The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-01-08
CLOSE THE DIVES.
Not New idea, But Still Very
Good One.
The Police Commissioners Have Con-
cludod to start IN OH the Worst
Of the Many Vile Dens.

Moved by the recent bold operations of
thieves and marauders, and the shaking
up which certain dives and thieves head
quarters have been given by the RECORD
UNION, the Police Commissioners ''got a
move on them" yesterday and held a
consultation to see if something could
not be done to purify the moral atmos-
phere of the city.
There was the usual amount of talk in
dulged in about what should be done to
ria the city OF the pest-holes so often men
toned in The papers, and of the special
orders given to the police officers from
time to time, and the Commissioners
the Mayor, Chief of Police and Police
JUDICIAL agreed that it would be good
thing to have male and female Migrants
prosecuted.
Then the Commissioners discussed the
sdvisability Of peremptorily closing such
dives as the Casino, the Rosebud, Merritt S
shebang, at Fifth and / streets, and the
Fashion, on Second street, where Ed
Bailey was shot on Wednesday night.
The result Of their consultation shows
Inat public opinion is a very potent factor
IN the matter of bringing about refor-
nation In public affairs. The Commits
siOners unanimously decided TO ask the
City Trustees to revoke the licenses issued
to the keepers of these dens-something
they should have done long ago. They
have for months past been familiar with
the disreputable character of these places,
and could have taken this action just as
well then as now.
However, lit is better late than never''
IN matters of so much moment to the
community, and so far as yesterdays ac-
ton of the Police Commission goes it
s. commemorative IacoI1Sn If is II, 10 iCb
direction.
But the four dives mentioned are not
The only ones that have forfeited all right
TO protection. If the Police Commits
sioners are really DESTROYS of purify
Ing the atmosphere Of the downtown
section, they can very easily ascertain
what places are entitled to licenses and
what ones are not. They'should not wait
10 have the newspapers show them the
way in all cases. If they cannot depend
on the police being sufficiently disinter-
e5ted to correctly report the true char
acter Of all the dives, they should employ
some private detective to do the work, or
else personally visit the dens at unex-
pected times and see for themselves how
they are conducted.
That is what the people expect of them,
and that is what they ought TO do There
IS nothing undignited in the Mayor, the
Police Judge, the Chief of Police, or the
City Irustees-especially the latter, who
have the power to grant and revoke
Ecenses-pe personally acquainting them
selves with the character of every saloon
and dive in the city. 1t is one OF the
duties for which the people pay them
good, round salaries.
1t is a matter OF record that the CITY
trustees have sat in their seats and
heard requests from Police Judge Cra-
Vens and Captain Lee, for the revocation
OF licenses held by the keepers OF dens
nf,h Of 4
nightly occurrence, and then refuse to re-
woke the licenses because they did not
know, Of their own knowledge, that such
Things were true.
1t is the pride Of good Generals to know
all about what is going on in the camps
OF their soldiers, so they go among the
men in disguise and acquaint themselves
with their condition and all that affects
their efficiency as soldiers, to the end
that they may know just what to depend
on in times OF emergency.
And how can public officials deal prop
erly with questions that affect the we'll
icing of communities if they shut their
eyes to what IS transporting daily and re-
fuse TO be guided by the advice ana coun-
sci Of those whose eyes are open? There
has been too much of this blind sort of
business in Sacramento, and the city has
suffered untold injury by it.
For two years past this community has
been reviled in the public press Of the
State for its social evils, and not without
cause. The charge has been made re-
peatedly that our people are without
morals, because one portion Of the city is
overrun by degraded creatures of both
sexes, and maintains harbors of refuge
Tor criminals. Even San Francisco police
men have declared repeatedly that there
are no dens in all that sinful metropolis
that equal in Yileness some of those that
are licensed here in Sacramento.
l.,
in a small degree, instrumental in open
ing the eyes of the community and our
public officials to the suicidal policy of
licensing and protecting these pestiferous
places, it viii feel well repaid for its
efforts.