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236 stories matching agit
- Exclusionist Policy at the Seattle Public Schools
A newly adopted board resolution forbids any principal or teacher from discouraging Chinese pupils, yet the paper reports on the city's ongoing anti-Chinese agitation.
- The 'Keep Out' Sign Over Snohomish
A local editor warns against the arrival of an agitator, reflecting the volatile labor politics of 1880s Washington Territory.
- The Struggle for Order in 1885 Olympia
As anti-Chinese riots swept through Tacoma and Seattle, the citizens of Olympia gathered to pass a desperate set of resolutions, hoping to avoid the 'lawless expulsion' of their neighbors.
- Coal Exports Decline as Industry Shifts
Seattle's coal industry faces a slump, prompting local mine owners to lobby for protectionist tariffs against Australian imports.
- Seattle's Filipino Editors Draw a Line: Restrict Us If You Must — But Never Shut Us Out
As agitation builds in Congress to bar Filipinos from the mainland, the editors of Seattle's Filipino Forum weigh the Johnson bill and conclude that a quota, however bitter, is preferable to outright exclusion — which they call an imperialist injustice.
- Poisoned Candy in the Streets: Aberdeen's Scare
Chocolates dusted with white powder and gumdrops bored and filled with some unknown substance turned up scattered across Aberdeen's streets — right after a wave of dog poisonings. The candy is headed to Pullman for chemical analysis.
- A Night at the Chinese Theater in Tacoma
Despite warnings of anti-Chinese agitation, a traveling troupe’s performance at the Tacoma Theater draws a packed and appreciative crowd.
- The War on the Free Lunch
A Tacoma councilman moves to abolish the staple of the working-class saloon, calling it a magnet for vagrancy.
- John Keane’s Campaign Embraces Anti-Chinese Violence
A political candidate faces scrutiny for his role in the 1885-86 expulsion movement.
- The Fight for Private Ballots
Spokane voters are demanding an end to the era of 'ward heelers' peering over their shoulders at the polls.
- The Tacoma Method: How the Anti-Chinese Movement Turned to Violence
A brutal manifesto circulates in Tacoma, signaling the escalation of the anti-Chinese exclusion campaign.
- The Struggle for Mukilteo
Citizens and labor organizers intensify their campaign to drive Japanese laborers out of the local mill company.
- The Sunday Shave Showdown
A Tacoma barber is fined for keeping his shop open on Sunday, sparking a long-standing legal battle with the barbers' union.
- The Anti-Catholic Lecturer Who Skipped Town
A visiting lecturer left Tacoma without paying his hall rent, highlighting the messy intersection of political agitation and private debt.
- An Infernal Machine on the Tracks
A dangerous, home-made bomb was discovered on the streetcar tracks in Seattle, chilling a city already tense from labor agitation.
- The Secret 'Property Protective Association' Emerges
A secretive organization has formed in King County, allegedly to intimidate laborers and enforce property rights.
- Railroad Workers Threaten Strike Over Pay
Employees of the Columbia and Puget Sound railroad challenge management over wage inequality compared to regional standards.
- The Great Tacoma Water Grift
How a corrupt water monopoly swindled the city out of nearly $1.5 million for a tainted water supply, leaving residents with a decade of filth.
- A Violent Encounter at the Waterfront
A non-union sailor claims he was robbed and beaten by union agitators, highlighting the growing tensions on the Seattle docks.
- Everett Laborites Plan a New Headquarters
After outgrowing their current space, the Trades Council eyes a new permanent home on 32nd and Wetmore.
- Anti-Japanese Agitation in Kent Hop Yards
White hop pickers form a committee to forcibly exclude Japanese laborers from local harvest fields.
- The Black Miners Who Came to Save Roslyn
In February 1885, a special train carrying 300 African American laborers from the East Coast arrived in Washington Territory to break a coal strike. Their arrival ended weeks of unrest and restored order to the struggling mining town.
- Tacoma Prepares for Anti-Chinese Agitation
Hostility toward Chinese merchants and laborers persists in Tacoma as organizers call for a mass meeting at the foot of Tenth Street.
- The Failed Disruptor of Tacoma
A political agitator attempts to shout down a Republican rally, only to find himself performing for an empty street.
- Populists Plan a State-Wide Political Circus
As Washington state approaches a contentious election, Spokane Populists prepare a traveling campaign program of bands, juggling, and theater.