at once "sit
up and take notice." The Chinese had
conceived the idea that the most ef-
fective way to rouse the Yankee was
to touch his pocketbook. The boycott
resolution was months in preparation,
and when completed a meeting of the
guilds, or chambers Of commerce, was
called in the principal cities, the reso-
luton adopted and signed by the men,
bers and each obligated himself to for
felt the amount above named if he vio-
lated any Of its provisions.
The main provisions of the resolution
are as follows:
First.-Chinese will not buy or use any
article OF American production. machin-
cry included.
Second. Chinese merchants. their
agents and shippers will not ship goods In
vessels owned by Americans.
Thtrd.-Chinese with not send their chill
dren to schools established n conduct
ed by Americans.
Fourth. - Chinese will not join any
American Arm as salesman. agent or in
terpreter.
Fifth.-Chinese employed in performing
mental services for Americans are re-
Quested to resign such positions.
The Chinese population Of the Pacific
coast has been v%ariously estimated,
but probably 100000 would be n fair
approximation. OF this number posi-
bly, one-third are centered in San Fran
cisco. There is no denying the fact
that among these Cinnamon there are
some Is shrewd and as clever as the
average American. Some have been
educated in English at Harvard, Yale
and other American universities. In
San Francisco there are some engaged
IN banking. exporting and importing
and wholesale merchandising.
India, China and Japan are the
largest cotton onsume in the world,
and the worlds supply Of cotton is pro-
duced by the United States, India and
Egypt. Or this world supply the
United States produces about IS per
cent and exports about GO per cent of
this either in the raw or manufactured
state. The bulk Of it that goes to the
orient is taken by China and Japan.
A man who had charge of some pub
lie work in China ON which thousands
Of coolies We're employed said recently
they all wore shirts made Of -four
sacks, and on their backs he could read
the history of the flour trade all the
way from Minnesota to California.
The Chinese boycott of American YES
sells will not be felt to any extent, for
Of u entire export trade of SoO,0OO,-
900 carried to that empire only about
l per cent went over in American bot
toms. OF the entire foreign trade Of
China, amounting to about $500 O0,-
900, fully so per cent was carried in
British bottoms. Japan and Germany
rank next. Germany sends annually
to China over 5000 and Japan over
1000 vessels. The latter's export trade
with China amounts to about So5,OOO,-
900 annually.
The present boycott will have little
or no appreciable effect in the United
States save to curtail the business of
4 few exporting houses. The trade
with China IS only a drop in the i'm
,n"nse current Of Americas foreign
trade, but it is to the future that bust
ness men on the Pacific coast are look
ing. China. with its 40O,0O0.OOO people
and 100000 square miles Of territory,
does not buy from us as many goods
Is Japan with one-tenth the population,
and forty years ago Japan was where
China is today IN relation to the
worlds progress. China has coal
fields that cover 100000 square miles.
more than those of the United States,