The morning call., 1892-08-08
FIGHTING The Dive EVIL.
Vigorous Speeches Made at Met.
rOpolitan Hall.
The Regular Sunday Afternoon Meeting-Mr.
Flood Denies That the Citizens
League Is in Politics.

The usual Metropolitan Hall Sunday
AFTERNOON meeting of the Citizens Anti
Dive League was held yesterday
After the hymn america" was sung by
all the people present Mr. Michael Flood in
troduced DR.. HirSt as chairman of the meet
ing.
Mr.. Flood, as chairman Of the executive
committee, submitted his report. In regard
TO feeling that seemed to exist that the
league was about to enter into politics he
said that nothing could be further from the
minds of the gentlemen composing the COM
mittee. The league had been organized for
specific purpose aud when that purpose
was attained the reason for the existence of
the league would disappear. This purpose
was the Kidding of the city of the dives.
once Tor all he would say that no apprehen-
sion need be felt that the league intended to
organize any separate political party.
The boy choir of the Church of the Ad-
vent, under the Rev. John 4. Gray, sang
the "Red, White and Blue"
MIR. DIXoN's VIEWS.
Rev. Mr. Dixon of Oakland was the first
speaker. He said the greatest issues before
the people to-day were moral issues He
was sorry to hear that the organization
would cease 10 exist as soon the dives were
swept out OF existence. There was a need
OF some sort of permanent organization
which would gather into itself all the
yirtuous elements of the city. Ii was not
necessary 10 60 into politics rs an OrganiZa-
ton. but everybody should go into politics
as an Individual to promote moral reform.
The yirtuous elements in the city were re-
sponsible for the vicious elements within
1t. He believed in pure citizenship rs n
part of the manhood basis upon which
society exists. Eternal vigilance was the
price of municipal purity. The evil that
had been touched was not merely superficial
and local. IL was constitutional in
measure, and the blood needed to be
purified. Just clean out the dives and then
look into the constitution Of things with
little clearer eye.
William II. Barnes was the next speaker
There was only one sensible thing for men
to do who desire to purify the city, he said
1t Is to put up men for Office who can be de-
pended upon as sound on the anti-diye cues
ton, no matter to what party they belong.
The Board of Supervisors must include the
right kind of men or the influence of the
Citizens Anti-DiVe League would defeat
them. There were enough men in San
Francisco who took no interest in politics
TO turn an election on the moral side of any
question. The dives were, lie added, only
copies Of something higher. The only diff
ference in the hiRher-class resorts from the
lower was that they put on more style.
AFRAID OF POLITICIANS.
Rev. Mr.. Smith was next introduced. He
advised that all side issues should be laid
aside and that the people strip themselves
for fight on the single issue OF the sup
preston of and complete determination Of
those deyilish holes in San Francisco known
as dives. Mr.. Smith remarked that he
looked for no help from either the Republi-
can or Democratic parties.
Rev. Mr. Pulien said he could not ind
one good thing in connection with the dive,
but could ind everything that was abso-
lutely devilish. 1t had been alleged that
1900 women would lose their means of liv-
ing if they were turned out OF the dives.
de asked whether IL was necessary that
human being should live who followed suel
an occupation as that in which these
women engaged. OF all political move
ments ever started in San Francisco this
one was the most unseifish that ever stirred
a heart.
Rev. Mr.. Henry said it was too late in
the day to withdraw from the fight The
saloon-keepers were entrencned behind a
bulwark of gold. The money was on the
other side. The brewers sent SIS 900 to
Placer County 10 defeat the no-license law
there.
Mr.. Smith urged upon his hearers the
need of being liberal in their contributions
OF money to aid the league IN its cam
paign. Another obstacle to victory was
double facedness. There were too many
shilly-shallOw, sniyelling, humpty-dumpty
citizens in San Francisco. The QUESTION
would be settled if simply lett to the ex-
preston Of the popular will.
Before MIR. Hirst adjourned the meeting
he announced that one of the proprietoIs
of the Cremorne had called on a distin-
guished citizen and said 10 him: II pre-
pose TO open the Cremorne soon, and all |
ask you is that you keep your mouth shut"