The morning call., 1892-06-29
LICENSES FOR DIVES.


The crime hatcheries die hard. Some
time ago it was proposed to amend the
license law so as TO deprive the Board Of
Supervisors of the right of licensing places
Of public entertainment which the Police
Commissioners refuse to license on the
presentation OF a petition from u property
holders in the block where such places are
situate The resolution was referred TO the
License Committee. and its report was eX-
pected last Monday evening. But 10 report
vas forthcoming, the chairman Of the
License Committee, Supervisor Heyer, not
finding it convenient TO attend the weekly
meeting Of the Supervisors. On this, and
in Difference to animated appeals from the
Citizens League Of San Francisco. the
hoard passed a resolution by a unanimous
vote asking the License Committee to report
on lhe matter at the next meeting Of the
board, which will be next Tuesday, Mon
day being the Fourth.
II is amazing how hard il is to accomplish
a thing which Ought not to meet with OppO-
stion from any quarter. The ordinance
which authorizes the Supervisors 10 over
ride tie Police Commissioners in matter
about which the later know everything and
the Supervisors nothing is a misehiey0us
ordinance. Ii was smUggled through the
board on the shallow plea that the Police
Commissioners might be preiudiced against
somebody who wanted 10 oPen a dive. and
that power should BE lodged somewhere 10
secure fer this worthy citizen the right TO
life. liberty and tile pursuit Of happiness in
his own way. II is enough 10 say that the
confidence Of the board was abused 1t is
absurd TO pretend that the Police Commits
siuners can be sWayed in granting or with
holding 4 license by any consideration Out
regard for public order They know moth
ing Of dives or diye-keepers. When they
are Informed by tie chief and captains Of
police that this or that man has kept and
proposes to keep a crime hatchery they
very properly refuse to grant him license
for that purpose. and in so doing they cXer-
else the discretion with which they have
been invested with a sound regard for the
public morals. Their decision should be
final; it is indecent that it should be over
borne by the action Of a body which is
ignorant Of the facts and is peculiarly
liable to be swayed by appeals from friends
and the influence Of politicians.
The undeThand opposition TO the repeal
Of the ordinance is a last kick Of the Buckley
regime when diye-keepers and men Of their
class controlled the city Buck ey's chief
lieutenants were keepers Of places which
were distinguished with difficulty from
dives. He himself kept for many years
saloon which was the resort Of the lowest
ard West inhabitants Of the city. Il a vote
had been taken in his grOggery on the ques-
ton whether such a place as the CremoTne
should or should not be licensed if would
have been unanimous for tile license. The
spirjtwhich pervaded that deiectable abode
Of Yilainy is still potent at the City Hail.
1t can be detected in some Of the depart
mentS and in the Board Of Supervisors,
when used not so very long ago to register
the DEGREES of the boss. Some of the very
men WHO did The registering are still to The
fore, making laws for tie city and spending
the money which taxpayers contribute.
It viii not do for honest citizens or for
such bodies as the Citizens League to as
sumo that their laboTs are st an end be-
cause it is outrageous to oppose their efforts.
Outrageous things have been done for years
aud are still being done. There is 10 change
in the men who have trained under tie
bosses, nor can shame be relied upon to CO
cree them into the adoption OF decent be-
havl5r. There are men in the streets who
ought to be at San Quentin. and yet who
are recognized when they pass by citizens
claiming to be respectable. While such a
moral tone prevails the champions OF re-
form must not relax their efforts until theiI
work is done, ara done 10 such a way that
it viii stick. The dives must 60 and tie
power which breathed into them tie breath
Of life must be manaeled so that it can do
SO 10 more.
We shall never De secure against the re-
yival Of the business in some new place un-
der some new name SO long al twelve prop
erty-oWners are authorized to reverse tie
action Of the Police Commissioners in re-
fuslng a license. And il may be difficult
hereafter to rouse tie people to their pres
ent white heat Of indignation. Those v 10
want TO put down nurseries of vice and
crime must keep on hammering at the job
until it is completed The License c M
mitlee must be compelled TO report, and the
Citizens League must see to it when that
report is fled that the Supervisors take the
action which decency commands.