The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-04-04
WHAT SHALL BE DONE WITH THEM

A number of persons have signed petit
ton asking Governor Waterman to name
day Tor fasting, humiliation and PRAYER.
The petitioners desire that all. those incar-
cerated in the city and county jails of San
francisco, Oakland and Alameda be re-
moved to some place of safety not later
than the 7th of April. They think also
tnat II would be q good plan to remove all
the gold and silver in the Mint and other
national securities on or before the same
date. The rea son for these remarkable re-
quests is that certain men and women
nave seen or pretend TO have seen visions
Which they construe aS a warning that San
Francisco, Oakland and Alameda are to be
destroyed by earthquake and tidal waves.
The cities of Chicago and Milwaukee are
also doomed, but the Governor is not asked
TO concern himself to rescue their conyicts
or to remove their treasure to places. the
earthquake and tidal wave cannot reach.
The q uestiOn that occurs to the average
man is what to do with people who think
they see visions. 1t is uncharitable to say
that in all cases the people who see visions
are inSncere or untruthfnl. A great deal
of persecution has been inflicted on we'll
meaning people by the assumption on the
part Of one mind to Judge of the workings
that such and such a mind is off its balance,
but whether the mind is honest or false is
hard to say. At this age and in this coun-
try we incline to the utmost liberaiity in
our dealings with the class popularity known
under the general name of "cranks."
The masses. of the community are so
little affected by these conceits that
it hardly seems worth while fer society
to exercise its undoubted right to
protect itself from evil from whatever
source. Probably not one person in
thousand gives any consideration to the So
called visions which foresh adow disaster OH
the 18th Of April. To some of us the end of
this world will come before that date, but
nothing Is more certain than that the cities
named will be doing business at the old
stand on the 18th. Still. there are excep-
tional natures which are impressed by the
| positive character of the prediction. As
| the 14th approaches the impression will be-
come more lively, to the general injury TO
bodily health and sanity. What then
should we do with these dsturbers of the
public peace? 1t is not enough that most
of us know that these visions are illusions
and believe that the self-apponted prophets
are impostnrs. 1t would, perhaps, be harsh
to place them in the cells of convicts whom
lHey pellliOH the governor TO remove 10
| place Of safety, but many contend that the
general welfare of the community will be
promoted by n little harshness in dealing
with these disturbers. AT present no pen
atty is attached to this form of agitation.
VIII en- time shows prediction to be false,
the pretended prophet relapses into silence.
| For weeks and months they remain in OBJ
! security. In time, however, they break
out again in another locality and with
| brand-new vision. Wherever they go they
make converts, in the face of the fact that
not one of their so-called visions has ever
haan realizad