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251 stories matching restrict
- The Knights of Labor Demand Action on the Border
A fiery 1885 exchange reveals deep tension between Seattle's labor unions and federal officials over the lax enforcement of Chinese immigration restrictions.
- The Pacific Coast Rises Against Federal Chinese Policy
Washington's congressional delegation leads a fierce backlash against a new federal treaty that critics fear undermines the Geary Act's restrictive immigration laws.
- Everett Unions Push for National Immigration Restrictions
Following the Everett Trades Council's lead, Boston labor unions adopt resolutions calling for the restriction of immigrant labor to protect domestic wages.
- 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.
- Labor Unions Demand Action on Border Enforcement in 1886
An exchange of letters between the Seattle Knights of Labor and the Collector of Customs highlights early local anxieties over immigration policy.
- The Secretary Asks the Puyallups Whether They Are Fit to Hold Their Own Land
Interior Secretary John W. Noble met 200 Puyallup people on the reservation and promised to carry their wish to sell to President Harrison — after satisfying himself that they could be trusted with the money.
- Marriage at the Center of an Exclusion Crisis
A Seattle couple's travel plans are halted by the Chinese Restriction Act, sparking a legal struggle for their right to move freely.
- The Millions Buried in Puyallup Indian Land
A government report reveals the staggering valuation of tribal lands near Tacoma, sparking a 19th-century struggle over ownership, development, and the protection of Indigenous sovereignty against encroaching white expansion.
- Washington Lawmaker Urges Sale of Puyallup Reservation Land
Representative John L. Wilson argues that the Puyallup reservation hinders Tacoma's industrial growth, proposing the removal of restrictions on land sales to clear the way for white development.
- The Recurring Scandal of the Red Light District
A citizen's letter alleging the return of vice signals in the 'Sandberg district' forces the city council to address the mayor's controversial tolerance of restricted zones.
- A Boat, a Dog, and Men Hidden in the Drift Logs
Customs officers arrest two men near Point Wilson for running Chinese migrants past the restriction law—a case that exposes how exclusion was enforced on the water.
- The Return to the Restricted District
Tacoma officials shift policy toward segregating the 'disorderly element' into a designated district, reversing previous attempts at city-wide enforcement.
- The Battle Over Tacoma’s 'Open Town' Policy
Mayor Wright defends his administration against allegations that the city’s restricted district has spiraled into lawlessness, triggering a heated standoff with the City Council.
- The Constitutional Debt Fight
As the constitutional convention debates municipal debt limits, local editors fear Oregon-style fiscal conservatism will hinder growth.
- Judge Hanford Rules on Native Rights to Personal Autonomy
A landmark federal court decision affirms that Indigenous citizens holding land in severalty are not subject to the same liquor restrictions as those on reservations.
- Senate Weighs Puyallup Land Rights and Citizenship
Senator Allen argues that citizenship should grant Puyallup tribal members the right to sell their property, challenging federal restrictions on the reservation.
- Tacoma’s Vice 'Lid' Finally Sealed
Mayor and Chief of Police bow to council pressure to finally end the city's unofficial restricted vice district.
- The Seattle Municipal Landslide of 1900
Voters reject a fusion ticket of populists and prohibitionists, cementing a 'liberal' policy for Seattle's gambling and liquor trades.
- Tacoma Petitions to Throw Open the Puyallup Reservation
Businessmen, railroad men and politicians circulate petitions to oust the Puyallup Indian agent and dismantle federal restrictions, arguing the reservation's lands and rail routes should be 'opened' — a dispossession dressed as progress.
- The Mayor’s Gambit: Humes Defers to Council as Seattle Sweeps Away Its Gambling dens
In a rare moment of unified reform, the City Council has ordered the closure of all gambling houses and restricted saloons in the business district. Mayor Humes, citing legal ambiguity over the saloon ordinance but promising strict enforcement against lotteries, leaves the fate of Seattle’s vice industry to the police chief.
- The Political Case Against 'Human Freight'
An editorial defending the exclusion of Chinese labor based on the philosophy of wage protection and the warnings of abolitionist Wendell Phillips.
- Canada’s Naturalization Papers Denied at the Border
Federal authorities reject the residency status of Chinese British subjects, sparking a test case for immigration restrictions.
- The Great Seal Controversy: Do Pups Swim or Sink?
Local mariners and traders challenge the prevailing scientific 'fables' about seal pup habits to protest federal regulation of North Pacific sealing.
- Everett Labor Unions Demand Immigration Restriction
Citing an influx of 'pauper labor' from Southern Europe, the Everett Trades Council lobbies Congress to stem the tide.
- The Grand Jury Probes the 'Restricted District'
Tacoma investigators hunt for proof of who really profits from the city's red-light district properties.
Also about this, in other words
- A Taxpayer Tries to Stop the City From Writing Checks It Can’t Cover
Francis Hoffman and the Olympia Hardware Company ask a judge to block further city warrants, arguing Olympia has blown past its debt limit.
- The City Hall Crackdown on Variety Theaters
A municipal judge enforces a new ordinance targeting variety theaters serving alcohol, sparking a legal battle over the city's power to revoke business licenses.
- Suspended Sentence for Liquor Sales
A local woman avoids prison for selling alcohol to Indians on the condition of future 'right behavior.'
- The Battle Over the Plummer House
Mayor Ronald blocks a city ordinance that would have extended liquor limits to a specific building, sparking a public outcry from residents and churchgoers.
- Seattle's Chinese Community Faces Forced Registration
Following a Supreme Court ruling, local merchants express fear, defiance, and uncertainty over the restrictive Chinese Exclusion Act.
- City Council Targets Saloon Seclusion
Tacoma legislators pass a resolution forcing saloons to remove partitions and high-backed booths to ensure public view.
- The City Council's Permissive Grift
A frustrated fire official reveals that Seattle's fire safety ordinances are being gutted by the very council members who passed them, as they issue private permits to bypass building restrictions.
- The Fight to Curb Judicial Overreach
A radical proposal to strip Washington courts of the power to declare state laws unconstitutional sparks a fierce debate in the legislature.