John Keane’s Campaign Embraces Anti-Chinese Violence
A political candidate faces scrutiny for his role in the 1885-86 expulsion movement.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Mr. John Keane is out canvassing and making speeches on the live topics of the day. His main points, on which he asks for support, are that he is in favor of public schools but opposed to the lottery; that he was the prime mover in the anti-Chinese agitation of the town, and, at Newcastle, Mr. Honald, who is traveling with him and who introduced him, said that he made speeches on the day of the riot that dispersed the mob. In a speech at Houghton, he openly expressed his approval of the massacre at Rock Springs, Wyoming, and all places where so many Chinese were murdered in cold blood.
“At Houghton he openly expressed his approval of the massacre at Rock Springs, Wyoming, and all places where so many Chinese were murdered in cold blood.”
This reflects a chilling moment in Seattle history when anti-Chinese violence was not just a historical event but an active political platform for candidates. It serves as a stark reminder that 'civic engagement' in 1886 often meant advocating for the violent removal of neighbors.
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