Salt Lake Evening Democrat

BUTTE’S CHINESE MUST GO.
The Knights of Labor Issue a Manifesto, and Set the Limit by
October 1st.
The feeling against the Chinese which
has been so much on the increase
throughout the west during the past fortnight,
has resulted in active demonstrations
against the Butte heathens. At
Anaconda and Helena the edict went
forth the past week that the Chinese
must go. Tuesday afternoon between 3
and 4 o’clock, says the Inter-Mountain,
circulars containing the following were
distributed throughout Butte:
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC.
Whereas, We view with consternation the
growing evil, the "Chinamen," in our midst,
and knowing them to be detrimental to the
best interests of this country, and not having
anything in common with our institutions, we, the workingmen, once and for all
have decided that we will no longer tolerate
them in our midst. They have come into
our fair land with all the hellish customs of
their race, prostituted our children to all the
evil habits and degradation the human mind
can conceive, and we ask all good citizens
to join us in ridding this community of a
pest. It is essential to the well-being of
this city that they should be removed immediately.
We do not desire to create any hardships
to the business men or the general public of
this city. Therefore we give them until the
first day of October, 1885, to replace the
celestials with other labor; failing to do so
in that time, we will institute a vigorous
boycott on all who directly or indirectly will
in any way contribute to their support. We
have determined that they must go, "peacefully if they will, but forcibly if needs be."
KNIGHTS OF LABOR.
The tone of the circular is very business-like, and the Chinese are not a little
alarmed. There are now in Butte, according
to authentic figures, about 654
Chinamen. About one-half of the number
are employed in the laundry business
a large number are employed in domestic
service, many more keep little stores in
the Chinese suburb, a fourth large class
are the gamblers, toughs, loafers and
hatchet men, and the remainder work
at gardening and odd jobs. From conversation with several of the leading men
among them, it is learned that they will
probably accept the situation quietly,
and if they must go they will do it without
making a fuss about it. Their going
will make room in Butte for 200 or
300 girls and women as house servants,
laundresses, etc., and also for a good
many men in various positions.
A number of those who employ
Chinese have been talked with, and without
an exception, so far as learned, all
are willing to abide by the demands of
the circular, and will substitute white
help for the Chinese as soon as it can be
done.
Some doubt having been expressed as
to whether the circular was genuine and
if it really meant that the Chinese must
leave Butte, a reporter sought out gentlemen
prominent in the order which issued
the decree. They stated that the order
was irrevocable; that the Chinese must
leave. This movement, they said, was
general all over the Pacific coast, and it
will not be allowed to rest until the desired
end is accomplished. The reasons,
briefly, are stated as follows: That the
Chinese, by reason of their willingness
to live on almost nothing, compete
detrimentally with white male labor in
many portions of the west, and in all
portions they have rendered it almost
impossible for white girls and women to
obtain employment; that they corrupt
the youth in various ways and have increased
the number of white opium
smokers a hundred fold in the past few
years; and that they imperil the health
of all communities in which they have
gained a foothold. Many other reasons
are urged, but these are the leading
ones.