The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-08-05
Sc ENAT0RIAL CANDIDATE
IS MERCIL LESSLY FLAYE D
Man Who Was Through Riots Judge Burkes
Appearing Recent Issue The Weerne
Defending Burke Torn To Sheds BY Young
Century Has Not Dmmed
to Rid the Sound Country Chinese Coolies

Since the day Judge Burke first SHE'D
his castor into the political ring as a
candidate for United States senator
ne has been confronted with the ghosts
of the past. Though over score of
years has passed since the great anti
Chinese riots in Seattle, time has not
effaced the memory of the conspicuous
part Judge Burke and other prominent
citizens played in that stirring drama
The judge has had lot of explaining
to do. The weird story of Judge
Burke's part as defender of the good
name of Seattle" was recently told in
the Westerner and provoked a red hot
reply from c. o. Young, national or
ganizer of the American Federation of
Labor. Mr.. Young, be it known, was
also "among those present" at the time
Seattle rose up against the Chinese
and writes his own story of that up
rising and the causes leading up to it.
His article which follows was published
in the Seattle Union Record and we
commend it's careful perusal by all
workingmen, particularly those who
are but recent arrivals in the state of
Washington.
Tacoma, Wash, July rs, 1910.
Mr. Editor:
| have before me "The Westerner.
June number, which contains an article
headed "ThOmas Burke, A Man of the
West" A plain story of life crowded
with public service BY Edgar L.,
Hampton.
Having been a resident of the terri
tory and state of Washington since
1888, am somewhat familiar with var
ious happenings from that time to the
present Mr.. Hampton starts his ar
ticle by announcing that Mr.. Burke
desires to be United States senator to
succeed Samuel Piles. He goes on to
tell ms of Mr.. Burkes ability as
lawyer and of course that he was born
December %. 1849, and that he taught
school, studied law, was city attorney
of Marshall, Mich, from 1870 to 1875.
came to Seattle in May, 1875, "immed-
lately becoming popular with the peo-
pie" of the village of 1900 souls. He
was probate judge, got married, bought
a home, ran for delegate to congress-
and was in 1888 appointerd by Presi-
dent Cleveland as chief justice of the
supreme court of Washington, which
office he resigned in 1889. Mr.. Hamp-
ton also tells us that Mr.. Burke was
a democrat of the "old line type" and
that he rebelled at the "free silver
craze" and finally became republican.
He tells us further that Mr.. Burke is
large property owner in Seattle and
throughout the state. Among his pos
sessions are the Burke and Empire
buildings in Seattle, and that the judge
has given more work to organized labor
than perhaps any other single indiyid-
nal in the state" Mr.. Hampton tells
ma of Mr.. Burke's struggles with pow
erty. and his financial difficulties, and
that political adversaries have tried
to make capital out of the fact OF Mr..
Burke having been attorney of the Great
Northern railroad" and goes into de-
tail as to his railroad ventures, and his
efforts to establish trade with the
Orient. He tells MS of the malicious at
tennis OF Mr.. Burke's enemies to ac-
cuse him of being desirous of flooding
this country with Oriental emigrants,
and that his motives have been i'm
pugned during many years; and that
Nrecently the efforts to destroy the es-
teem in which he has been held by the
people of the state of Washington has
gone to startling lengths" history has
been distorted, and enemies who will
not speak in the open, are using devious
and descicable channels to spread their
caInmnies "Then Mr.. Hampton pro-
eeeds to tell a well cooked "true story
of how Mr.. Burke stood firm for right
and Justice and fair dealing in the face
of threatening death, and then launches
forth to tell the "true story OF Mr'
Burke's participation in the Chinese
trouble in February, 1886.
Mr.. Editor, up to this part in Mr.
Hampton's story, the writer has only
passing interest. We do not care
whether the Judge was born in New
York or Ireland, or in an ash barrel. Al
10 when he was married is of little i'm
portance to those who are looking foI
senatorial timber. As to his buying
property at an early date, and mort
gaging to its full value, and then the
mortgage refusing TO foreclose, Is only
one OF many instances we could men
tion, and of many men similarly situ