The morning call., 1892-06-28
SUPERVISORS AWAKE.
They Shake Up the License
Committee.
THE DIVE EVIL Is RECOGNIZED.
4 Good Job Done by the Citizens
League Last Night.
"THE CALLS" WORK COMMENDED.
Supervisors BTIiRg, Taber and AVER
Want Speedy Action, and Say
They Will Get 1t.
" THE CALLS" WORK COKAEyDED.

Owing perhaps to the absence Of Its
chairman, Supervisor Heyer, the License
Committee had nc report 10 make last night
on the proposed amendment to the dive
ordinance. which thousands of people in
San Francisco, by their presence in a series
of mass-meetings and by their votes, have
asked for tine and again.
The License Committee took the dive
matter under its wing nearly two months
ago. and it has remained there ever since.
The Citizens League, which ID fighting
the dives with something almost as good as
dyHamite-tkat is TO say, deeply aroused
public opiniCD-has been urging the COM
mitlee to do something; but it has been TAX
ing its time as if there were decades in
which TO work the needed reform.
Last night a determined delegation from
the Citizens League waited on the Super
visors. The delegation consisted OF the
following gentlemen: NJ. Flood. II. l..
Gear c. 0. Burton, J. 5. Hutchinson,
John F. Meyers, Henry ToOmey, l.. ).
Bonesteu, J. O. Eastland and Reuben
Tucker.
we are here" said President Flood,
Representing the Citizens League Of San
Francisco. Our league has but one object
tile suppression Of the dives. We come in
regard to the petition presented to your
honorable board two months ago asking
that the power for Issuing licenses for the
sale Of LIQUORS be vested in the Police Com
miSsl0neTs The abuses under the present
system Of granting licenses on the recon-
mend alton IF WE'VE citizens are so well
known that ir is not necessary at this time
ospeak OF them. Ii would be an insult to
vour intelligence 10 urge the necessity Tor
Teformatory measures upon You now.
I've ask you ID the name Of the people
whom we re reSent-the higher class Of CitI-
Zens Of San Francisco, ami DOT tt.e dr'Es Of
society-tO use the power vested IN you by
your constituents to make this change IN
your order. The. action VIII receive the
approval Of the entire respectable element
In this community.
1--WE hope you VIII see your way clear TO
take this action as speedily as possible"
Mr.. Flood gave way and the floor was
taken by Il. L. Gear.
- understand" said NJ. Gear In a clear
str0t voice, that an action has been COM
meHced-agaiHst your honorable body to en-
join you from changing your present license
ord nance by striking theTetrOm the y prOp-
erty-0WupTs' consent clause. 1t Is forbidden
by the law Of The State that there should be
any injunction 10 restrain any legs alive
act by a municipal body.
We are here 20 urge your action In &C
eOrdance With the request made by the
citizens Of San Francisco 10 mass-meeting.
sud to represent to your honorable body the
wishes OF those citizens.
The papers Of this city, particularly THE
MORNING CALL, have stood by Us H6biY
and have been urging that this proposed
action should be taken, and that the p
property holders clause should be ellmi-
mated.
''Why IS this action urgcd2 It is because
Of the crimes tbat have been committed n
the dives affected by this measure, and not
only the crimes, but the sorder and i'm
morality which is tOsteTed there. We are
making an honest, earnest attempt 10 rid
our fair city Of these dens Of depTaVlty.
This cannot be done al long as the power
Of the Police Commissioners is oveTUi lden
by = citizens 10 the block when
license is refused 10 the keeper Of
crime-hatchsTy Ia voice: THE CALL
has a copyright on that word OF
other vile den. 1t is certainly right that the
Police Commissioners should refuse to
license certain dives, and that should settle
the matter. 1t should 90 no further. No
one should have q right 10 veto that action.
Do not the police know better than any one
else what places are most dangerous to the
community
I'VE had hoped that long before this time
there would have been report and that the
desired action would have been taken,
You sit here. not merely as the repre-
sentatiyes Of party, but Of the people, and
you sit here not to take action ia favor Of
good order.
Eve ak you to quest the License Con-
mittee to make It's report at once or as soon
as it can well do so.
Remember that the Police Commission
eTs have not tabOOPd the entire liquor in
terest Of the city. II has iHterdicted but
few Of the 1000 places for which licenses
= have been asked, and those few are the low
dives which We wish TO close, We ask that
the licensing power be left in the hands Of
r--T. 1safF ffa.H ava
their hands il will be safe. One leading
dive has been suspended. II may, under
the present order, spring into full existence
again. We want TO keep 1t beyond power
Of revival and to- kin the others tab0oed by
the police, and known 10 rank low on the
list OF our city's dens OfdeDrayty."
There was loud applause from the spec
tatOTs in the gallery and back seats al the
close OF Mr.. Gears address.
Il move that the License Committee be
asked to report on the petition at the next
meeting OF the board" said Supervisor
TabeT, arising
Before the motion was put, Supervisor
Buring arose and said he had received
copy OF the summons served on the board
10 eDioin il from taking action against the
dives
Il have here the opinion Of Attorney
General Hart Oh the subject" said Nj
Burlug.
he read the opinion. which said that 10
Injunction could BE- granted for such pur-
pose, and that the Supervisors could vote
on the question as they pleased without
being in contempt of court.
Now, ! am in favor Of this measure"
said Mr.. Burling, and l want to see it
sdoDted. The Supervisors cannot afford 10
do otherwise than favor the amendment.
It is Just and proper, and the people are
Rnxiously requesting its adoption"
Supervisor Aver arose and made a long
speech, in which hs selected his words
carefully. He favored the citizens side O.
the movement and he didn't. He thought,
however, something ought to be- done.
The present ordinance. " said he, would
be quite effective enough if enforced, but
there are so many negative possibilities
conferred In the '12-signature' clause that
the officers Of the law find il convenient not
TO make any arrests and hold in duress the
offenders. There is no policy and no poll
ties ia ibis question for me. 1t is question
OF right and duty of this board that is to
govern our actions. Shall we, by our
silence, give a tacit consent TO a wrong?
Shall We say 10 the world that morality has
no protection by the members OF the legisla-
tive department OF this municipality, and
lguOre the petition and the prayers Of the
good and yiTtuoUs among Us?
Better that the right hand should forget
its cunning and the tongue cleave 10 the
Roof Of the mouth than 10 encourage life
OF shame and crime in the dens Of iniquity,
especially when such dives are in the very
heart OF the city.
Whether right or wrong, we should take
some action upon this question, and If
necessary let the courts define the limi:s Of
our authority afterward.
There are some cases where public NOR
ais would be better served by hanging the
prisoner first and trying him afterwsrd.
and in theory this is one Of the cases.
"a few Gays ago / visited the State
prison at San Quentin with a view of get
ting some data upon this question. There
/ learned from the officers the startling an
nouncement that the crimes of more than
One-half of the young men confined in the
prison could be traced primarily to their
associations in the dives and other low
places in this city.
.GentIenen With thia statament con We