Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1912-03-01
1fashingtun Stanaara
OLYMPIA WASHINGTON
FRIDAY, MARCH l, 1912.
A Persistent Menace.

\ Persistent menace.
\ rare treat was the discourse OF
Rev. DIR. Holt at the first Presbyter-
ian caurch, Sunday morning, on
Home Missions" 1t was as timely
as interesting. His experience in
the line Of ministerial duty abroad
as amply qualified him to speak in
diligently and logically regarding
the changes that have for ages been
steadily going on regarding the drift
OF the worlds population.
He was a missionary in China for
couple score Of years, and has an in
innate knowledge OF this active. ir-
dustrious and persistent race. whose
history dates back nearly four centu-
ries. He predicts still more rapid
and wonderful change on completion
of the Panama canal, affording an
easy and convenient pathway for the
hordes of Europe to COLOMBO this land
of invitation and promise, and make
still more strenuous the means OF a
personal existence. One of the in
centives for the present visit is to for
mulate plans for handling this large
immigration of foreigners who ex-
pect to adopt as their abiding-place
this modern mediterranean" as the
chosen spot where vast continent
ard the limitless sea meet.
One has but to glance over the most
desirable locations on our principal
street-Main-to see that this warn
ing is not premature, when he
counts the long rows of Chinese
habitations that soon become mere
shacks with the accompaniment OF
hidious noises and noisome smells,
that occupy these choicest locations
in town and and many of them doubt
less secured by long leases. Have
YOU ever heard of Chinaman refusing
big pay for a long term or voluntari-
ly relinquishing it when it has ended?
Never. That is one object that has
been so deeply engrained into mon
golian nature as never to be forgot
ten.
Main street was designed for the
principal thoroughfare, nearest the
wharves and in direct line with the
principal roads leading to town from
other points of the compass. And
these natural advantages have
been largely augmented by the
city constructing q costly permanent
home for its city government. CEN
trally located on Third and Main
streets.
But what do we find? A string of
Chinese joints clustered about the
city hall like fleas on q dogs hide.
One or two of these excresences
are in close iuxtaposition to the pub
lie building, with an immense wood
en- framework over the whole roof OF
one of the buildings. on which clothes
are strung to dry, in plain violation
of a law supposed to apply to all
white people regarding fire limits,
and it was presumably erected with
the full knowledge Of Mayor and
Council within few feet Of the Sc
lected site Of the new city hall.
There are. on the same block q
Chinese laundry, a Chinese restaur-
ant and q Chinese store, and on
the opposite block southeast, an
other large Chinese restaurant, and
on Third street, just around the cor
ner, two more laundries. on either
side the street, and it is an open 60
cret that the Capital City Creamery
moved from that street nearby to
escape contamination of its products
by Questionable odors. Thus it may
be shown that nearly half dozen
choice locations are held down" by
these Objectionable tenants.
Then below Second street several
more Of the mixed nationalities with
Objectionable habits are said to be
firmly aligned, and this week q hugo,
unsightly billboard came to take up
its obtrusive position on Second and
Main streets. While it only replaces
as great a nuisance, the charred Star
Lodging House, which was allowed
for many months to stand as mon
ument to the inefficiency OF our mu-
nicipal government, it cannot be re-
garded in any degree a betterment.
No first class city now allows q
bill board to be erected in the resi-
dence districts nor on the principal
business streets.
Then it will be remembered that
the Westside Fill was scarcely COM
pleted before a row of shacks from
the then Chinatown was switched
Upon the newly completed and costly
waterfront and placed near as posi-
bic to its 1uncture with Fourth street
the second in business Importance.
Now this situation, taken as a
whole, is almost unbearable, but it
will, with the augmentation predict
ed by Prof. Holt, from alien popula.
ton, become continually worse, and
demand, in the course of time, far
more strenuous an effort for satisfac.
tory adjustment. Now is the accept.