ORIENTAL COLONY IS READY FOR DEFENSE
Immense Quantities of Firearms Purchased by Japanese and Chinese Residents in Anticipation of Riot

More firearms were sold yesterday by local dealers to Chinese and Japanese residents of Seattle than had been sold by Seattle stores to Oriental customers in all the previous history of the city.

This startling declaration is made by big firearms firms and is substantiated by the records. Apparently there was not so much of a rush by Orientals today, possibly because most of them are now prepared for self-defense, and partially because of the violent rain storm that kept the Orientals at home.

The Oriental colonies have been aroused over the rioting at Bellingham and Vancouver and the threat that a big anti-Japanese and Chinese demonstration was planned for Seattle to follow the return of exclusion leaders from British Columbia.

While the Oriental colonies have confidence in the ability of the Seattle police to protect them from any demonstration, the fact that neither the Bellingham nor Vancouver police manifested much curiosity about the outcome has led the two Oriental colonies to prepare for defense. Both colonies are used to police and immigration authorities battering down doors and marring the furniture and accept such performances as a matter of course. But neither colony is willing to accept the authority of a mob to spoil the building sites the Japanese and Chinese occupy. If a Seattle mob attempts to march into the Oriental quarters serious trouble may ensue.