The morning call., 1892-07-25
WAR AGAINST THE DIVES.
declaration of Principles by The
Citizens League.
iney Will Place in Nomination Candidates
Tor Supervisors-Yest Yesterday's Meeting
in Metropolitan Temple.

The meeting of the Citizens Anti-diye
League in Metropolitan Hail held at 8
O'Clock yesterday afternoon was we'll at
tended.
before the appearance on the platform OF
the officers of the meeting the committee
ana the speakers there was prelude of
organ music in which Clarence Hermann
interpreted some Of the compositions Of the
great masters of divine harmony.
Michael Flood presided. The exercises
began with the singing of America" by
tne congregation. In his opening address
MI. Flood remarked that the old saying
Fut not your trust in Princes" might be
amended 10 read Put not your trust in Su-
peTVlsors." Applause. He asked how
cOuid they, elected as they were, be ex-
p1cted 10 do otherwise than they had done.
lie never had any hope from any possible
action OF the Board of Supervisors. The
people must from necessity take the matter
I'D thelr own hands. APPLAUSE. The press,
with certain exception, seems alive TO the
w0rk. lie afterward said there was no
necessity to wait any longer for action by
the Supervisors, and read the following
declaration of principles:
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES.
ReSOtUed. That the Citizens League for the
Suppression OF The dives OF San Francisco In
maSs meeting assembled, adopts the following
cilZens OF San Francisco for their support aud
n1Sintehanee, Irrespective OF party.
Fllst-Ihe dives of San Francisco should not
De licensed, but must be suppressed.
SecOnu-Iwelve property-Owners In a block
a dive.
Third-No political bosses or debating mo-
nopoly should be allowed 10 keep the dives
open.
Resolred, That the executive committee be
empowered TO nominate a "CltiZens' Antitiye
lcket Tor supervisors" for the suffrages OF the
people at the approaching municipal election.
uhuer TIE foregoing declaration of principles
ana 10 lake such sleps as they may deem best
TO secure their legal nomination according TO
the provisions OF The Australian bailot-taw by
The approval of citizens.
Resotred, That lhe executive committee and
lduleS' auxiliary committee be empowered TO in-
crease their numbers by the addition of such ef-
ItcuVe workers as they may choose 10 CO.
operate with them.
Reso!red. That we Will unlinchingly main
tain the foregoing principles ana sustain our
committees in their work I'm support Of them
sured.
The resolutions were adopted by a rising
vote.
SUPERVISOR TABER CoMPLmENTED.
Rev. Mr.. Frank Il. Cressey of the Im-
manuel Baptist Church was then intro
duced. lie said he rej0iced that there we're
some men In the Board of Supervisors who
were strong enough in backbon aud pTin-
eipie and thought enough of their own
was member OF his own congregation and
Ce e0mpl!mented that gentleman upon his
eOurss Those who stood with Mr.. Taber
were also to be applaHded. He objected to
eradicate. The moral condition of San
Francisco represents the dominant moral
conviction OF the city. What shall be done?
These dives are an immortality. What shall
be done 10 eradicate them? These NEE tiHgs
are necessity. They are necessary to
a rD a flta n fn ~ hair
slolliIy. IL rests upon TWO classes; first.
those who directly control them; second.
those who indirectly permit them. In the
hTst class belong the dlve-keeTers, men and
women, those pr0perty-OwneIs who signed
the applications for their tlicenss ana the
men and women who patTOniZe the dives.
best CITIZENS" RESPONSIBLE.
In the second class, those who indirectly
permit them, were to be found thousands
and tens OF thousands Of our SO-called best
citizens; not because they favored the dives,
but because there is failure on their part
TO recognize their Indirect relation to the
dives.
The reverend gentleman closed with
compliment TO the press, saying there was no
greater power In the matter # municipal re-
form than the power OF the press. Ap-
plause He tad carried the first daily papers
published In 81. Paul. He had been repor-
ter. publisher and a contributor, though he
had been for % years in the Christian minis
try. We must stand up at its back and
sides, and in large sense lead, II need be.
the press OF this city.
THE NEED OF VIGILANCE.
Rev. DR.. Buck spoke next. He congratu-
lated his hea arers on the improved condition
OF the dives since the beginning of the
movement to suppress them. Eternal
vigilance is the price Of liberty and this
vigilance must be maintained until no
longer women are permitted tn coax,
a
licentious actions, lewd dress and vile sug-
gestions on the stage corrupt them. r
Buck was frequently applauded and very
loudly so when he concluded his peToration
with new battle cry, The Bella Union
muSt be closed"
The Rev. Father Montgomery was re-
ceived with applause, which lasted for some
time. He believed that the men who went
into the dives were the ones 10 be arrested,
and not the women. What was needed now
was to clear the deck for action. We were
fighting peoples fight Every man in a
honest convictions, and we should go into
the fight with a smile and not with a frown
upon our faces.
NO HOLIDAY AFFAIR.
II Is going to be, he said, no holiday
or picnic affair. 1t is TO be a staudup fight
He suggested that the license law should be
put beyond the reach of juTies altogether.
The point, however, that was now being
fought for WAS To transfer the right to issue
licenses 10 the Police Commissioners, who
understood the subject, and take it from
the properiy-owners. Side issues must be
avoided. If there he 1900 women plying
their trade in the dives it is an additional
argument for the law. Better the 1900
young we men be paid salary out of the
public treasury than they should remain
where they are He felt, however, that
there was generosity enough among the
ne0pin tn hot
should not suffer because driven from their
degrading means Of livelihood. die closed
with strong plea in favor Of non-partizan-
ship In municipal politics.