Los Angeles herald., 1890-04-26
The Restaurant Keepers Hold
a Meeting.
They Say Their Business Has
Been Injured.
A Strong Set of Resolutions Pre-
sented and Adopted.
Business Men Will Be Requested to Boy
colt These Affairs Hereafter, or
They Will Be Boycotted.

hall, to take action regarding the churcn
dinners which have been given of late
in the business portion of the city. r.
Cohen, OF the Vienna Bakery, called the
meeting to order, and John Brink was
selected as chairman and R. Cohen as
secretary. The chair stated that the
meeting had been called for the purpose
of taking some action about the church
members who persist in giving dinners
in the central part of the city. He
asked for some expression of opinion
on the part of those present.
Mr.. Durkee said he was church
member himself, but the time had come
when stop must be put to these church
dinners in the city, or else the restau-
rants would have to close up. He sug-
gested that set of resolutions be drawn
and circulated.
Mr.. Balzer thought that the aid of the
newspapers would be more efficient than
the resolutions, but something should
be done at once.
Mr.. Cohen said that he was opposed
to the churches holding lunches down
town, and he thought it was an inius-
tice to the restaurant keepers and to
every merchant in the city. In order to
save time he had prepared the following
set of resolutions, which he desired to
have signed if adopted by the meeting.
He thought that all the rest of the res
taurant keepers in the city who were not
at the meeting would sign the resolu-
tions, which he read as follows:
WHEREAS, All the churches of the city
of Los Angeles have combined to ruin
our business and deprive honest men
and women from earning livelihood,
and thereby causing thefts, robbery and
prostitution in our business. We there
fore, in meeting assembled,
Resolue, That we condemn the action
of said church members for interfering
with legitimate business, to the detri-
ment of the same.
That we respectfully condemn the
their own sex of the means of making an
honest living, thereby compelling them
to become street-walkers.
That we condemn the City Council for
partial legislation, for letting the said
churches carry on restaurant business
without paying license.
That we pledge ourselves that each
and every one who belongs to the Board
of Trade or Chamber of Commerce will
withdraw from the same, as we under
stand that they gave sanction and en-
couragement to the churches in such
lines of business.
That we hereby invite the sympathy
OF every laboring man to help us in this
good cause, for the sake of their fellow
workmen, and we ask every grocer, com
mission merchant, milkman, butcher,
baker, and every other business man, to
stand by US so that we can make an
honest living, be able to pay our rent
and honest debts.
That we pledge ourselves to
boycott every newspaper that will give
the said churches running said restaur-
ants free advertisement; and last, but
not least, we ask the sympathy of those
good and honest church members, and
we recognize there are many such, to
assist us in this matter, and we promise
them that at any and all times, if they
need money for their churches, that we,
the restaurant people of this city, will
give them helping hand and prove to
them that they can raise more money
for their churches legitimately than
running restaurants at 25 cents meal.
Mr.. Cohen said that he was satisfied
that number of the church people
would look at the matter in the right
light; that the action of the churches
in giving lunches down town was driv-
ing men to thieving and women to
street-walking he thought was true, for
the restaurant forces were cut down
owing to the lack of business caused by
the church lunches, and the "hashers''
were compelled to steal to live. He had
employed three girls in his family, and
owing to the lack of trade had been COM
PEELED to discharge two, and these two
finding nothing honest to do, had be-
come street-walkers.
Several of those present objected to
the resolutions, which they said were
entirely too strong and it was suggested
that committee be appointed to draft
milder set.
Mr.. Cohen said that he knew they
were strong, but he thought if they were
adopted and signed by all the restaurant
keepers the church lunches down town
would be stopped. He, however, had
prepared milder set of resolutions,
which he read as follows:
We, the undersigned, restaurant-keep-
ers and Taxpayers of this city, do hereby
publicly protest against the unjust and
oppressive habit OF the churches and
various societies in giving dinners on
every possible occasion, furnishing meals
donated by these members, to the public
at prices no restaurant-keeper can meet
and live.
We condemn the action of the City
Council for partial legislation in COM
pelling us to pay license to do business,
when these societies give dinners free
of all expense, paying no license, tax,
rent or help.
We condemn the newspapers for pub
fishing the advertisements of these in
stitutions free of charge, if they do so,
where they compel us to pay for our ad-
vertisements and subscriptions. We
ask all the labor unions to support us in
this contest, that is constantly injuring
our business in dull times. We ask the
support of the grocers, produce dealers,
milkmen and diarymen, as our interests
are their interests. We ask the support
of all business houses, for as these
churches and societies injure our bust
ness, 80, too, will they injure theirs and
last, but not least, we ask the church
people themselves to assist us in build
ing up the business interests of the city,
and not injure an honest business that
gives employment to many men and