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Show JSP1ESE POIIS OUT SPECIFIC C1SES ' 0FC1BLIIC Editor Standard: The letter from the Chinese Merchants' association, which appeared in the Standard last Thursday, November 28th, came to my notice, and I wish to ask you to publish pub-lish my answer to it. First, I question what the gentlemen gentle-men of the Chinese Merchants association asso-ciation call "honest business." You know in China, gambling was a licensed li-censed business for centuries past, just as liquor traffic and prostitution were. It is only since China became a republic that gambling came to be prohibited by law. Under the circumstances, circum-stances, I would at least doubt that the gentlemen of the Chinese Merchants Mer-chants association regard gambling an honest and respectable business. Their standard is different. Secondly, If those stores in question ques-tion on Grant and Lincoln avenues are really doing any business to speak of, I should suggest to any ono to go to the Union Freight depot, both American and Wells Fargo Express Co. and postoffice to find what amount of merchandise came to, nnd went from, those stores. The merchandise they pretend to sell is the same old stuTf. year in year out, and no selling nor buying is actually done there, except ex-cept a sale of a few firecrackers near the Fourth of July. The people living in those stores have "no visible means of support," while they not only manage man-age to live but also, as they proudly confessed, havo suffini ont mnnnv In buy Liberty bonds, to donate to Red Cross and to the Welfare Funds. They are doing mighty well In that, but tho question is the source of the money.' I Thirdly, during the year 191S. there are the following records attached to the Chinebe stores in question; 1. On- February 2nd. the Chinese store at 2159 Grant avenue was raided and twenty Orientals were arrested and the paraphernalia and the money, $172, were taken possession or by a squad of policemen. Those orientals were set freo on bail amounting to $172. 2. Next raid was made on 24G2 Lin-"coin Lin-"coin avenue on March -1th and one John Doe, a Chinese, was accused of lottery. 3. Another raid was made on May 22nd, upon a Chinese store at 2173 Grant avenue and nine Jupaneso we're arrested and they put up $150 bail. There was not sufficient evidence to hold the men on charges of gambling, but the vagrancy charges were made to get them into court I. On June 12th, the secretary of by the police officers in co-operation In a raid of tho Chinese store at 2473 Grant avenue. This apparently point3 to the fact that the house is suspected of a crime. 5. Again on October 1st, city police po-lice raided the gambling place at 2150 Grant avenue and arrested nine Japanese Jap-anese -and one Chinese. They were charged with vagrancy and paid 530 fine per head. These are a part of the records concerning con-cerning them, and more records could be obtained at the municipal courL I Fourthly, gentlemen of the Chinese Merchant association and its legal ftd-I ftd-I viser boldly said that there was no sign up inviting people to gambling. I would simply refer them to tho district dis-trict court where. I understand, those signs are kept in custody: They might as well go to the court and "look at them. Last, but not tho least. I wish to express my regret for the man who wrote that letter for tho Chinese Merchant Mer-chant association. Dear Editor, the Inter-Mountain Japanese association wants to be fair and right to all. Things it claims are I the protection of law, and justice. I plead that the authorities and the public will guide and assist the association asso-ciation to attain its alms THE INTER-MOUNTAIN JAPANESE ASSOCIATION, T. UCHIDA, Socrotary. 00 |